Patrick Lehman was aptly described by the CBC, as “Canada’s best-kept Soul secret!” But he’s not such a secret anymore.
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This time last year, the singer-songwriter and producer was in Calgary, Alberta, basking in the glory of a Juno nomination for ‘Best R & B/Soul Recording of the Year’.
“That nomination for me did a world of good”
The nomination was a surprise he says, as the album, “Butchy’s Son” was an independent release, under his own label with not much in the way of promotion.
But there he was in the same category as Alessia Cara, and ‘The Weeknd’. And while he may have lost to ‘The Weeknd’, the Juno experience was another rite of passage for the 26 year-old artist.
“I’d never been west of Toronto before, so that was a great experience in itself, and just networking and meeting a lot of people, some stars and musicians and artists that I admire, so overall it was an incredible experience.”
‘Butchy’s Son’ came out of the sudden death of his father, who’d been nicknamed Butchy. It was a way of paying him hommage, Lehman explains. “A lot of highs and lows” he says, as he tried to make the most of the time for himself and for his family.
“Within the same two years basically I got to tour across Europe for the first time in 2013, you know I won “Songwriter Award of the Year”, based out of Nashville for the song “Games”, actually that’s on ‘Butchy’s Son’, and getting to go to the Junos, but it all started with the passing of my father.”
Lehman lived in Nashville for awhile. He says he’s a big fan of country and pop-country music and the stay provided what he needed in terms of a change of scene, an opportunity to play in new venues and the opportunity to write.
“Nashville was awesome, I really, really loved it there”
One of the songs that came out of that experience was “King”, another ode to his dad. “Nashville was awesome” he says. “I really, really loved it there”
These days Patrick Lehman is very happily living in Los Angeles working on his next album, and continuing to write.
Two of his recent tunes were brought to life by the young women of the Montreal-based, Overture with the Arts (OWTA), Girls Unite program.
OWTA Is a non-profit organisation that works with teenagers with a passion for the arts, providing free, or low-cost training in dance, music, drama and voice.
One song, entitled “Change” was inspired by the Women’s March on Washington, D.C. on January 21st, 2017, and the other, by the February observance of Black History Month.
The songs had their debut at an event on March 23rd, held in tandem with a screening of the Hollywood movie, ‘Hidden Figures’.
The film tells the story of the three unknown, until now, black women, who’s crucial contributions to the NASA Space program helped get John Glen into orbit.
Patrick Lehman became acquainted with OWTA through a friend who knew the founder, Akilah Newton.
Of the work the organisation does, Patrick Lehman says, “if I was a young teenager I would have loved to be a part of it, because I as well, didn’t have the chance to always study music or take performing arts classes”, and he was thrilled to be contributing now.
“Just think having young girls who are 15 and 16 singing about such powerful themes I think is really inspiring, not only to young people, but I think there’s a lot of people who can listen to these songs and relate to it and learn from it.” Lehman says.
The songs will be available on iTunes in April 2017.
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