| Leslie Stevens and the Badgers | |
| Origin: | Los Angeles, California |
| Genre: | Alternative country, Americana |
| Years Active: | 2006–present |
| Label: | Thirty Tigers |
| Website: | Official website |
| Current Members: | Leslie Stevens (vocals/guitar) Ben Reddell (bass guitar) Travis Popichak (drums) Charlene Huang (violin) Eugene Fillios (lap steel/guitar) |
| Past Members: | Glenn Oyabe (guitar) |
Leslie and the Badgers or Leslie Stevens and The Badgers is an American folk-country band formed in 2006 by songwriter and vocalist Leslie Stevens, currently releasing records as Leslie Stevens and formerly of the female punk band Zeitgeist Auto Parts. The Badgers released their first album, Leslie and the Badgers, in 2007. It is currently out of print. Five songs from the album became the EP Greetings from.... in 2008. The band's 2009 release, Roomful of Smoke, was produced by David Bianco (Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Tift Merritt). The Los Angeles Times said Stevens' voice and writing evokes Patsy Cline[1] while No Depression wrote that she calls to mind Emmylou Harris.[2]
Leslie Stevens has worked as a session singer and has contributed backing vocals and played various instruments on records by recording artists such as Brian Wilson, Father John Misty, Florence and The Machine, and Jim James of My Morning Jacket. She was named Los Angeles' best Country singer by the LA Weekly in 2019. Kenneth Pattengale of the Milk Carton Kids produced, played, and sang on her 2016 solo release "The Donkey and Rose". Jonathan Wilson (Billy Strings, Erin Rae, Dawes) produced her 2019 release, "Sinner".
Her band has toured extensively on the West Coast and was invited to showcase at SXSW in 2010 and to perform on National Public Radio's Mountain Stage show. They have toured with Rhett Miller and Laura Veirs among others, and opened for Loudon Wainwright III. The band has appeared at Noise Pop, The Eagle Rock Music Festival and Topanga Days. Their first national tour in May 2010 took them east for the first time to Chicago and New York City.
The band made its first TV appearance in April 2008 playing their original "Old Timers" on the FX series, The Riches, starring Minnie Driver.[3]