Groveland – As a child in Kentucky all Terrie Lea wanted to do was sing the songs played by her father, a country western musician.
‘My dad always had people with instruments at our house every weekend,? said Lea, a Groveland Township resident.
‘We did it because we loved it and I just wanted to sing with Daddy as long as I could,? said the plucky redhead as she described family barbecues shared by her mother and 10 siblings.
On April 23 Lea sang those old tunes to the top of the Detroit Music Awards at the State Theatre, bringing home four awards including Outstanding Country Vocalist of the year, Outstanding R&B Recording and Live performance with the Detroit Women in R&B.
‘All those years ago who would have thought I would do this?? Lea bubbled. ‘We just played music because we loved it,? she said as she reminisced about being hooked on performing when asked to sing with her father at church when she was 7.
‘They loved to hear my dad and I do songs,? she said. ‘I just remember my dad getting me up to sing and when all the applause came I thought, ‘All this ? and applause too.??
Encouraged by the applause of her youth, Lea sang through high school and enjoyed local stage success at weddings, backyard barbecues and small festivals.
Marriage, children, and loss of her musical father detoured Lea from the country music scene until a successful fund-raising event for Ortonville’s Belle Ann Elementary school playground equipment launched Lea back into the arms of country music.
‘It was at a concert and I ended up singing,? said Lea who explained that a friend of hers arranged for Motown-famed Clay McMurray to handle the stage and production of the benefit.
Sparked again with the flame of old country music with the backup of her band The Wild Mustangs, coupled with the guidance from legendary singer-songwriter friend Charlie Craig who writes for notables such as Allen Jackson, George Strait, and Dolly Parton, in August 2001 Lea signed a million dollar singing contract in Nashville.
The events of 9-11, one month later however stalled her crescendo to the charts of country music and Lea was forced not to sing for the next year.
‘We were doing a lot of festivals and the Hoe Down in Detroit,? said Lea. ‘But after I signed the contract the recording company owned my voice for the next year.?
After the contract expired, Lea and the Mustangs continued the Michigan music circuit where her powerful voice and contemporary southern delivery was witnessed by rhythm and blues artist Kate Hart, who had formed a powerful singing group, Detroit Women of R & B.
‘All of these women (at times up to nine lead singers) have their own band and are all very powerful,? Lea said.
‘Kate saw my country show and asked me to sing with her and the girls’I’ve been with them ever since,? said Lea who explains that singing R&B is a much more ‘in your face? delivery than traditional country music, which both challenges and expands her skills as an artist.
Of the R&B award she won with the group, Lea says she’s having fun but admits that traditional country is still the love of her life and hopes, with her music, to be a catalyst to resurge the cycle of country music back to the simpler traditional styles of Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, and Ray Price.
‘I believe country music has 10-year cycles,? said Lea. ‘I miss traditional country and if I could be the one to bring that back I’d be thrilled.?
Terrie Lea can be reached at the Web site www.terrielea.com.