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Alison's Sound

Recognised among musical colleagues for 'clear-water' vocals and a singular lyrical approach, her writing leans on instinct and gravitates towards organic arrangements with dynamic feels and sounds. She has an allusive style with lyrics open to interpretation. Her solo songs are wide ranging - from quirky ballad, to soulful soliloquy, to beat driven pop and rock; and electronic remixes courtesy of producer Paul Baggott add an extra slant to her catalogue.  Favourite artists include Kate Bush, Bjork, Rickie Lee Jones. Her sound has found multiple comparisons - Annie Lennox, Carole KIng, Enya, Sade, Everything But The Girl, Edie Brickell. Remixes bring mention of artists such as Daft Punk, Evanescence, Massive Attack, Halsey. More, see Home and Reviews Pages.

Bio

Alison Fleming is an English (UK) songwriter and recording artist who now lives in Colorado, United States.  

Raised in the RAF (air force), she was born in Lincolnshire and the family moved every two years from camp to camp, including a couple of years in Germany.

Her parents come from the NE of England. Both were very musical. A piano was a staple in the home.

Alison never became fluent at reading music but she and siblings alike were drawn to tinkering on the piano, creating musical pieces and little songs. Sister Lois wrote a wonderful love song on piano, 'Close To Me' in her teens. For Alison, poetry writing came easily. At age 17 she took up guitar but it wasn't until she had married (at 23) and was in full time employment (in PR and publishing) that she began songwriting proper.

Her first songs were composed on acoustic guitar and were folk-like ramblings; about love, the world, and the human condition.  

After a while she had quite the home studio happening. Her songs developed. She decided to test the London waters by sending demos to music A&R representatives in the capital. 

The response was enthusiastic with the advice to put the tracks into better shape. 

In 1986 she began to work with Producer Tony Lowe whose fresh approach caught the attention of Chrysalis Records and subsequently Hit and Run music publishing. 

Meanwhile back at the ranch through touch of fate she was able to perform her songs in pubs around the local area.

In 1995 Alison relocated to the USA. The emergence of the internet around the same time allowed Tony Lowe and Alison to continue to co-write and record.

Her studio kept growing with a dedicated computer, various software and control surfaces, now four guitars and two mandolins, three keyboards, two harmonicas, drums and effects instruments real and virtual and a plethora of hand held goodies.

More Lowe/Fleming albums came to be.

In 2007 and then in 2008 two of Tony Lowe and Alison Fleming's co-written albums respectively, 'All of the Above' and 'Second Nature' made it onto the Grammy lists - a major achievement for independent artists. 

Alison is a contributor to Tony Lowe's 'star studded' esp-project series and appears on other albums on the Sunn Creative label, including third Lowe/Fleming album the atmospheric progressive, 'Human Sleeping' (2014).

In 2012 Alison decided to expand her catalogue by recording also solo albums and by chance around that same time she was approached by Producer Paul Baggott who offered his production services. They began working together.

2017/2018: the collaboration with Paul Baggott produced debut solo albums (CD), 'Freeway', and ‘Freeway - The Remixes’; followed by a double album of both, for download-only, aptly named ‘Freeway – Songwriter and the Remixes’. 

2023: 17th March ‘Play On Words’ was released - another album of note, produced by Paul Baggott.

All albums are on CD and available as downloads at Alison's Bandcamp and Amazon.

Links on the Home page and above, to listen and watch online.

Alison continues to write and record out of her 'Bear Studio' in Colorado, United States.

Back Story

Alison spent her teenage years growing up in the quaint English backwater of Bramham West Yorkshire (home to iconic Leeds Festival).

Her mother played classical piano and attended drama classes (alongside the later-famous English actress Wendy Craig). Her father James (affectionately known as Jim), was an RAF trained fighter pilot who taught himself piano and for a time headed up an RAF Jazz band. He loved the Greats such as Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Jelly Roll Morton - and this music was often on the turntable at home.  

Living in the air force meant frequent changes of home and piano-teacher. Alison never became fluent at reading music, perhaps due to a knack for remembering the notes by heart. Poetry writing came easily, and at a young age she won poetry competitions. Tredding the boards age 9 at school she played the part of 'The Little Matchgirl'; in her teens she had chorus parts in school operas. For her 17th birthday her mother gave her a Yamaha G65 classical acoustic guitar purchased from a music shop in York and she taught herself to play. 

Her mother was an active member of the church. Alison joined the choir, was a bell ringer, and - with a friend - started a drama club called 'Seventh Sense': the club presented comedy shows and organised village gigs where local rock bands would perform. One band's drummer was David Flannagan, whose brother Paul was drummer for Adam and the Ants.   

Alison started songwriting with her guitar in the 1980s while she also worked full time in publishing and printing. Her first songs were acoustic folk-like musings on love, the world, and the human condition.  

Recording equipment grew from a simple cassette player, voice and acoustic guitar, to a mini-cassette 8 track studio Tascam Porta One, a Casio keyboard and an old Gibson Marauder electric guitar she'd picked up from a second-hand shop in Liverpool.  

Back in the 1980s there was no such thing as the Internet. She mailed rough-demo cassettes to music industry producers and A & R folk around London. The response was enthusiastic and the advice was to put the songs into better shape. She began looking for assistance with music production. 

In 1986 - through an ad in NME magazine she met now renowned Producer Tony Lowe whose fresh approach to her tracks caught the attention not least of A&R at Chrysalis Records (David Massey, who came to tea) and subsequently at Hit and Run Publishing (see Lowe & Fleming).  

In the early 1990s after moving to Gloucestershire UK, by touch of fate Alison was able to perform some of her songs around the local pubs. Her songs at that time also won notice from A&R at Virgin Records in London.  

In 1995 Alison relocated to Missouri, USA. With the emergence of the Internet Tony Lowe and Alison were able to continue to co-write and record, which led to more albums, more recognition and success. (see Lowe & Fleming). 

By 2012, wanting to dive into solo work - Alison uploaded some tracks to the ReverbNation website. Alison had the great fortune to be approached by fellow Singer/Songwriter and Music Producer Paul Baggott, who offered to put one of her demos into better shape. 

2017/2018: The contact with Paul Baggott culminated in two debut solo albums, 'Freeway' and 'Freeway - The Remixes', released through CD baby Publishing in 2017; followed by a Double album for download only,  ‘Freeway – Songwriter and the Remixes’ released 2018  (Discography).

Her skills as a songwriter and vocalist have been sought and her songs well received; Freeway tracks featured on game Rockstar Rising and touted by Music supervisors for a US political thriller come spy Drama "Operating Naked" filmed in Toronto and Marbella; played on radio...etc

2023: 17th March the Album 'Play On Words' was released, distributed by CD Baby Publishing. Produced again by Paul Baggott.

Alison continues to write and record out of her favourite place, 'Bear Studio', in Colorado United States.