Hardship is sometimes life's greatest inspiration. For Sadler Vaden, Jason Fox and Jonathan Carman of Charleston, South Carolina, rock trio Leslie, what started with tragedy quickly turned into a year of self-discovery.  

The year started out just like any other in Leslie's history. The band was driving around the southeast in an old Ford van that logged over 400,000 miles, hoping it wouldn't break down before their next gig. Whether it was in a packed club or a smoky bar filled with three drunks and a bartender, Leslie's goal was to play their music for anyone who would listen and pour every ounce of their souls out on stage each night.    

Then, on the morning of his 21st birthday, Sadler Vaden's mother, Scarlet, passed away from her battle with breast cancer, becoming the second parent he had lost within a few short years. No one would have blamed them if at that moment they gave up, walked away, and started their lives over in different directions. However, for Leslie, quitting was never an option.   

Growing up in a small blue-collar town, sacrifice and determination were lessons instilled early in life for each member of Leslie. Carman’s mother pawned her wedding ring to buy him his first drum set, while Fox’s family taught not only their son, but the band, how to invest their earnings back into their passion – music. Vaden’s parents introduced him to stacks of vinyl by Zeppelin, The Who, and Hendrix, which not only shaped his taste in music, but taught him the importance of creating something timeless. Therefore, it didn’t come as a shock when one of Scarlet Vaden’s last wishes was for the band to continue making music on their own terms and grow up to realize their dreams.   

In the months following, Leslie took a trip to Memphis, Tennessee to write and help cope with the loss of their biggest fan. Maybe it was also the experience of living in a trailer park next to the Mississippi River in a town known for birthing the blues and contributing to some of history's most memorable rock and roll, but something inspired Leslie to open the floodgates, and The Rebel Souls EP was born.   

If a biography is the culmination of a band's shared experiences, then The Rebel Souls EP is Leslie’s first chapter. We hope you will stick around for the rest of the story.

Leslie Touch Me (Single) (2010 Release)

Leslie The Rebel Souls EP (2009 Release)