Poet, Minneapolis
http://leighherrick.com/
I have been writing since I was 10 years old, and tapping my foot as far back as I can remember. It seems natural then that I have followed the rhythmic path in life. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, I hold degrees in English and French from the University of Minnesota, and lived for six months in Switzerland as part of my studies. Upon graduation, I turned down a request to apply for a Rhodes Scholarship, deciding instead to pursue the writing life.
In 1999 I started on the drumming path and trained over the course of 12 years with Layne Redmond in Middle Eastern frame-drumming, and with Wallace Hill and Chico Perez in Afro-Caribbean conga drumming. After learning of the prehistoric relationship between drumming and women, and then discovering I have both South Asian and Pacific Islander genes, I can’t help but consider my attraction to rhythm as an expression of ancient memory, and I often bring rhythmic knowledge into my work.
I write across genres and styles. When not writing or recording I am focused on sustainable, earth-centered practices, including educating myself about organic gardening and the edible yard. I believe re-shaping my life to promote climate security starts in my own backyard. I sometimes share what happens there as a means of encouraging others that power over their lives often starts from the smallest of seeds.