A native of Austin, MN, Leslie started taking guitar lessons at the age of 13. Her lessons were focused on the folk and classical “Mel Bay Methods”, along with the fingerpicking styles of “Chet Atkins” on a classical guitar for 5 years.

She then relocated to Boulder, CO in 1978. She purchased her first acoustic guitar after seeing “Doc & Merle Watson” perform at a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater. After attending her 1st bluegrass festival in Telluride, CO in 1980. everything started to change musically for her. She then took bluegrass guitar lessons and attends as many bluegrass festivals as possible to this day.

The musical highlights in her life include when her son was 10 years old, talked his way back stage to meet “Doc Watson” and “Jack Lawrence” on the “Rockygrass” stage in Lyons, CO while attending the festival. At the 25th Anniversary of the “Telluride Bluegrass Festival”, she was fortunate to meet and hand her own-recorded original composition to Alison Krauss!

In 2001 and again in 2003, Leslie was hired by the Manitou Springs Chamber to perform as a street musician. She enjoys singing and playing her guitar and guitjo (guitar/banjo) to Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and all the traditional folk and bluegrass songs.

She was inspired by a friend to sign up for the “Black Rose Acoustic Music Society” (BRAS) Band Scramble in April of 2003. After only having met her band members 8 days prior to the concert, they took 1st place.

Linda Wagner asked Leslie to become a part of the MAMA group in the summer of 2001.

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Last updated: 7 April, 2008