Biography
Leslie Ann Phillips (born June 28, 1962), known professionally as Sam Phillips, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She made her film debut portraying the mute terrorist Katya in the Bruce Willis blockbuster Die Hard with a Vengeance.
In 1997, Phillips made a cameo in Wim Wenders' film The End of Violence, performing part of the song "Animals on Wheels" from her album Omnipop.
Phillips began composing music and scores for the TV series Gilmore Girls, appearing in the final episode of season six to perform "Taking Pictures" from her album Fan Dance. She also scored the shows Bunheads, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.
Her musical career started in the early 1980s within the contemporary Christian music scene, providing background vocals for artists such as Mark Heard and Randy Stonehill. Signed as a solo artist under her birth name with Myrrh Records, she released four Christian pop albums: Beyond Saturday Night, Dancing with Danger, Black and White in a Grey World, and The Turning. The Turning marked her collaboration with producer T Bone Burnett, whom she later married.
Several of her songs became Top 10 hits on Christian radio, and Myrrh Records promoted her as "the Christian Cyndi Lauper," a label she found uncomfortable. In 1988, she adopted the stage name "Sam" when she left Myrrh Records and signed with Virgin Records to redefine her image.
With The Indescribable Wow, Phillips transitioned to mainstream music. Her 1991 album Cruel Inventions featured a guest appearance by Elvis Costello. Martini and Bikinis (1994) earned her a second Grammy nomination.
In 1996, she released Omnipop (It's Only a Flesh Wound Lambchop), which included a song co-written with R.E.M. After releasing a contractually required "best of" album in 1999, Virgin Records dropped her. In 2001, she signed with Nonesuch Records, shifting to a stripped-down, acoustic sound on Fan Dance.
A Boot and a Shoe followed in 2004, continuing the acoustic style. Her self-produced album Don't Do Anything was released in 2008.
In October 2009, Phillips launched The Long Play, a subscription-based music service offering digital releases independent of record labels. The first subscription-only EP, Hypnotists in Paris, was recorded with the Section Quartet. Subsequent releases included Christmas collections Cold Dark Night, Magic for Everyone, Old Tin Pan, and Days of the One Night Stands, with the full-length album Cameras in the Sky arriving in early 2010. In spring 2011, she released Solid State publicly on CD.
Push Any Button was released on August 13, 2013. That year also saw the digital release of her first live concert album, Sam Phillips: Live @ Largo at The Coronet, through her website. In 2016, she issued the downloadable EP Human Contact is Never Easy, featuring four tracks from her upcoming album World on Sticks. In September 2018, she released World on Sticks.
