Leon J. Redbone, Mystery Man

Ersatz Biographical Info *

Leon Jehosaphat Redbone was born October 29th, 1929 in New York City. On the way to the hospital, the car was struck on Wall Street by an unidentified object falling from a high ledge of the New York Stock Exchange. The cleanest of his father's utterances on that occasion was chosen as Leon's middle name. Luckily, his father had withdrawn the family's life savings the day before, in anticipation of a move after Leon's birth. Leon grew up with an eclectic mix of musical choices, which may explain why he is so hard to find in the music stores. The clerks give up on where to file him. Folk? Blues? (my choice) Why in hell he's in the "Pop/Rock" area, I'll never know...

Links:

Notes on a 7/11/98 concert

I just got back from a great concert at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia. The opening act, Steve Hudson was quite good. I've never seen a dollar bill used as an musical instrument before.  I particulary noticed Leon's fingering style tonight, he was in great form, and was accompanied by a virtuoso ragtime pianist, Mr. Tom Roberts. I was lucky enough to be able to chat with Mr. Redbone for a few moments after the show. He wouldn't say when a new album was coming out, as he was having difficulty getting motivated. I had a slightly embarrassing moment when I asked him to autograph a vintage 1982 album cover. He told me that it was a bootleg record, and politely declined to sign it. Not only politely, but almost apologetically. I fully understand, and have removed the album (Mystery Man) from this page's discography. As an artist, he makes his living from record sales, and he never saw penny one from this album. I respect him and his art and wish him well. I also wish he'd hurry up and get motivated to put out a new album.

Discography:

