Miss Leslie

The Absence of Melody

I have a belief that music is reflective of our society and culture.  I’ve been tossing around an idea lately and I’m curious what you think – have you noticed that there’s a severe lack of melody in current songwriting?  Ballads are in short supply and it seems that the popular song structure fluctuates between a handful of notes – all in the same octave.

OK I’m talking musician talk.  Turn on the radio to your top 40 station. I know. It hurts me too. Just indulge me this once.  My bet is all that you’ll need to hear is part of 1 song. Turn off the radio and hum what you just heard. If you find that you’re pretty much not changing your pitch (or not that much), you’ve encountered a song with a lack of melody.

Now, for my music theory friends, YES a melody can be anything - even if it is just 3 notes repeated over and over with little duration of any of the notes. But even my music theory friends would scoff at melodies like those on top 40 radio today.

What has happened to melody – and why?

To me, melody is that part of music that pierces the heart and the soul. It is the part of music that makes you cry or sing out for joy. Melody, to me, is emotion.

And I do not feel that surprised that it is lacking in top 40 music.  We are in a recession – on the face of a depression.  Have we grown numb to our problems? Have we lived in a materialistic realm that has focused on the acquisition of things so long that we cannot bear to give them up?  Have we lost a sense of ourselves that we no longer want to feel that which lasts forever?

What lasts? A job can go away. A car. A house. A table. A living room set. This is happening all around us. And we continue to stay numb.

My sister, Hilary Sloan, wrote a BEAUTIFUL song that I intend to record on the next album. It’s called “Some Things They Can’t Take Away”.  She recorded it on her first album, Images from Hard Luck Town .

“You’ve been looking for work now for such a long time.
Once again, they cut off the telephone line.
What you had for supper was the same yesterday.
The landlord keeps knockin and there’s no way to pay.

I’ve noticed that you haven’t laughed in awhile.
You’ve done some hard time that’s taken your smile.
It’s just getting harder to get through the day,
But some things they can’t take away.

Hold on to the little that’s left of your pride.
Keep it close to you deep down inside.
And remember there’s one who will love you always
Some things they can’t take away.”

That is not all of the song, but you get the idea.  This is an anthem for our times. And guess what? It has a beautiful melody.

My son Caleb and his gum

I HAD to post this. I was at my daughter's 4th Grade Musical Program and I was trying to figure out my Dad's camera, when Caleb dropped his gum.

Just a little insight into my parenting style.

The Future of Country Music

Someone was recently quoted in the Houston Chronicle as saying that "Taylor Swift is the future of country music."  I could write an essay about the history and evolution of country music, but it's been done before by far better writers than I. 

I have a firm belief that the hardcore country audience - that audience that loves the pedal steel guitar and fiddle and loves to hear a beautiful melody sung by a passionate singer - still exists.  Country music has historically been the music of the common man.  Mainstream "country" has a misunderstanding of the common man.  There's a whole slew of us that have never driven a tractor, but we've drank ourselves into oblivion over the love of our life that left us.  Mainstream "country" seems to think that we care more about the tractor than the love of our life.

And then you have Taylor Swift. Don't get me wrong - I think all 13-14 year old girls should have music they can relate to, but if you look at the world's demographics, does it really make sense to make music cater to that age group?  I don't blame Taylor. She should do music she digs and relate to her fan base. But for event promoters and industry executives to say "this is the future of country music" - are you kidding me?  The country music fan has been forgotten for the weekly allowances of early adolescents.

But I'm going to step out a little bit further.  I have to place some responsibility on the country music fan. Why?  Because I DID IT. I gave up on country music.  I accepted the fact that it was dead and I waited around for top 40 radio to play the real thing.  My sister, Hilary Sloan, begged me for a year to come hear Dale Watson at his Sunday night gig at the Continental Club in Houston.  "He plays real country music", she said.

"Yeah right", I thought, "I don't hear him on the radio. No one plays real country music anymore."

Then one night I went to hear him live and it changed my life.  That show started me on a road that led to a country music underground.  I discovered tons of artists that are playing real country music - some are cover bands and others play original material. But they're the real deal.  And you won't hear them on mainstream radio and you more than likely won't hear them on XM or Sirius.

My point? Country music is NOT dead. You can find it - and if you're reading this blog, you've found it. The amazing thing about the Internet today is that it is allowing US to dictate what is popular - if we will only take the initiative. How do we do this? When you find an artist you like - tell people. And look at who that artist is into and what clubs they play. You'll probably discover other artists that you'll also love.

Forget top 40 radio - in ANY genre. It's run by corporations of people who care about money and bottom lines and don't care a lick about music.  Top 40 radio doesn't care about YOU - the FAN.  The Person who cares about music. The One who wants to hear something they can relate to.

The recording industry has forgotten that the Fan is the one who determines whether an artist or a song is great - NOT some guy in a suit with a degree in Finance who's completely tone deaf.

Don't let them think they're right - demand the music YOU love.  Because YOU're the FAN.  And YOU are the Future of Country Music.

FAR & Away - The FAR Chart picks the Best of 2008

Just want to relay that the Freeform American Roots Chart announced their "Best of 2008" picks.  I'm truly honored.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
#1 Miss Leslie: Between The Whiskey And The Wine (Zero Label)

FEMALE ARTIST
#1 Miss Leslie

SONGWRITER
#1 Leslie Sloan

One Step at a Time

Ok it’s the yin and yang thing again. . . .

My daughter has inherited my fear – and, thankfully, my ability to ignore it.

It was the day after Christmas. I took the kids to the park by Ricky’s sister’s house.  There was a huge tree for climbing with 2x4s hammered into the side.  You could reach a place to sit in the trees branches about 10 feet up.  Hannah, who is 9, wanted to climb up.

“Go for it”, I said.  So, she started up.  At about the second “step” she stopped.  “I’m afraid”.

“I know.  Don’t look down. Don’t look up. Just look right in front of you. Focus on where you want to reach your hand. Focus on where you want to put your foot.  Don’t think about the space around you. Just focus on the steps you’re on right now.”

“But I’m afraid”, she said again.

“I know. Get down if you want to. I won’t help you up, but if you can get up by yourself, I’ll help you get back down.  But you can do it. All you have to do is focus on where you are.”

She stayed there for almost 10 minutes. We talked back and forth a bit – her saying the same things. Me saying the same things.

Finally she did it. She took a step up. I talked her through it.  “Just reach up your hand. Good. Now lift your foot.”

When she got to the top she sat on the branch and looked out.  “I overcame my fear!” she said.

“Yes you did.”

Every day I am daunted by the challenge of the haunting failures of the past and the overwhelming obstacles of the future.  Every day I want to give up. Every day I think it’s all too much and who knows if I could ever succeed.  But every day , after going through the same dialogue within myself, I overcome my fear. Little by little. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not a brave soldier overseas or child of an impoverished family, trying to find a way to survive.

But I believe that for most of us bravery is found in common places.  In taking one step at a time as we are trying to get through the same things – our same weaknesses, our same jobs, our same spouses, our same children, our same desires.  We talk and we think through the same reasonings that compel us to just look at where we are so that we can take that next step.

We overcome our fear of failing. We brave the unknown. We live.

Welcome to the new Miss Leslie Website

It's January 1, 2009 and it's time for change.  Welcome to the new website. This is blog-based so I'll be regularly posting blogs with my thoughts, new videos, and updated information about the band.

You can post your comments to all of my posts that I put up here, so feel free!

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by.

Miss Leslie