atlanta pops – Kevin Leahy

Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta Pops and Atlanta Singer-Songwriters

Kevin Leahy — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 20:22:29 +0000

I was recently involved in a very cool collaborative premiere between the Atlanta Ballet, the Spelman College Glee Club, and choreographer Dwight Rhoden called Heart/Beat. The performances were held at the Cobb Enery Centre, and I was part of the double drum assault along with D’ante Brown with a band directed by Dr. Kevin Johnson. In January I made the trip to the 30A Songwriters Festival in Florida to perform with The Sundogs, as well as Kristian Bush’s new band Dark Water. This was the first time I got to play with Kristin since the early days of Sugarland back in 2004, and close to 25 years since he first brought me along to tour with his band Billy Pilgrim in support of their 1995 Atlantic Records release Bloom.

A-Scene Awards, Atlanta Pops Tours, and Mountain Overture

Kevin Leahy — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 16:40:53 +0000

Yesterday I had the honor of representing the Atlanta Pops Orchestra on Atlanta NBC affiliate 11Alive’s “A-Scene Awards” show, highlighting Georgia’s contributions to the film and entertainment industry. I presented the award for “Best Soundtrack” from a movie or TV show filmed in Georgia, which went to “Guardians of the Galaxy.” The entire show can be viewed here.

Earlier this year I traveled with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra and special guest Chloë Agnew (Celtic Woman) to perform in theaters in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina and Alabama. I also recorded drums on the Atlanta Pop Orchestra Ensemble’s collaborative album with Balsam Range, which was released on the day we performed with them at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC. The album reached #5 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart when it was released and #6 on the Billboard Classical Chart the following week. Finally, I began my year-long term this fall as Vice President of the Atlanta Chapter of The Recording Academy, after serving on the Board of Governors for four years.

Chloë Agnew, Atlanta Pops, Michelle Shocked & Glank

Kevin Leahy — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 23:04:26 +0000

This year began with a springtime run of shows with Chloë Agnew and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and Georgia. The Atlanta Pops also had the unique opportunity to perform at the 2017 Rotary International convention this summer, as Atlanta hosted members from throughout the world at the Georgia World Congress Center to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Rotary Foundation. I also played drums with Michelle Shocked for two shows in Atlanta and Nashville, marimba with Alex Gordon at the Atlanta Jazz Festival Neighborhood Jazz Series, drums with The Sundogs, Fire & The Knife, and assorted percussion instruments for Glank’s debut performances at Atlanta’s annual multi-media popular culture convention Dragon Con.

Change of Seasons

Kevin Leahy — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 16:39:27 +0000

I’ve worked in a few different scenarios this year, playing drums with The Sundogs, Smokin’ Novas, and Patrick Davis, and playing vibraphone with Alex Gordon HiFi. This December, the Atlanta Pops Orchestra will be performing at the Balsam Range Art of Music Festival and a number of other seasonal events, with guests John Driskell Hopkins, Michelle Malone, and others. Additionally, a deluxe edition double vinyl LP version of the Atlanta Pops Orchestra & John Driskell Hopkins’ 2015 release In The Spirit: A Celebration of the Holidays will be released next month including some new bonus tracks.

Atlanta Pops 70th & In The Spirit

Kevin Leahy — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 12:10:54 +0000

Recently, the Atlanta Pops Orchestra staged a two-night gala to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the organization. The performances included an array of guest artists from the Atlanta music scene, ranging from jazz trumpeters Cecil Welch and Joe Gransden to singer-songwriters Levi Lowrey and Michele Malone, to hip-hop heavyweights Arrested Development. The force of musical sound was huge and made for a memorable experience. The Atlanta Pops Orchestra also recorded a Christmas album entitled “In The Spirit: A Celebration of the Holidays” with John Driskell Hopkins, the first full-album release for the Atlanta Pops in over 30 years. The album was recorded at 800 East in Atlanta this past summer and features guest appearances by Balsam Range, Indigo Girls, and Laura Bell Bundy. John and I served as Executive Producers of the project, and we are planning to release it on November 13th.

Other recording projects released this year include The Sundogs’ “Cut & Run,” which we recorded at Southern Tracks earlier this spring.