  1. "On The Track" (WB, 1975)
    1. 2:49 Sweet Mama Hurry Home or I'll be Gone
    2. 4:03 Ain't Misbehavin'
    3. 3:41 Walking Stick
    4. 3:06 Lazy Bones
    5. 4:24 Marie
    6. 3:42 Desert Blues
    7. 2:34 Lulu's Back in Town
    8. 3:16 Some of These days
    9. 2:44 Big Time Woman
    10. 4:58 Haunted House
    11. 2:56 Polly Wolly Doodle
      Total 38:13
  2. "Double Time" (WB, 1977)
    1. 3:05 Diddy Wah Diddy
    2. 2:13 Nobody's Sweetheart Now
    3. 3:21 Shine on Harvest Moon
    4. 4:16 Crazy Blues
    5. 1:44 Mississippi Delta Blues
    6. 3:43 Mr. Jelly Roll Baker
    7. 3:08 My Meloncholy Baby
    8. 2:31 Shiek of Araby
    9. 3:05 Mississippi River Blues
    10. 4:17 Winin' Boy Blues
    11. 3:18 If We Never Meet Again This Side Of Heaven
      Total 34:41
  3. "Champagne Charlie" (WB, 1978)
    1. 2:52 Champagne Charlie
    2. 2:52 Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
    3. 2:41 Sweet Sue (Just You)
    4. 4:32 The One Rose That's Left in My Heart
    5. 1:42 Alabama Jubilee
    6. 3:15 Big Bad Bill(is Sweet William Now)
    7. 2:48 Yearning
    8. 3:31 If Someone Would Only Love Me
    9. 3:41 I Hate A Man Like You
    10. 3:56 T.B. Blues
      Total 31:50
  4. "From Branch to Branch" (Emerald city, 1981)
    1. 2:58 Te Na Na
    2. 3:00 A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight
    3. 2:42 Sweet Mama Papa's Getting Mad
    4. 3:40 Step it Up and Go
    5. 3:02 Your Cheatin' Heart
    6. 2:40 Seduced
    7. 4:42 Why
    8. 2:21 My Blue Heaven
    9. 4:03 Extra Blues
    10. 2:01 When You Wish Upon a Star
    11. 3:30 Prarie Lullaby
      Total 34:39
  5. "Leon Redbone Live" (Green Stone, 1985)
    1. 5:15 Diddy Wah Diddy
    2. 3:48 Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
    3. 4:09 I'm Crazy About My Baby
    4. 2:54 Big Time Woman
    5. 4:04 Desert Blues
    6. 4:03 Polly Wolly Doodle
    7. 3:02 Shine on Harvest Moon
    8. 7:11 Crazy Blues
    9. 5:40 2:17
    10. 3:12 Alabama Jubilee
    11. 5:32 I Ain't Got Nobody
    12. 5:25 That's All I Do
    13. 5:03 Whisky
    14. 4:39 He's In The Jailhouse Now
    15. 4:45 If We Never Meet Again This Side Of Heaven
    16. 4:23 Someday Sweetheart
    17. 4:31 Champagne Charlie
      Total 77:36
  6. "Red to Blue" (August, 1987)
    1. 2:57 Diamonds Don't Mean a Thing
    2. 2:43 Lovesick Blues
    3. 2:05 Reaching for Someone
    4. 2:06 Somebody Stole My Gal
    5. 2:35 Steal Away Blues
    6. 3:10 Aw You Salty Dog
    7. 3:00 Border of the Quarter
    8. 2:37 Someday Sweetheart
    9. 2:14 Whose Honey Are You?
    10. 2:22 Living the Blues
    11. 2:36 Nobody Cares If I'm Blue
    12. 3:26 Think of Me, Thinking of You
      Total 31:51
  7. "No Regrets" (August/Sugar Hill,1988)
    1. 2:09 She Ain't Rose
    2. 2:31 Wild and Wicked Ways
    3. 2:37 She's My Gal
    4. 3:44 Crazy Arms
    5. 2:38 Long Gone Lonesome Blues
    6. 2:48 Somewhere Down Below the Dixon Line
    7. 3:17 Lazy Bones
    8. 3:00 It's A Lonely World
    9. 2:31 Another Story, Another Time, Another Place
    10. 2:33 You Nearly Lose Your Mind
    11. 2:31 Mr. & Mrs. Used To Be
    12. 2:33 Some Sweet Day
    13. 3:17 My Good Gal's Gone Blues
    14. 2:26 Are You Lonesome Tonight
      Total 38:35
  8. "Christmas Island" (August, 1988)
    1. 2:28 White Christmas
    2. 2:40 Winter Wonderland
    3. 2:08 Frosty the Snowman
    4. 2:31 Blue Christmas
    5. 2:38 There's No Place Like Home For the Holidays
    6. 2:47 Toyland
    7. 3:42 Christmas Island
    8. 3:05 That Old Christmas Moon
    9. 2:42 I'll Be Home for Christmas
    10. 2:43 Let It Snow
    11. 2:55 Christmas Ball Blue
      Total 30:19
  9. "Sugar" (Augist/Private, 1990)
    1. 2:53 Ghost of the St.Louis Blues.
    2. 3:06 Roll Along Kentucky Moon.
    3. 2:26 Right or Wrong
    4. 2:23 Laughin' Blues
    5. 3:31 Breeze
    6. 2:43 The Whisting Colonel
    7. 2:07 Sugar
    8. 3:03 Pretty Baby
    9. 2:17 When I Take My Sugar To Tea
    10. 2:49 What Do You Want Me To Do
    11. 2:24 Messin' Around
    12. 2:25 So, Relax
    13. 2:52 14th Street Blues
      Total 34:59
  10. "Up a Lazy River" (??, 1992)
    1. 1 3:05 Play Gypsy Play
    2. 2 2:38 At The Chocolate Bon Bon Ball
    3. 3 3:01 Lazy River
    4. 4 3:00 When Dixie Stars Are Playing Peek-A-Boo
    5. 5 2:48 Mr. Jelly Roll Baker
    6. 6 2:33 Gotta Shake That Thing
    7. 7 2:08 You're A Heartbreaker
    8. 8 2:49 Bittersweet Waltz
    9. 9 3:11 Goodbye Charlie Blues
    10. 10 3:38 That Old Familiar Blues
    11. 11 2:56 A Dreamer's Holiday
    12. 12 2:54 I'm Going Home
      Total 34:41
  11. "Whistling in the Wind" (August/Private, 1994)
    1. 2:54 Dancin' on Daddy's Shoes
    2. 2:44 When I Kissed That Girl Good-bye
    3. 2:43 Bouquet of Roases
    4. 2:38 Truckin' 101
    5. 3:04 Settin' by the Fire
    6. 2:56 Crazy Over Dixie
    7. 2:41 My Little Grass Shack
    8. 4:16 Love Letters in the Sand
    9. 2:56 You're Gonna Lose Your Gal
    10. 3:22 If I Could Be With You
    11. 2:24 I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby
    12. 3:30 I Ain't Got Nobody
      Total 36:08
Grand Total 454:57 (07:34:57)
* This entire Biographical section is a figment of my imagination. If you are a Leon Fan, you know how enigmatic he is. If you have any comments or REAL info on Mr. Redbone please email me.