Soul Strutter: Lindsey Webster

Thursday, 19 January 2023

Lindsey Webster - A Profile

Lindsey Webster was born in Woodstock, NY, on 19 Jan 1988 and celebrates he 35th birthday today. She considers herself very lucky to have been born in Woodstock as her school had a progressive music program where she grew a deep love of music, learning to play the cello. She moved to NYC to attend Fiorello H. LaGuardia School for the Music, Art & Performing Arts and transitioned from strings to voice.

Lindsey started performing with pianist Keith Slattery at jazz venues and festivals all over the world in 2009. Her debut, self-titled, self-released, album was delivered in 2013 with six of the twelve songs being co-written with Slattery. Her sophomore album "You Change" followed in 2015 on Atlanta Records. Her first single from it, "Fool Me Once", reached #1 on Billboard's Smooth Jazz chart. She was the first vocalist since Sade's 2010 "Soldier of Love" to reach #1 with a vocal song in a chart that is primarily instrumentally driven. The song remained at #1 for four weeks beating Sade's record by one week.

It's success alerted Shanachie Entertainment to her potential and all four subsequent albums have been released by the label. The latest "Reasons" in Sep 2022 features jazz A-listers such as Nathan East, Randy Brecker, Brian Culbtertson, and Nicolas Payton and is still receiving airplay.

Lindsey fuses the best elements of R&B, jazz, pop and soul and has now achieved 8 Top 10 Billboard songs (including "Fool Me Once" (#1), "Where Do You Want To Go" (#1), Back To Your Heart (#2), Open Up (#3), Next To Me (#3), & Love Inside) and two #1 songs on the Smooth Jazz chart. She was named as Billboard Smooth Jazz Artist of the year for two consecutive years in 2016 and 2017 and was #10 in 2018. I'm sure her latest album "Reasons" will elevate her into this year's nominations.

Webster and Slattery began as friends, then musical partners becoming romantically involved and married but are now divorced but continue to work together harmoniously.

Lindsey visited the UK in 2022 with two sold out dates in London and another in the Midlands.

Even from only six albums it was quite challenging trying to limit the playlist below to just 30 songs, such is the consistent quality of her music. Also included are two collaborations with Lin Rountree and Khari Cabral (not included on her own albums). Perhaps some of your own favourites may have been omitted, but all her albums are available to listen to on Spotify, links on album titles below.