Leon Redbone............have you heard him sing?

[Ray Montee (RIP)]

Just listened to Leon Redbones version of "Love Letters in the Sand". Great steel guitar playing thereon.

Can you identify the tuning? The player?

[Charlie McDonald]

"Leon Redbone............have you heard him sing?"

Oh yeah. Better than Pat Boone. Love Letters is a perfect vehicle for Leon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo9y8EZbcu4
But I can't identify the tuning. Song in B; from the gliss at the end, it's a sixth tuning for sure.
I hope someone can, it's very nice. (Even the clarinet works.)

[Chris Templeton]

I'm not familiar with who played on his recordings, but I know John Ely and Cindy Cashdollar have both played for him and may have been on records.

[Glenn Suchan]

Just listened to Leon Redbones version of "Love Letters in the Sand". Great steel guitar playing thereon.

Can you identify the tuning? The player?

Ray, that song comes from Leon's album Whistling in The Wind. John Ely plays that excellent steel solo, but I can't tell you what tuning John used. The album also features Cindy Cashdollar on Dobro; ex-Dylan sideman, Larry Campbell-Dobro; jazz guitarist Frank Vignola-guitar and mandolin; Stacy Philips-Dobro; Jazz violin great, Joe Venuti; Roger McGuinn-harmony vocals; Ringo Starr-vocals; and Merle Haggard-vocals.

Leon is a favorite of mine and besides channelling the music performers of the early 1900's, he is also quite the humorist. Here's a 'tube of a live performance which exhibits that side of his personality:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhhIfhAUTUA

One of my favorite Leon Redbone recordings is his interpretation of the Mercer-Carmichael classic, "Lazy Bones". Instead of attaching a YouTube link to that recording, I'm attaching a link to the Dick Curless' version, which taps into the same vaudeville style associated with Leon Redbone. BTW, I don't know who plays the PSG on this (Weldon Myrick??). Maybe a Formite will be able to provide that info:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfCRsOBY-NA

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

[LJ Eiffert]

Yes Man! This Redbone thing is getting hot all over again with " Come And get Your Love " that " Pat Vegas " is pulling for KJAY Epic Radio Show " Al Anthony's " new Recording of this song that he they did at Don Peak's Studio. I did not have any thing to do with this but play Guitar on it while Dave Cimino played Drums. Uncle Leo J Eiffert Jr & his Garden Tour (PIGEONS) Band.

[Joachim Kettner]

I guess you haven't clicked on the link, Uncle Leo. This is not the band Redbone!

[Jack Hanson]

Leon Redbone is joined by Ringo in a very cool version of the classic hapa-haole tune My Little Grass Shack from the aforementioned Whistling In The Wind album. Great stuff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7wu1TTwaAE

[David Nugent]

A long time favorite of mine. Sadly, he will most likely be recognized by the general public as the performer (composer?)of the theme song for the 'Mr. Belvedere' sitcom.

[Charlie McDonald]

David, that one's delightful... those chimes... and Ringo sounds quite good with Leon. They had fun.

[Craig Stock]

I always liked 'Shine on Harvest Moon' by him.

A friend of mine produced a few albums of his and worked on some jingles and had Leon come over his house to record.

His wife told Leon that they had a problem with the shower head, so Leon shows up with a tool bag and proceeds to repair the problem. I think he was also living off the grid last time I heard.

[Doug Clark]

I guess you haven't clicked on the link, Uncle Leo. This is not the band Redbone!

I knew the difference between Leon and the band Redbone, but then I almost misspoke by saying he did "Tight Rope" in 1972. ("No, dummy, that was Leon Russell. You're off the trivia team." )

So Leon Redbone was also an actor (five appearances), as well as a composer and performer (sometimes uncredited). http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0714642

Rolling Stone said he announced his retirement in May, and that Jack White's Third Man Records will be issuing A Long Way Home, a double-album compilation of Redbone's live and studio solo recordings. But "the singer's rep says health condition has made it too difficult for him to continue recording and performing." Back in 1974, Bob Dylan said "I've heard he's anywhere from 25 to 60, I've been [a foot and a half from him] and I can't tell, but you gotta see him." (He'll be 66 in August.) http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ ... n-20150519

That's pretty cool about him helping somebody with the leaky shower fix.

[John Billings]

"Love Letters" was first published in 1931. A lot of people have recorded it. I do Mac Weisman's(sp?) version on 5-string banjo. Got it from one of those Live at the Newport albums in the 60's. Great tune for 5-string that surprises people when they hear it.

[Donny Hinson]

Leon's lazy style reminds me a little of Dean Martin or Arthur Godfrey:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wee44H4dQ4Q

I don't know who the steeler is on Leon's record, but it sounds (tonally) more like a modern pedal steel than someone playing a lap steel.

Ray, do you like the singing more, or the playing?

[Craig Stock]

Who is on dobro, looks like Jerry Brightman or kinda like Hal Rugg, but I'm no expert.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGUW0uAwDyw

[John Billings]

Doesn't look like Jerry to me.

[Glenn Suchan]

Who is on dobro, looks like Jerry Brightman or kinda like Hal Rugg, but I'm no expert.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGUW0uAwDyw

Looks like Larry Sasser to me.

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

[LJ Eiffert]

Thanks,I did that to help out Al because most do get this Redbone Band thing mixed up.Some think it is the same person or Band.And,that what make it fun to be able to help the History out and help the new to understand that this kind of thing has been around for a long time. Like my Pigeons band name. It once was really " Vanilla Fudge " Band. They drop the name PIGEONS and that's how I got it in flying Racing Homing PIGEONS to keep it alive for the " City of Hope " and to educate folks about the Sport.

[John Gilman]

I saw him in the mid 70's opening for Leo Kottke at UCLA. We had no idea who he was at the time. He comes on stage with his hat all pulled down, sits down with his head tilted down, and starts to sort of mumble sing and play. Can't see his face. Have no idea what to expect. Sings all these old standards. Does his trombone scat singing. We were totally blown away. After that, Leo Kottke was almost an afterthought.

[Jack Hanson]

I saw him in the mid 70's opening for Leo Kottke at UCLA. We had no idea who he was at the time. He comes on stage with his hat all pulled down, sits down with his head tilted down, and starts to sort of mumble sing and play. Can't see his face. Have no idea what to expect. Sings all these old standards. Does his trombone scat singing. We were totally blown away. After that, Leo Kottke was almost an afterthought.

That's one difference between Los Angeles and flyover country.

Went to see Kottke's annual holiday season show at the old Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis during approximately that same time period. Emmylou Harris, playing solo, was the opener. The people in the audience who knew of Emmylou at that point could probably be counted on one hand.

After only a few numbers she basically fled the stage after chants of Leo! Leo! Leo! by the parochials.

Embarrassing...

[Bud Angelotti]

We once saw Leon at a big festival here on the east coast. The previous band was tuning up at full volume in front of a few thousand people.
So, Leon comes out & tuned up for about 20 minutes. It was so funny I had tears coming down my face. The man is a comic genuis as well as a fantastic muscian.