Leon Redbone
Encyclopedia
Leon Redbone is a singer and guitarist
specializing in interpretations of early 20th-century music, including jazz
and blues
standards and Tin Pan Alley
classics.
Recognized for his trademark Panama hat
, dark sunglasses, and bow tie, Redbone first appeared on stage in Toronto
, Canada
in the mid-1970s.
Redbone has released approximately fifteen albums and earned a sizable cult following
. His concerts blend performance, comedy, and skilled instrumentals. Recurrent gags involve the influence of alcohol and claiming to have written works originating well before his time. He sang the theme to the television series Mr. Belvedere
.
report in the 1980s, his birth name is Dickran Gobalian, he came to Canada from Cyprus
in the mid-1960s and changed his name via Ontario, Canada
's Change of Name Act. However, a reference from 1973 states that he was a native of Philadelphia who moved to Toronto.
in the early 1970s, Redbone began performing in public at Toronto area nightclubs and folk music festivals. He met Bob Dylan
at the Mariposa Folk Festival
. Dylan was so impressed by Redbone's performance that he mentioned it in a Rolling Stone interview, leading that magazine to do a feature article on Redbone a year before he had a recording contract. The article described his performances as "so authentic you can hear the surface noise [of an old 78 rpm]." His first album, On the Track, was released by Warner Bros. Records
in 1975.
He was introduced to a larger public as a semi-regular musical guest on NBC
's Saturday Night Live
throughout the late 1970s and into the 1980s.
During the 1980s-'90s Redbone was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Due to his reluctance to discuss his past, there has been speculation that "Leon Redbone" was an alternative identity for another performer. The two most commonly mentioned are Andy Kaufman
and Frank Zappa
, both of whom Redbone has outlived.
Redbone usually dresses in attire reminiscent of the Vaudeville
era, performing in a Panama hat with a black band and dark sunglasses, often while sitting at attention on a stool, with a white coat and trousers with a black string tie.
Redbone survived the crash of a small plane in Clarksburg, West Virginia
on February 12, 1979. He travels to engagements exclusively by car, saying, "I carry around many unusual items and devices. They make life difficult for airport security personnel and flying impossible for me."
and The Far Side
. He performed the theme song for the 1980s sitcom Mr. Belvedere
, as well as the theme from the syndicated
sitcom Harry and the Hendersons
. He appears regularly on the PBS
children's show Between the Lions
. He did a cover of Frank Loesser
's romantic Christmas song "Baby, It's Cold Outside
" with Zooey Deschanel
for the closing credits
of the 2003 film Elf. He also voiced the character of Leon the Snowman in the same film. On his 1987 album Christmas Island he performed a version of "Frosty the Snowman," with Dr. John
.
He has also produced music for and appeared in television commercials, including an advertisement for Budweiser
beer, in which he flies over a beach on a surfboard, singing "This Bud's for You", the US automobile brand Chevrolet
, All brand laundry detergent, and a commercial for InterCity (British Rail)
service in the late 1980s in which he sang the song "Relax". He also lent his voice to an animated caricature of himself in a commercial for Ken-L Ration
Burger 'n Bones.
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
specializing in interpretations of early 20th-century music, including jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
standards and Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century...
classics.
Recognized for his trademark Panama hat
Panama hat
A Panama hat is a traditional brimmed hat of Ecuadorian origin that is made from the plaited leaves of the toquilla straw plant...
, dark sunglasses, and bow tie, Redbone first appeared on stage in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in the mid-1970s.
Redbone has released approximately fifteen albums and earned a sizable cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
. His concerts blend performance, comedy, and skilled instrumentals. Recurrent gags involve the influence of alcohol and claiming to have written works originating well before his time. He sang the theme to the television series Mr. Belvedere
Mr. Belvedere
Mr. Belvedere is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from March 15, 1985, until July 8, 1990. The series was based on the Lynn Aloysius Belvedere character created by Gwen Davenport for her 1947 novel Belvedere, which was later adapted into the 1948 film Sitting Pretty...
.
Early life
According to the Toronto StarToronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
report in the 1980s, his birth name is Dickran Gobalian, he came to Canada from Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
in the mid-1960s and changed his name via Ontario, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's Change of Name Act. However, a reference from 1973 states that he was a native of Philadelphia who moved to Toronto.
Career
While living in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in the early 1970s, Redbone began performing in public at Toronto area nightclubs and folk music festivals. He met Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
at the Mariposa Folk Festival
Mariposa Folk Festival
The Mariposa Folk Festival was founded in 1961 in Orillia, Ontario. It was held in Orillia for three years before being banned because of disturbances by festival-goers. After being held in various places in Ontario for a few decades, it returned to Orillia in 2000. Ruth Jones, her husband Dr...
. Dylan was so impressed by Redbone's performance that he mentioned it in a Rolling Stone interview, leading that magazine to do a feature article on Redbone a year before he had a recording contract. The article described his performances as "so authentic you can hear the surface noise [of an old 78 rpm]." His first album, On the Track, was released by Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
in 1975.
He was introduced to a larger public as a semi-regular musical guest on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
throughout the late 1970s and into the 1980s.
During the 1980s-'90s Redbone was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Due to his reluctance to discuss his past, there has been speculation that "Leon Redbone" was an alternative identity for another performer. The two most commonly mentioned are Andy Kaufman
Andy Kaufman
Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...
and Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, both of whom Redbone has outlived.
Redbone usually dresses in attire reminiscent of the Vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
era, performing in a Panama hat with a black band and dark sunglasses, often while sitting at attention on a stool, with a white coat and trousers with a black string tie.
