About Preston Leatherman
Singer. Songwriter. Dancer. Entertainer. Second Rate Comedian. All of these and more describe rising Nashville Singer/Songwriter Preston Leatherman. But what is it about this 22 year old pop/r&b performer that sets him apart from the rest? What is it that keeps fans all over the world sharing his videos across the internet?
A classically trained pianist from the age of five, Preston fell in love with the classic Motown sound and taught himself jazz piano, along with guitar, drums, and a variety of other instruments that he has added to his arsenal over the years.
After winning the Texas Tech University Singer/Songwriter competition as a Freshman, Preston took his budding career on the Texas college circuit, regularly performing amongst continually growing crowds with his unique blend of musicianship, humor, and crowd involvement.
After recording tracks with grammy winning producer Noel Golden (Matchbox 20/Edwin McCain) in South Carolina and signing with leading college booking agency Wally's World of Entertainment , this rising musician took his talents to Nashville, TN and threw himself into the melting pot of singer/songwriters crowding every open mic available in town.
To set himself apart from the crowd, Preston took to YouTube with an onslaught of videos showcasing everything from his music to his personality and from this, gained worldwide exposure after his YouTube series "Dancing With an iPod in Public" went viral. The mass media attention (Good Morning America, Inside Edition, Huffington Post, CBS News) not only brought new YouTube subscribers, but new listeners/fans of his music.
With a continually growing fan base and his music being featured on showcases such as ABC Family's "The Lying Game", Preston took to the studio to record a groundbreaking album "The Departure" due out in November of 2012. The album features Preston's unique blend of jazz understandings and pop flair, yet mixes it with r&b and hip-hop influences to create a one of a kind sound.
But what truly sets Preston apart from the crowd is his live performances. Understanding that connecting with the audience is half the battle, this truly entertaining entertainer finds ways to include the audience (whether big or small) into his act. This ranges from playing Preston's signature game of "How Country Is The Audience", bringing random people on stage with him to help him lead a sing along, completely unplugging and walking into the audience, or by making up random songs on the spot about certain audience members. While people certainly will laugh and enjoy themselves, this lighthearted personality counter balances his act with extreme musicianship. His unique use of the loop pedal (switching between multiple instruments during the same song), clever transitions between original tunes and covers, and rocking/fast finger piano solos have been thrilling audiences for the past year while traveling on the national college circuit.
Between his unique live shows, ever growing fan base, millions of YouTube views, and groundbreaking music, Preston Leatherman is a name that you will surely be hearing more over the next few years.
If Jason Mraz had a baby with Maroon 5, and Michael Jackson was the godfather, it would be Preston Leatherman. The Departure features Preston’s unique…