#heplaysforme

Chris Leamy - Shine

The singer-songwriter with a good heart and original ideas is a rare find these days. But Chicago native Chris Leamy makes a compelling case for how music can transcend the scope of its subject. As profiled recently in Maxim:

The musician was inspired by a panhandler on the subway who commented on his guitar, noting she wished she could play an instrument as asking for spare change from strangers would be easier. With that in mind, Chris traveled around the New York City subways and introduced himself to the less unfortunate. From there, he'd open his guitar case, play a set and with every dollar he made he would give it to his new acquaintance. Thus birthed the #heplaysforme movement (which you can follow here).

Released last November, Chris’s EP “The Start” [iTunes] is an earnest yet optimistic homage to the late 90′s acoustic genre, with just enough contemporary pop elements to keep us looking forward. Combine that nostalgia with stories like this from the often-cruel underbelly of the MTA, and you have The Start (sorry I had to) of something special:

Chris Leamy opens for Shane Henderson (Valencia) & Mark Rose (Spitalfield) at The Studio at Webster Hall 7:00pm this Friday in NYC [tickets]. I’ll be there! [Chris just happens to be my college buddy on top of a great musician].