Nashville songwriter returns to roots
Submitted by jcht2010 on
By Jessica Coleman
Staff Writer
Amber Leigh White is a familiar name around Nashville, Tenn. Her list of friends includes big names like Luke Bryan, Rachel Proctor, and Blake Shelton.
Around Jackson County, however, she was better known as Amber Elles, a girl who grew up in Edna, graduated from Edna High School, and left to follow her dream.
White says that dream has been good to her. A song she wrote about her daughter, Easy Loving You, was recorded by Chalee Tennison and made an appearance on the charts in 2003. She’s played at the Bluebird and other well known places in Nashville. She’s been described as Reba McEntire’s favorite demo singer, and has written songs with the best of the best in Nashville. She currently has her own single on iTunes called Collide.
There have been disappointments along the way. She secured a record deal with Dreamworks Records, only to have the label close before her album was done.
“We were half a record in, getting ready to start talking singles, and Dreamworks closed,” said White, “I had worked really hard to get there, and it was hard for me. My son was about three at that time. I was 28. Nashville is so young. They’re really hard on older artists. I kind of had this ‘I lost my chance’ feeling.”
White didn’t stay down for long. She continued to write music, went to school to learn to do hair, which she still does on Music Row, raised two children, and today she travels and sings her own songs, something she said she’s been wanting to do for a long time.
“I think of all the songs I’ve written, and I guess I got tired of them sitting on a shelf,” she said. “I was writing these songs and waiting for them to be cut by an artist. I want to sing them. I want to hear them. That’s why I wrote them.”
White is making a stop in Ganado at the Rear Window Listening Room on July 11, performing her own music, her own way. She’ll be accompanied by her sister, April Klendworth, Chris Barnes, and Pablo Trujillo. Several songs include subtle nods to Jackson County. Lyrics like “Go Big Blue!” and references to Dairy Queen are peppered throughout her music.
“I am so excited to be playing in Jackson County again,” she said, “My friends were asking me why I don’t play here and I thought ‘Yeah, that’s stupid that I don’t come sing for my people that I’ve known my whole life.’ That kind of sparked me to get down here,” she said.
Amber Leigh White has been through some tough times, which any songwriter will tell you only makes the music better. She hasn’t let it get her down.
Her show at the Rear Window begins on July 11 at 8 p.m. The show is $15, but attendees can show up early and have dinner and enjoy the performance for $27.
White can be reached and followed on her Facebook Page, and tickets can be purchased at rearwindowlisteningroom.com.
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