Bio

Linwood Battle Jr.'s interest in music was sparked by the diverse styles of music he was exposed to as a child in his family home. Linwood's father had a love of country tunes by Charlie Rich, Frankie Lane and other performers like Ray Charles and Lena Horne. His mother enjoyed great performers like R&B legends Al Green and Stevie Wonder.

Linwood was also exposed to a lot of Gershwin show tunes, which helped influence some of the wonderful melodies heard in Linwood's original compositions today. Linwood says the first two significant albums he
remembers in the family home as a child were Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder and Rainbow Seeker by Joe Sample. These albums awakened in him the desire to perform piano and keyboard.

In elementary school Linwood signed up for the marching band just as soon as he was old enough. He wanted to play the saxophone but his uncle had a trombone in the closet. Since it was free, as opposed to buying a saxophone, he began to study the trombone he already had. His first formal instruction was on the trombone at Stanton Elementary School in Washington DC. Linwood then went on to Johnson Jr. High and graduated from McKinley Technical High School, studying music at each school.

Linwood Battle Jr. is a self-taught pianist but gives early credit to the late Nathan Heathman who nurtured his early development as a keyboardist and piano player. Nathan and Linwood played together in a band throughout the 1980's.

Nathan Heathman eventually went on to work with such great artists as Jean Carne, Angela Bofill, The Late Phyllis Hyman (music director), Rachelle Farrell, Norman Connors, Nancy Wilson, Yolanda Adams, and Michael Henderson.

Linwood's current projects include performing with his band in the DC, Maryland Virginia and Delaware area. Linwood is also recording a new CD project with performances by Sean Rickman, David Dyson, Michael McHenry and Brian Lanier. Famed and international recording artist, drummer and sideman Scott Peaker will be co-producing as well as performing on this project. Some of his credits
include The Crusaders, George Duke, Stanley Clarke and Lonnie Liston Smith.

The writing on the CD reflects some of the influences in Linwood's musical style and performance artists like Joe Sample, Spyro Gyra, David Sanborn,
Grover Washington, the Yellow Jackets and David Benoit.

Linwood would like to invite everyone to come and join in this evolution of what is guaranteed to be a great ride for the up and coming composer and piano
sensation, Mr. Linwood Battle Jr. along with "Woody's Lounge", his hand picked stable of world class musicians.