Best Native guitar face is on the shoulders of George Leach

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Fame and fortune may be what most performers strive for, but George Leach is motivated by different things: passion for good music and the anticipation of performing for a crowd.

Leach, a 28-year-old guitarist and singer, said his passions are writing songs and expressively playing them for people.

"My parents gave me a quote to live by: 'Play to express, not to impress,' and it makes sense to me," Leach said.

Leach's new album, "Move On," is tentatively set to hit the stores in the late fall, depending on whether or not a label picks up the work. He said fans should notice a toned down approach to the one he took on his debut CD, Just Where I'm At, which he described as a driving record.

He's not too concerned about switching gears, because Leach is not devoted to any one style of music. He said he can go from one end of the musical spectrum to the other and enjoy it all.

Some of his musical favorites are Audio Slave, Rage against the Machine and AC/DC, and then he can go right to the acoustic side with performers like John Mayer and Jack Johnson.

While in high school, Leach was playing a lot of sports and listening to Pink Floyd. The very long intro and the solo guitar at the beginning of 'Shine On Crazy Diamond' is what really captivated Leach and peaked his interest in the music industry. His interest in Floyd, and his replacing phys-ed for a band class, is how he got his start.

Leach said he loves to perform and show his audience a more intimate side, but then again, he can go on stage and rock right out.

"For me, I like to show all sides...I like to get really intimate with the guitar."

That intimacy really shows through on stage. In fact, Raven's Eye readers voted Leach as best Native guitar face in an informal poll held earlier this year.

Raven's Eye got the idea of running the contest from a recent poll that found Jimi Hendrix the world's best "guitar face." We wanted to find out which Native guitarist had the best guitar face, the look when trying to hit a power chord or nail a high note. Leach beat out guitarists Derek Miller, Marc Nadjiwan and Dave Boulanger. Of course, he had a little help from his home community, Lillooet, flooding the ballot box to push him over the edge in voting.

"That is awesome," he said laughing. "I had no idea whatsoever. I mean, for me, whatever I get selected for is always great."

Leach's popularity extends well beyond the borders of Lillooet, however, probably because he puts 100 per cent into every stage performance.

"I just be myself when I'm on and off stage and I feel fortunate that a lot of people are digging what I'm doing," he said.

The stage allows him to express himself.

"I think that's what I try and use my music for, is to try and get to who I truly am and share that," Leach said. "You need to be honest when you're on the stage. I'm not thinking of yesterday or tomorrow, but instead I'm actually there with the people 100 per cent. And I think that, if you're talking to somebody or playing to somebody, than you should at least give them that."

Leach is also giving his all on a different artistic front. He shot a Steven Spielburg movie last year called 'Into the West,' which is a six-part mini series set to air on TNT June 10. In it Leach plays a young Dakota medicine man.

When he's not touring, singing, playing guitar, writing music or acting, Leach is at home with family and friends, taking time to make his pottery and be a happy man.

"Success to me is spending time in this life at what you love to do and sharing it with others, and I think, for me, that is what defines success, rather than being on television or having all of the fame and fortune," Leach said. "Nobody can guarantee your success. The only thing you can do is make the best of your opportunities that you have. And, the most important tool, to sum it all up, is your attitude."