Lawrence Leathers

Born November 23 1981, Lawrence Leathers was exposed to music since birth. 

From gospel to jazz, his mother would play records and tapes everyday. He began playing the drums (trying to keep up with his older cousin) at the age of ten, however the church is where Lawrence's musical training began.

Under the grooming of his mother, Carolyn Leathers and family friend Joe Lane II, he began to play for the choir processional, later graduating to the offering selection and eventually moving on to become the drummer for the church, New Mount Calvary Baptist Church.

In middle school, Lawrence received teaching and guidance from band teacher, Sally Jones. As a freshman in high school, he began to play jazz under the instruction of saxophonist Tom Jones at J.W. Sexton High School in Lansing, MI.

After graduating high school, Lawrence has become the protégé of legendary drummer Randy Gillespie. He has performed with many top jazz artists on the scene today, including Mulgrew Miller, Cyrus Chestnut, Rodney Whitaker, Eric Reed, Vanessa Rubin, Donald Harrison, and Derrick Gardner.

Performance experience includes an extensive stint with the great trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, at a club in Lansing. He is also a former member of the Diego Rivera Quartet, a successful jazz group in the East Lansing area. Lawrence has performed at the Lansing Jazz Festival, Vail Jazz Party, and the Detroit Ford International Jazz Festival. In the past few years Lawrence has served as a mentor for Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Civic Jazz Ensembles and the Arts League of Michigan’s summer camp and mentorship program. Some of his greatest influences include Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, and Art Blakey.

Recently, Lawrence has relocated to Kansas City, MO and you can now find him playing with well-renowned organist Everette DeVan and his quartet.

“He brings a subtle energy to the group…He is an organ player’s delight”, said Everette.