EDIE LEHMANN BODDICKER - BMHOF CLASS OF 2021

Edie Lehmann Boddicker was born to John and Edith Lehmann, German/Hungarian immigrants who fled to Buffalo, New York in 1950, escaping Russian extermination after World War II. John was a Baptist preacher at the German-speaking Austin Street Baptist Church, and Edith worked as a fashion buyer at Hengerer’s. The couple were deeply involved in the Grand Island/Buffalo immigrant community, sponsoring over two-hundred German/Hungarian refugees.

Both parents were passionate, skilled musicians and Edie was immersed in music from birth. Her mother taught her to read music at age three which was when her parents discovered her perfect pitch. Edie started taking formal piano lessons at age four with Buffalo's legendary pedagogue Laura G. Kelsey (who also taught Buffalo’s celebrated concert pianist Leonard Pennario). Edie describes herself as a “reluctant concert pianist” whose love of music came naturally. Not long after starting piano lessons Edie picked up violin, recorder, guitar and mandolin. However, it wasn’t until years later that she discovered her calling in singing and conducting.

At age eight, she moved with her family to Los Angeles. Upon learning of the move Kelsey contacted Leonard Pennario. At Pennario’s suggestion Edie auditioned with Lillian Steuber, then head of USC’s piano department. Edie performed Mendelssohn’s “Rondo Capriccioso”, a considerably daunting piece. Miss Steuber took Edie on as her only child student and introduced her to the USC Preparatory School of Music. Over the next decade Edie studied music theory with esteemed composer and professor Morten Lauridsen and chamber music with Alice and Eleonore Schoenfeld. 

In 1969, the Schoenfelds formed The Young International Trio with Edie as pianist. The trio won all divisions of the prestigious Coleman Chamber Music Competition two years running, performing internationally until Edie was nineteen. 

It was during this time she realized that her love of teamwork was greater than the prospect of the solitary life and practice of a solo concert pianist. 

In her teens, Edie began singing in earnest, performing at her church of 11,000 members. The music programs and performances were of the highest quality, giving her the necessary stylistic vocal training for group singing. Edie maintains that churches still produce some of the best vocal talent (evident on shows like The Voice). 

Edie continued to find early success winning California’s Junior Miss and America’s Junior Miss Talent division, performing on live broadcast another Mendelssohn work “Variations Serieuses”. 

At age eighteen, Edie started singing in recording studios. One of her earliest sessions was for Kathie Lee Epstein (Gifford) who recorded one of Edie’s original songs. This led to more session singing and she was soon recording jingles and performing on various television shows including Donny & Marie and The Carol Burnett Show. 

On The Big Show in 1980, even though initially hired as a singer, Edie subbed as a pianist at the last minute, performing in a Victor Borge sketch as a makeup artist who nails Borge’s “struggling” version of Chopin’s “C# minor Waltz”, learning the piece in one day.As Edie’s reputation grew, she continued singing on nationwide jingles and commercials. She also recorded for some of the biggest stars of that time: Quincy Jones, Madonna, Belinda Carlisle, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Thomas Dolby, and a host of others. She toured with Quincy and was background singer and vocal contractor for Aretha. 

Another career followed, including a two-year principal acting role on General Hospital as concert pianist Katharine Delafield. The press characterized her as an “accidental actress”. Her opening scene had Kate (Edie) at the piano playing Tchaikovsky's “Piano Concerto in B flat minor”. A few weeks later, Edie’s character performed a flamboyant concert with some of her favorite repertoire, including Chopin’s “G minor Ballade,” Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” and Ravel’s “Jeux d'eau”. 

After General Hospital, Edie returned to session work and began vocal contracting - helping composers, producers and songwriters find and cast singers for films, television, albums, and live work. Her earliest contracting and conducting jobs were for film composers Shirley Walker (Quest for Camelot, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm) and John Powell (Happy Feet 1&2, Rio 1&2, Ice Ages 2,3 & 4, etc.). 

In 1995, Edie married Grammy-winning songwriter/composer/producer/studio musician Michael Lehmann Boddicker and immediately started a family. Together they have raised four children. 

Edie prioritizes serving the singer community and was repeatedly elected to Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA Boards of Directors for over eighteen years and served on the NARAS (Grammy) Board of Governors for four years. 

She continues singing, casting, conducting, coaching, arranging, consulting, and producing on hundreds of projects including albums, television shows, TV themes, live concerts, live broadcast productions and feature films. 

Some of her recent work with esteemed composers Hans Zimmer, John Powell, Danny Elfman, Michael Abels, Germaine Franco includes Dune (2021), Encanto, Us, The Grinch (2018), The Lion King (2019), Hidden Figures, Solo - A Star Wars Story, The Call of the Wild (2020), La La Land, and many more. Additional projects include works for Netflix Animation, Nickelodeon, The Grammy Awards, The Voice, American Idol, Jimmy Kimmel and James Corden. 

Her latest work with recording artists includes singing, contracting, arranging and/or conducting work for Billie Eilish, Shawn Mendes, Rosalía, Michael Bublé, Harry Styles, Camila Cabello, Herb Alpert, Katy Perry, Richard Carpenter, The Weeknd, Rüfüs Du Sol, Awolnation, Josh Groban, Alicia Keys, Vampire Weekend . . . and onward. 

Edie gives all glory to God for the rich experiences she has had, and continues to have, in her life, her family and her community, and the opportunities to use His gifts of her musical artistry and abilities. 

Edie Lehmann Boddicker gratefully acknowledges her inclusion in the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame and thanks the BMHOF and people of Buffalo for their continued support.