Leon Redbone
Leon Redbone is a guitar player from another time. He’s a guitar player like no other. He is … Leon Redbone!
Just a quote from a fabulously gifted guitar player.
Raitt went on to tell her tale of being unable to get past the Redbone persona. “I spent an afternoon with him in a hotel room,” Raitt said, “and I was wondering when he was going to become normal. He never did.” Bonnie Raitt
A walking caricature, Redbone shuffled through folk festivals in his rumpled three-piece suits from the Twenties, a wide-brim hat, sunglasses, and thick mustache. The only thing widely known about him was that he was a gifted singer and guitarist with a thorough knowledge of blues, urban folk, jazz, and ragtime. Mr. Redbone doesn’t just dig up the past, he embodies it! But, he does look like Frank Zappa on valium.
While listening to this master, and if you’ll let him, he’ll bring you into his unique world. A world where Blind Blake roamed the South and the Depression was all around you. He is like a old time traveling minstrel/vaudeville performer. This gruff voiced crooner was the real McCoy!
This guy just suddenly appeared as part of the Toronto folk scene in 1970. After the 1971 Mariposa Folk Festival outside of Toronto, all the musical greats from all musical genres wanted to soak in his vibes. Bonnie Raitt, John Prine, Maria Muldaur, and Bob Dylan, to name a few, was not going to miss this hidden treasure at the 1972 show.
Dylan said that if he actually owned a music label, I think he does now though, Leon would be the first person he’d sign. The only chart topper this musician had was called Double Time, 1977 I think. The single most memorable moment was when he played of SNL, when it was worth watching!
He did some great add’s for Bud, and Cracker Barrel. His Mr. Belvedere Opening and Closing Themes, and his appearance on Alf and The Tonight show with the late great Johnny Carson, was just a thing of beauty ! The funniest song that he did, that was really obscure, was with Ringo Starr, you gotta listen to it!
So have any of you heard of this long forgotten musical relic? If not, then with all these great examples of the master, what do you think of him now?
BTW, Jon, do you know where that old Leon Redbone record/popcorn holder went to?
Keep on Jammin’
September 10th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Leon is the man. Great songs, great guitar playing and unique persona -
September 13th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Unique, is putting it lightly dermalogica. Leon Redbone is one of those great uncorrupted musicians, that has sold out to corporations, but has kept his integrity!
I love how he creates his music and is true to his roots, but with a little spin that makes you keep taping your toes well after the song is over. Now that is impressive!
Keep on Jammin’
September 16th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Heard of him? Leon’s the greatest! I haven’t seen him perform in quite some time, and now realize how much I’ve missed him — thanks so much for posting this clip!
September 21st, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Christine, where and when you do see him? I can only imagine his stage presence and how he would interact with the audience!
Seeing him live would be the cats meow as they use to say.
Thanx for commenting!
November 17th, 2008 at 2:44 am
[...] of anyone that played there that night … he was sitting down in a chair the whole show. Ah, Leon Redbone, I get it! Don’t get me wrong, the man was re-inventing how the direction of bass playing [...]
March 30th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
[...] came up empty handed. These guys are such a refreshing change of pace that it is not funny. Leon Redbone, eat your heart [...]
July 30th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
[...] Brown, Ted Leonard, Steve Grisbrook or big Buzz Upshaw, just to name a few that I know of. Even Leon Redbone was links to [...]
April 2nd, 2010 at 12:03 am
[...] of works of art, my buddy Jon had this great album from Leon Redbone. I remember hearing it tons of time at his place when he was married. We thought that it was a [...]