Born and raised in 1962 in Glendale, CA.

Originally an 80's christian pop singer, Leslie adopted her nickname "Sam" after changing her sound and meeting her husband / producer T. Bone Burnett on her "Turning" album (no pun intended). After denouncing her previous religious label (and faith) she signed to Virgin for her breakthrough album "The Indescribable Wow" and made her nickname a testament to her new outlook. Although she may have lost many of her fans in the Christian pop scene, her new albums after her metamorphosis gave her a much larger and more diverse fanbase not to mention critical acclaim.

Aside from singing and performing, she also has acted in films including "Die Hard: With A Vengeance" and "The End Of Violence", both in small yet entertaining roles.