Danni Leigh

Contemporary country singer Danni Leigh entered the world in Strasburg, Virginia, and spent her early years there, stepping onto a stage for the first time at age three alongside her preschool choir. At nineteen she headed to Orlando hoping to try out as a vocalist for Disney World, yet ended up juggling assorted daytime employment while singing in area nightspots; after settling in Nashville during 1994 she accepted a waitress position at the Bluebird Cafe, a well-known gathering spot for songwriters, where Michael Knox, then vice president of creative services at Warner-Chappell Publishing, became a friend. Knox went on to helm her initial demo sessions and shared production duties on Leigh’s 1998 Decca debut album 29 Nights. Shot of Whiskey and a Prayer arrived in early 2001.