|
LAYLA PRICE-Bodkin - "Layla Adair price"Layla is a singer songwriter, and a native of Anderson. She serves as the Director of Marketing & Community Relations for the City of Marion.
I was born and raised in West Virginia, and lived a few years as a child in Alabama until moving to Indiana, where I have been deeply rooted. My dad began teaching me guitar when I was 13, and my mom and dad both familiarized me with folk music and classic rock. The first song I learned on the guitar was "House of the Rising Sun," an old American folk song famously recorded by the Animals. The second song I learned...if you dare to believe...was "Stairway to Heaven," by Led Zeppelin. I still play both of these crowd-pleasers at my shows. I graduated from Anderson High School, where I gained a lot of performance and vocal experience participating in show choir and the historic Madrigals. When I was 17, I was honored to sing the National Anthem when the Globe Trotters came to the Wigwam. I also was blessed to receive the Joe Smith Memorial Scholarship for an essay I had written about following your dreams in music. Outside high school activities, I participated in the Madison County 4-H Fair talent competition, and won Best Female Vocalist when I played guitar and sang Jewel's "You Were Meant for Me," a song I also perform to this day. I then attended Indiana University, and became a devoted member of their prestigious Singing Hoosiers with whom I traveled across the country to entertain groups, and even created an album with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. My experience with Singing Hoosiers was incredible, and it helped me fine-tune vocally. They require you to audition each year. I was additionally involved in their Vocal Jass ensemble. The popular group, Straight No Chaser was born around that time, a men's a cappella group formed by several members of our Singing Hoosiers. After college, I played with various bands and artists, but I mostly enjoy being solo. I have been growing in music by writing both music and lyrics on my own, and developing in performance. I don't like to label my music with one particular genre, but if I must, it would be Country-Folk or Alt-Country. I like to pour different flavors into my songs from varying influences. My influencers in folk and classic rock include Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and the Beatles. More modern-day influencers include John Mayer, Tori Amos, and those who barely cross the Country line like Maren Morris and Jewel. Additionally, as I’m on the cusp of Generation X & Y, I find great nostalgia in listening to and pulling inspiration from alternative rock icons like Coldplay and Dave Matthews Band. |
