Leslie "Les Boogie" Adele | SoultoneCymbals.com

Leslie "Les Boogie" Adele

Leslie "Les Boogie" Adele

Leslie "Les Boogie" Adele has been playing drums since she was 6 years old. Coming from a huge musical family, "You played at least 2 instruments, you sang in the choir, and you played a sport. That was the blueprint for all of my cousins. That just how we all grew up."-LA Fascinated by her uncles and older cousins playing drums in church, she studied and pestered them relentlessly until her cousin JB put her on his lap and let her play during a church service one Sunday. She's been hooked ever since. Her godfather bought her first pair of drumsticks that Christmas. She started honing her skills by learning the fundamentals of music theory in the elementary school band, and playing by ear for her church choir led by her mother Dr. Carletha Wilkerson and directed by her uncle Charles Wilkerson, Jr. By 11 years old she held the position of drummer and soloist for both the youth and adult choirs in her home church.

In high school she was on the marching band drumline and in the Blue Light Jazz band on drums at Savannah High School Performing Arts Academy. Adding trumpet, piano, bass, guitar and songwriter to her arsenal by her sophomore year.

Leslie went on to graduate from the University of South Carolina with an inter-disciplinary studies degree double majoring in Sports Medicine and Education with a minor in Music. All while continuing to play for various churches in the southeast and opening for national gospel artists with her family's singing group.

In 2005 on a wing and a dare Leslie founded and fronted her own band called A Nickel Bag of Funk. Being a child of the hip-hop era it seemed like a perfect homage to the Digable Planets song, a play on words, and just basic math. "It's five of us, and five is a nickel. Don't see why it shouldn't work."-LA

As the band's frontwoman, and musical director Leslie has led Nick-Bag to numerous awards and accolades. She shares the drummer duties for the band with Jermaine "Tha' Silverback" Baker on the their first album Melodic Schizophrenic that was released independently in 2013 on Ms. Adele's label OCS Entertainment. They are the Southeast's go to opener for national and international acts. Sharing the stage with the likes of Dwele, 5 Men On A Stool, S.O.S. Band, B.O.B., Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Big Sam's Funky Nation, The Soul Rebels Brass Band, The New Orleans Suspects, The Nappy Roots, Papa Grows Funk, Slick Rick, The Nappy Roots, Tony Award winner Georgia Me, and many more. Leslie is also the drummer for artist Danni Cassette.

Leslie is extremely excited and grateful to be endorsing Soultone Cymbals and DC California drums. " I called the number on the website one day because I wanted Soultones, but there were no dealers in my area at the time, and Iki answered the phone. He was so personable and cool. It just blew me away that the founder of this huge international company still took the time to answer the phone and talk to a customer. I put in my endorsement app that day and the rest is Soultone history."-LA

My Soultone Set: 

14" Gospel Crash
14" Custom Brilliant Hi Hats
21" Gospel Ride
16" FXO 6
9" Gospel Splash

Discography