Redbone survived the crash of a small plane in Clarksburg, West Virginia
Clarksburg, West Virginia
Clarksburg is a city in and the county seat of Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, in the north-central region of the state. It is the principal city of the Clarksburg, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area...
on February 12, 1979. He travels to engagements exclusively by car, saying, "I carry around many unusual items and devices. They make life difficult for airport security personnel and flying impossible for me."
Appearances in other media
Redbone has appeared in a number of areas outside of his music recording/performance career. He has made appearances in the comic strips Mister BoffoMister Boffo
Mister Boffo is an American comic strip created by Joe Martin. The strip has been in syndication since 1986, originally distributed by Tribune Media Services and now distributed by Martin's own Neatly Chiseled Features...
and The Far Side
The Far Side
The Far Side is a popular single-panel comic created by Gary Larson and syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate, which ran from January 1, 1980, to January 1, 1995. Its surrealistic humor is often based on uncomfortable social situations, improbable events, an anthropomorphic view of the world,...
. He performed the theme song for the 1980s sitcom Mr. Belvedere
Mr. Belvedere
Mr. Belvedere is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from March 15, 1985, until July 8, 1990. The series was based on the Lynn Aloysius Belvedere character created by Gwen Davenport for her 1947 novel Belvedere, which was later adapted into the 1948 film Sitting Pretty...
, as well as the theme from the syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
sitcom Harry and the Hendersons
Harry and the Hendersons (TV series)
Harry and the Hendersons is an American sitcom based on the film of the same name, produced by Amblin Entertainment for Universal Television. The series aired in syndication from January 13, 1991 to June 18, 1993, with 72 half-hour episodes produced...
. He appears regularly on the PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
children's show Between the Lions
Between the Lions
Between the Lions is a PBS Kids' puppet show designed to promote reading. The show is a co-production between WGBH in Boston and Sirius Thinking, Ltd., in New York City, in association with Mississippi Public Broadcasting, in Mississippi. The show has won seven Daytime Emmy awards between 2001 and...
. He did a cover of Frank Loesser
Frank Loesser
Frank Henry Loesser was an American songwriter who wrote the lyrics and scores to the Broadway hits Guys and Dolls and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, among others. He won separate Tony Awards for the music and lyrics in both shows, as well as sharing the Pulitzer Prize for...
's romantic Christmas song "Baby, It's Cold Outside
Baby, It's Cold Outside
Baby, It's Cold Outside may refer to:*"Baby, It's Cold Outside", a 1948 song by Frank Loesser*"Cold Outside", a song by country music band Big House from their self-titled debut album*"Baby, It's Cold Outside", a 1991 short story by Isaac Asimov...
" with Zooey Deschanel
Zooey Deschanel
Zooey Claire Deschanel is an American actress, musician, and singer-songwriter. In 1999, Deschanel made her film debut in Mumford, followed by her breakout role as young protagonist William Miller's troubled older sister Anita in Cameron Crowe's 2000 semi-autobiographical film Almost Famous...
for the closing credits
Closing credits
Closing credits or end credits are added at the end of a motion picture, television program, or video game to list the cast and crew involved in the production. They usually appear as a list of names in small type, which either flip very quickly from page to page, or move smoothly across the...
of the 2003 film Elf. He also voiced the character of Leon the Snowman in the same film. On his 1987 album Christmas Island he performed a version of "Frosty the Snowman," with Dr. John
Dr. John
Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist, whose music combines blues, pop, jazz as well as Zydeco, boogie woogie and rock and roll.Active as a session musician since the late 1950s, he came to wider...
.
He has also produced music for and appeared in television commercials, including an advertisement for Budweiser
Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
beer, in which he flies over a beach on a surfboard, singing "This Bud's for You", the US automobile brand Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
, All brand laundry detergent, and a commercial for InterCity (British Rail)
InterCity (British Rail)
InterCity was introduced by British Rail in 1966 as a brand-name for its long-haul express passenger services ....
service in the late 1980s in which he sang the song "Relax". He also lent his voice to an animated caricature of himself in a commercial for Ken-L Ration
Ken-L Ration
Ken-L Ration is the name of a brand of dog food. The brand offered both canned and dry dog food. Ken-L Ration was owned by Quaker Oats, but the brand was sold to H. J. Heinz Co. in 1995. Since being sold, the brand has faded into obscurity, although vast amounts of Ken-L Ration memorabilia can be...
Burger 'n Bones.
Studio Albums
- On the TrackOn the TrackOn the Track is Leon Redbone's debut album. It was released on Warner Bros. Records in 1975 and reissued on CD in 1988. It peaked at No. 87 on the Billboard Pop Albums charts.The collection of songs features cover art by Chuck Jones.- Track listing :...
(1975) - Double Time (1977)
- Champagne CharlieChampagne Charlie (Leon Redbone album)Champagne Charlie is the title of a recording by singer/guitarist Leon Redbone, released in 1978. It peaked at No. 163 on the Billboard Pop Albums charts.- Track listing :LP side A:# "Champagne Charlie" – 2:52...
(1978) - From Branch to BranchFrom Branch to BranchFrom Branch to Branch is the title of a recording by singer/guitarist Leon Redbone, released in 1981. It was his first on Atlantic Records and peaked at No...
(1981) - Red to Blue (1985)
- Christmas Island (1987)
- No Regrets (1988)
- Sugar (1990)
- Up a Lazy River (1992)
- Whistling in the Wind (1994)
- Any Time (2001)
Live Albums
- Leon Redbone Live (1985)
- Live! (1994)
- Live & Kickin (1999)
- Live - October 26, 1992: The Olympia Theater, Paris France (2005)