He died on the same day as my much loved guitar teacher, Mose Scarlett. Not many folks know that they were pals and shared a pad in Peterborough in the 60's. I loved them both and will miss them 'till the day I die.
@@johnderby8921 Leon was living in Canada in 1965, While living in Canada in the late 1960s, he began performing in public at Toronto area nightclubs and folk music festivals.
I became a Leon fan in the fall of 1976, sophomore year at UNC-Chapel Hill. A guy across the hall in the dorm had a copy of "On the Track," and I was hooked -- though I was the kind of guy who normally listened to stuff like Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Allman Brothers, Little Feat. "My Walking Stick" and "Lazy Bones" were my favorites, and still are. A few years later "Walking Stick" took on a whole new meaning when my grandmother's arthritis got bad enough to where she started walking with a cane. My sister and I would sing the song to her (attempt it anyway), and she'd laugh, especially when we got to the part about clicking on Lover's Lane. These days I'm living in Grandma's house, out here on the farm. She's long gone, but I still have her walking stick. Must have it, 'cause it may rain!
I found Leon a couple of years later than you with Champagne Charlie. I've been a huge fan ever since. I'm from the UK and almost got to see him in the US IN 2015. What a shame!
Saw him in Nashville in a little club in '83 or '84 I believe. Sat right in the crowded front row. Like it was a private intimate concert. He was the essence of total cool. Takes you to a place long gone. A true Original.
I saw Leon at McGill University in Montreal around the early '70s. I thought I remembered him dressed in a white suit with a hat and here he is dressed just like that in this video. I guess my memory is alright after all. He came out solo with his guitar and sat on a chair with a small table beside him. On the table was a glass of something and a flashlight. I didn't have to wait long to find out the reason for the flashlight. Some one in the audience coughed and he stopped and turned on the flashlight and shone it into the audience looking for the cougher. After that, you could have heard a pin drop. It was a very quiet bunch after that except for the applause. It was a terrific show.
Leon is that guy who roles through town with a guitar, a mule and $25, looking for tales to tell, cigars to smoke, and liqour to drink. What a mysterious drifter. He can sure shred that acoustic as well
Wow this is so cool and so trippy. The black and white scene was amazing and felt like being in a speak easy somewhere back in time. Leon is so loved and missed
Had the privilege of seeing him preform towards the end of his career at the Winchester in Lakewood, OH. Was probable 2012/13. Maybe 20 or 30 people there, all sitting on metal folding chairs. Still a great performance!
Me too! I had no idea who he was and a friend made me promise to go. ( he couldn’t go) From a chair, next to a night lamp, with a glass of whiskey, Redbone won my heart forever.
He lived in New Hope PA. In 1978 he purchased an Oldsmobile from his friend, a sales associate At our dealership. He was genuinely a nice person and down to earth. Sometimes he would play at local bars in the 1990's-2000's.
We often saw him perform at Toronto's Mariposa Folk Festival in the 70's and a friend of mine toured the States with Leon around '77-ish. Leon was unique, mysterious & a fabulous musician!
The Leon Redbone Tribute Channel has just Started an official Companion group on Face Book Called "Leon Redbone Tribute Group" This group will allow Subscribers from the Leon Redbone Tribute Channel to be part of a more interactive Community where we can share the love of Leon Redbone's music, career, and legacy. I welcome All Susbscribers to come and join the NEW Face Book Group at the following link facebook.com/groups/leonredbone/
...immer wenn ich Lein höre,nehme ich mir vor,mir einen Schnauzer stehen zu lassen,einen Panamahut zu kaufen und mir einen Spatzierstock zuzulegen...Leon Redbone - du uralte Seele😪❤❤❤
That walking stick must of helped him out in some way. He's probably thinking about it now. somewhere up there. In the sky of music. What a performance. bless ya. and your mule.
Got hooked on LR when he came on SNL back in the 70s, the performance where it was just him beneath a single light. That really got my attention, at the time I was listening to Boston, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, etc. Can't find that segment on RU-vid. Got to see him in person one time when he made a stop in Baton Rouge in the late 90s.
After all these years, I think I finally found Terry Taylor's inspiration for his NeverhoOd and Skullmonkeys style of music... It was this guy! :D Great stuff!
Leon made many mysterious indications of his possible age over the years. But it would seem he was actually 69 years old at the time of his passing on may 30th.
His real name was Dickran Gobalian; born in Cyprus, of Armenian ancestry. One of the most unique performers I ever saw. Loved it whenever he appeared on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, and loved that Carson booked him as often as he did, since Leon wasn't even close to being mainstream.
He was one of the most private musicians in the industry, perhaps even the most I would say. He liked it that way and was amazingly able to keep it that way his entire career, right up until his death. Never have I ever seen another well known musician maintain their privacy like Leon did.
