Sam Phillips

Leslie Ann Phillips, known by her stage name Sam Phillips, was born on June 28, 1962, and is an accomplished American singer, songwriter, and actress. She gained notable attention for her film debut as the silent terrorist Katya in the 1995 hit, *Die Hard with a Vengeance*, starring Bruce Willis.

Phillips's career took off in the early 1980s within the contemporary Christian music scene, where she provided backing vocals for artists such as Mark Heard and Randy Stonehill. Under her birth name, she released four albums with Myrrh Records, including *Beyond Saturday Night* and *The Turning*, the latter of which marked her collaboration with producer T Bone Burnett, who later became her husband. Despite achieving success, including several Top 10 singles on Christian radio, Phillips struggled with the image promoted by her label and transitioned to using the name "Sam" professionally in 1988 after signing with Virgin Records.

Her 1994 album, *Martinis and Bikinis*, earned her a Grammy nomination, while *Omnipop (It's Only a Flesh Wound Lambchop)*, released in 1996, featured a co-written track with R.E.M. After her departure from Virgin in 1999, she signed with Nonesuch Records, releasing the critically acclaimed acoustic albums *Fan Dance* (2001) and *A Boot and a Shoe* (2004).

In 2009, Phillips launched The Long Play, a subscription service for music releases, and continued to expand her discography with albums and EPs, including *World on Sticks* in 2018. With a career spanning decades, her work remains influential across genres, showcasing her versatility and artistic evolution.