Bill Leslie

Bill Leslie has produced six CDs including three albums which have hit at or near the top of the world music charts. Famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma has praised Leslie as ?one of the greats in modern Celtic music.? Critics call Leslie's music ?tranquil yet exhilarating, stunningly beautiful, and full of joy and peace.? Compositions have a highly melodic folk and Celtic core taking listeners on a powerful emotional journey. His orchestral composition Tall Ships was named the official song of the 2006 Parade of Sail featuring large ships from around the world.

Bill's release, Peaceful Journey, hit number one on the New Age Reporter's world music charts in December 2004, while his Christmas in Carolina and I Am a River albums peaked at number two. Leslie, who plays guitar, Celtic whistle and piano, was named "Best New Artist" worldwide by the NAR in 2005. His Christmas in Carolina album was named 2005 "Best Holiday Album.? The river album was voted as one of the top five albums internationally in 2006. Bill's latest release in September of 2008 was Blue Ridge Reunion which was inspired by his father's mountain watercolors. A companion book by the same name was scheduled for release in October, 2008 by 2D Designs Publishing.

Bill Leslie is also an accomplished journalist winning more than 70 major news awards including five Emmys and two Peabody Awards, considered the Pulitzer Prize of television and radio. Bill is a veteran anchorman and environmental reporter for WRAL Television in Raleigh. His day begins at 2:35A.M.so he can anchor the morning news on both WRAL and Fox affiliate WRAZ. Bill has produced more than a dozen award-winning documentaries including ?Troubled Rivers? which won a 1992 Peabody Award and National Society of Professional Journalists Distinguished Public Service Award. Bill's radio series and documentaries including ?The Five Faces of Poverty? and ?Victims? won The Edward R. Murrow Award, The Robert F. Kennedy Award, The National Headliner Award, the duPont-Columbia Award, the National Gavel Award, the Champion Media Award for Economic Understanding and the Janus Award.

Bill is a graduate of University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He lives in Cary, N.C. with his wife Cindy. Their children are Lauren, an elementary school teacher and Will, a student at Appalachian State University.