“Leighton”, Beyond the door
First “Leighton”, is a five piece band consisting of a lead vocalist, (Dino Johnson), keyboardist (John Fain), Drummer (Joe Fava), Basses (Rick Vuk), and guitarist (Eddie Leighton). The band came together as “Leighton” in November, 2006. Four members of the band have been playing together since their Jr. High school years. The band started working on the “Leighton” CD in December, 2006, with the first song being “Hold on”. We realized right from the start that there was a unique chemistry within the band. Dino came up through the club scene, and had been performing copy songs for years. With his incredible vocal range, and ability to change his tone, we could sound like any band we wanted to. So we started matching our original songs to artists that we really were inspired by. For ensample, the first song on the CD is called “Icarus”. It is a tribute to “Kerry Livgren” of the band “Kansas”. We all loved Kansas, so Eddie composed the music to his cousin Cindy L. Spear lyrics, to sound like a Kansas song, and there it is. But not all the songs were written to song like anyone else. We wanted to have our own sound, and that is what really shows up in our music. We can get heavy, soft, funky, and bluesy, all in one song. The original material is what is so great about this band. Here you five guys that have been in the bar, and club scene for all of their lives playing all the hits of the day. So it comes pretty easy to put great songs together because we have been performing everyone else’s hit songs at the shows. We know what works, and what moves people. And when you have such great players like these guys are, something is going start happening fast. Joe Fava is such a hard solid rock drummer, that the songs can’t do anything but kick your ass. His timing is incredible, and Rick Vuk on the bass has such a unique style that between the two of them guys they are the glue in the music. They keep it together. Then you have John (fingers) Fain on the keyboards. With out a doubt, he is one of the greatest keyboard players to come out of Michigan. He is so quick, and melodic, that he adds the colors to our canvas of music. Sometimes we have to tell him to mellow down, because his can add a little bit to much paint to the canvas. But that is his natural reaction to what he hears. It is like he has three hands, so we tie one behind his back. Then you have guitarist, Eddie Leighton. Eddie composed and produced, and engineered all of the songs on the CD. He won first place out of 800 entries for the Motor Cities best rock guitarist contest. Eddie and John wrote the song “Out on the road again” and took first place in the United States beating out 35,000 entries nation wide in the Miller highlife Rock to Riches contest. Eddie has a style all of his own. Super quick, and pure. Soft, warm, and tasteful, is how I would describe Eddie’s guitar playing. A true lover of rock, blues, fusion, jazz, country, and Motown soul. With all of this talent, you better believe that this band will rock your soul. Just last year alone, they performed on stage with international and national recording artists: Styx, Paul Rodgers, Asia, Reo Speedwagon, Mark Farner(Grand Funk Railroad), Blue Oyster Cult, Kansas, and many more. This band is the real deal when it comes to performance, and professionalism, and music. Each song on the new Leighton CD will blow you away. It has many years of talent invested in it. So, buy a copy of the CD, and check out our websites.
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