Sam Phillips (singer)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
For the person of the same name who founded Sun Records, see Sam Phillips
For the female glamour model by the same name, see Sam Phillips (model)

Leslie Phillips, aka Sam Phillips, (born January 28, 1962) is an American singer and a songwriter.

Contents

[edit] Life and career

Phillips, who was born in Glendale, California, began her musical career as a vocalist in the early 1980s, singing background parts for Christian artists Mark Heard, Randy Stonehill and others. After a short time, Phillips was signed to a solo contract with Myrrh Records - under her given name - where she went on to record four Christian pop albums, Beyond Saturday Night, Dancing with Danger, Black and White in a Grey World and, finally, The Turning, which teamed her with producer and future husband, T-Bone Burnett. Throughout the Myrrh period, Phillips wrote more and more of her own songs and several were Top 10 singles on Christian radio.

Since Cyndi Lauper was popular at the time and also had an high-pitched, idiosyncratic vocal style, Myrrh insisted on promoting her as "the Christian Cyndi Lauper." Phillips was never comfortable with this image, and it was a bone of contention between her and the label. She began using the name "Sam" professionally in 1988 when she left Myrrh Records and signed with Virgin Records, partially in order to distance herself from her somewhat embarrassing Myrrh-imposed persona.

Like many Christian artists before her, she expanded into more secular content at the new label. She released The Indescribable Wow, which featured the orchestrations of Brian Wilson lyricist Van Dyke Parks. Cruel Inventions, which was released in 1991, included a guest appearance from close friend Elvis Costello, and she (with her husband) supported Costello on his 1991 tour. 1994's Martinis and Bikinis, was widely praised by music critics and was even nominated for a Grammy Award; this was Phillips' first nomination. That year also gave Phillips a chance to write a song with Brian Wilson which would appear on Rob Wasserman's Trios album, performed by Carnie Wilson.

In 1995, Phillips made her silver screen debut in the Bruce Willis blockbuster Die Hard With a Vengeance, in which she played a mute terrorist. She was originally supposed to have a speaking part in the film but it was decided that her character would be silent, since it made her appear much more imposing and lethal, although it also placed her in a more stereotypically femme fatale role at the same time.

In 1996, Phillips released Omnipop (It's Only A Flesh Wound Lambchop), which featured a song cowritten by Phillips and R.E.M.. Omnipop, which was more experimental musically, ended up being her worst-selling album to date. After releasing a contractual obligation "best-of" album for Virgin in 1999, the label dropped Phillips from their roster.

In 2001, Phillips signed with Nonesuch Records and released a stripped-down acoustic album called Fan Dance, which featured some of the most critically acclaimed songwriting of Phillips's career. Van Dyke Parks contributed string arrangements for a track or two. Phillips also began writing music for and scoring the television series Gilmore Girls, and even appeared on screen during the final episode of season six, performing "Taking Pictures" from the Fan Dance album.

In 2004, she released A Boot and a Shoe, another collection of acoustic cabaret songs in the same vein as Fan Dance.

According to Sam Phillips' website she is currently working on her next album with a working title of Will you trade me this for a tank of gas?. In Early March 2007, Sam Phillips posted on her website that the next album will be delayed until 2008: "The record has been delayed until early 008 so it will not be released in the year of James Bond, but I hope I will get over this. It means that there will be more songs. Hopefully, pretty good ones. It also means that I will not be painting myself gold for the cover."

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] As Leslie Phillips

[edit] As Sam Phillips

[edit] Compilation appearances

  • Various Artists, Back To The Rock (1981). Original version of "Bring Me Through" appears on this album, also marking Phillips' first solo appearance on an album.
  • Various Artists, Christian Love Songs for Couples - Vol. 1 (1985). Leslie Phillips sings "Enough For Me."
  • Various Artists, Ready To Wear (Pret-a-porter) Soundtrack (1994) Sam Phillips sings "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'.
  • Maranatha! Anthology - The Artists, 1971-2001. Includes re-issue of "Bring Me Through," a song Sam did as Leslie Phillips.
  • Various Artists, Gilmore Girls: Our Little Corner Of The World (2002 soundtrack) Sam Phillips performs 5 tracks.

[edit] Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
US Hot 100 US Modern Rock US Mainstream Rock UK
1989 "Holding on to the Earth" - #22 - - The Indescribable Wow

[edit] External links


 v • d • e Sam Phillips
Discography
The Turning | The Indescribable Wow | Cruel Inventions | Martinis and Bikinis
Omnipop (It's Only A Flesh Wound Lambchop) | Fan Dance | A Boot and a Shoe
As Leslie Phillips: Beyond Saturday Night | Dancing With Danger | Black and White in a Grey World | The Turning
Compilations: Recollection | Zero Zero Zero
Related Articles
Die Hard: With a Vengeance | Gilmore Girls


Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../s/a/m/Sam_Phillips_%28singer%29_5763.html"
In other languages