[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 62 (Thursday, May 12, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5062-S5063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING LESLIE SATCHER

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, in 1988 Leslie Satcher picked up her 
belongings and left her home in Paris, TX, bound for Nashville. With a 
meager $100 in her pocket, she abandoned all that she had known in her 
young life, and headed to the Music City driven by her dream of being a 
country-music star.
  Almost 2 decades later, that dream is a reality.
  Today, Leslie Satcher is one of Nashville's most sought after song-
writers. She has emerged as a glowing success under one of the world's 
brightest country-music spotlights.
  At her core, Leslie Satcher is a woman of humble ambition. Her work 
is shaped by unyielding faith and limitless passion for music. Critics 
describe her writing as ``emotionally persuasive, yet understated and 
artful.'' Indeed, she has found her success not by abandoning her homey 
roots but by embracing them.
  Her lyrics are laced with plain spoken yet insightful observations 
about love and life. And despite her tremendous success, she has always 
remained true to her creative vision, never losing hold of the simple 
joys of writing and singing music.

[[Page S5063]]

  Leslie has come a long way since her first venture into recording at 
the ``hear-your-own-voice'' attraction on Music Row and in front of 
audiences at the Bluebird Cafe. The Dallas Morning News has described 
her as ``one of the most in-demand tunesmiths in Music City.'' And her 
personal, painful and poignant compositions have been covered by a 
wide-range of artists including Reba McEntire, George Jones, Vince 
Gill, and Randy Travis.
  Most recently she has concentrated her efforts on not only penning 
some of today's top hits, but singing some of them, too. In fact, she's 
in Washington, DC this week to give a special performance to honor our 
Nation's injured troops at Walter Reed Army Hospital.
  Mr. President, Leslie Satcher is a self-made music success story. She 
is also one of my most favorite artists--and that's saying something 
coming from Nashville!
  One of her sayings is that ``you don't decide to be an artist, you 
are an artist.'' I could not agree with her more. She has much to be 
proud of--and it's evident in her songs and lyrics that she not only 
remembers but cherishes her roots. I am proud of all she has 
accomplished and honored to call her a friend.

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