bio

When Linda Sargent was 15 years old, she was layering vocals on a borrowed old four-track recorder, searching out things around her house to play “percussion tracks” on her songs. With years of piano lessons already behind her, Linda was slowly crafting an original sound that would carry her into her first album project.

Just two years later she loaded up a box full of tapes of her own music (scratch tracks), and some money (pre-sales from parents at her all-girl Catholic high school), and headed to the Disney Studios to record her first album, One Step From Home. She explains, “I met up with the engineer from the Disney character voices studio in Burbank, CA, who kindly let me record there on the weekends and after work hours. It was exhilarating recording in professional studios—like fireworks—I decided to pursue music as my path in life.”

After the release of One Step From Home in 2000, Linda moved from Phoenix to San Diego and enrolled in the brand new Computer Music program at the University of California, San Diego. "I bought my first legitimate computer and began to seriously study digital recording, computer music, programming and multimedia arts. The more I dug in, the more I was satisfied," she says with a grin.

During college, musician Tom Griesgraber introduced Linda to Spotted Peccary Studios, a San Diego based ambient-electronic record label, where she assisted in recording sessions. There Linda met Spotted Peccary artist and film/TV composer David Helpling, and they soon began collaborating on corporate projects for Hewlett Packard, Sempra Energy and Tony Robbins.

Linda graduated from UCSD in 2004 with a degree in Computer Music and began concentrating on her second album, which she’s constructing around themes of personal experience, love, loss and relationships. The unique sound she’s developing, working in the intersections of pop, electronica, classical and acoustic styles, comes out of her diverse musical and engineering background. The result is innovative, raw, and cutting-edge: "We hand crafted almost all of the instruments on this record by sampling various things: kitchen mixing bowls, hand-bells, antique reed organ, my old music box, pitched wine glasses, etc." Linda is working closely with Stephan Vankov who she met at UCSD. Stephan is an extrodinarily skilled beat programmer who breathes life into the rhythmic elements of each mix. Born and raised in Bulgaria, his eastern-european roots heavily influence his sound and infuse an eclectic blend of rhythms and bass lines that artfully dance around Linda’s music.

Meanwhile, Spotted Peccary artists Jon Jenkins and Howard Givens invited Linda to perform vocals on a track Jenkins wrote for the Behind the Scenes Trailer for the major motion picture The New World (New Line Cinemas) which was released fall 2005. The trailer played internationally at all Regal Cinemas and Ultra Star theaters and was also aired on Entertainment Tonight. In addition, two songs from Linda's upcoming release will appear in the thriller Cold Storage (Lion's Gate Films). The track "Moving On" from Linda's album One Step From Home also appears in the indie film False Summit by director Chris Cummings (Art Director for Big Fish, Cast Away, What Lies Beneath, Lady Killers) and two of her songs are featured in the film The Devil and Saddamm by William Backer. Recently, Linda was awarded the title of “Best Songwriter of the Year” by the San Diego Songwriters Guild for her song, Oxygen. Her award-winning track will be featured on 102.1 KPRI and is making quite a stir around San Diego. Linda was also nominated as “Best Keyboardist in San Diego” by the San Diego HAT Awards in 2006. Currently, Linda is also Adjunct Professor at Palomar Community College where she is able to share her knowledge of music production and multimedia arts.

Though she has come a long way as a professional musician and engineer, she maintains that this is just the beginning. "This album is a benchmark on the first leg of a long journey; my next album project is a big accomplishment for me both as a singer and composer. I can't wait to unleash these new songs into the world."

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Throughout the month of July, Linda has been taking courses in LA in order to become Logic Certified. She has officially passed with flying colors! Linda is using Logic Studio to produce her upcoming album and is also teaching courses in audio production and engineering at several San Diego Community Colleges.


cold_storage
Two of Linda's songs are in a new thriller called Cold Storage. "Cathy Adams (Joelle Carter, American Pie 2, Inconceivable) learns of her sister’s disappearance. With the help of Daric (Matt Keeslar, Art School Confidential, Scream 3), she goes to find her lost sibling. Her search leads her to a gut-wrenching discovery and a massive battle between her and the deranged mountain man amidst the pouring rain. A battle that only one will survive." watch the trailer




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femtor
Linda's has recently been nominated for the International Femtor Award by the E-Women Network. The word Femtor is a registered trademark of eWomenNetwork. The term Femtor means "a wise and trusted woman providing knowledge, inspiration and practical information to other women." Femtor acknowledges the mentoring work done from a female experience and knowledge base. These experienced women seek out ways to teach, share their wisdom and help other women find their wings. pink

sdsg
Linda recently won "Songwriter of the Year" contest for 2007 presented by the San Diego Songwriters Guild. Along with the title of Best Songwriter of the Year, she also received studio time at TrackStar Studios, new microphones from ProSound and Music and her song, Oxygen, will be played on KPRI 102.1 on their Homegrown hour. Tune in and make sure to request her song!
Visit the SDSG site pink

hat_awards

Linda was nominated for 2006 "Best Keyboardist" award by the San Diego HAT Awards. Check out the Official Site


new_world

Spotted Peccary Music and Jon Jenkins invited Linda to sing on a mix for the Behind the Scenes trailer for the New Line Cinemas film The New World. WATCH THE TRAILER pink


csc
DHM Music Design contracted Linda to sing on a production for the Computer Science Corporation. "Thunderous drums kick off this 100 foot wide HD experience before spiraling into inspired themes - featuring stunning vocals from Linda Sargent and lush eclectic instrumentation." listen to a sample




© 2008 Linda Sargent | info@lindasargent.com | myspace.com/lindasargent