Leon Redbone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leon Redbone
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Redbone in 2010
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Dickran Gobalian |
| Born | August 26, 1949 Nicosia, British Cyprus |
| Died | May 30, 2019 (aged 69) Bucks County, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | Late 1960s–2015 |
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Leon Redbone (born Dickran Gobalian; August 26, 1949 – May 30, 2019) was a talented singer, songwriter, and musician. He was known for his unique style, focusing on old-time jazz, blues, and songs from the Tin Pan Alley era. This was a time around 1890 to 1910 when many popular songs were written.
Redbone was easy to spot with his special look: often a Panama hat, dark sunglasses, and a black tie. He was born in Cyprus and had Armenian family roots. He first started performing in Toronto, Canada, in the early 1970s. Besides music, he also appeared in movies and on TV, both acting and doing voice-overs. In his concerts, Redbone often used humor and showed off his amazing guitar skills. He would sometimes joke about writing songs that were actually much older than him, showing his love for classic tunes. He sang the theme song for the 1980s TV show Mr. Belvedere and released eighteen albums during his career.
Contents
Discovering Leon Redbone's Early Life
Leon Redbone was quite private about where he came from. He never really explained how he got his stage name. A newspaper report from the 1980s said that his birth name was Dickran Gobalian. He moved to Canada in the mid-1960s and officially changed his name there.
Later research in 2019 confirmed his birth name and that his family was of Armenian background. His parents lived in Jerusalem but moved to Nicosia, Cyprus, in 1948, which is where Redbone was born. By 1961, his family had moved to London, England. Then, in 1965, they moved to Toronto, Canada.
Leon Redbone's Musical Journey
While living in Canada in the late 1960s, Leon Redbone started performing in public. He played at nightclubs and folk music festivals in the Toronto area. He met the famous musician Bob Dylan at the Mariposa Folk Festival in 1972. Dylan was very impressed by Redbone's performance.
Dylan even talked about Redbone in an interview with Rolling Stone. This led the magazine to write a big article about Redbone a year before he even had a record deal. The article said his performances sounded "so authentic you can hear the surface noise" of an old 78 rpm record. Dylan said if he had ever started a music label, he would have signed Redbone. His first album, On the Track, was released by Warner Bros. Records in 1975.
TV Appearances and Unique Style
Leon Redbone became known to more people when he appeared as a musical guest on NBC's Saturday Night Live. He was on the show twice in its very first season. During the 1980s and 90s, he was often a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He also appeared on the radio show A Prairie Home Companion.
Redbone taught himself how to play music. He played "by ear", meaning he could play songs just by listening to them, without needing sheet music. He sometimes changed the chords of well-known songs. He never rehearsed with a band and did not follow set lists.
Redbone was seen as both a musician and a "performance artist." This means his whole identity and how he presented himself were part of his art. He usually dressed in clothes that reminded people of the Vaudeville era. He often wore a Panama hat with a black band, dark sunglasses, a white coat and trousers, and a black string tie. He would often sit very straight on a stool while performing. Because he didn't talk much about his past, some people wondered if "Leon Redbone" was a secret identity for another famous performer.
Retirement from Music
On May 19, 2015, Leon Redbone's publicist announced on his website that he was retiring from performing and recording. This decision was made due to concerns about his health.
Leon Redbone's Passing
Leon Redbone passed away on May 30, 2019. He died from problems related to dementia. At the time of his death, he was living in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and receiving hospice care. He is remembered by his wife, Beryl Handler, his daughters Blake and Ashley, and his three grandchildren.
A statement on Redbone's website announced his death with a touch of humor. It said: "It is with heavy hearts we announce that early this morning, May 30, 2019, Leon Redbone crossed the delta for that beautiful shore at the age of 127. He departed our world with his guitar, his trusty companion Rover, and a simple tip of his hat." His longtime publicist, Jim Della Croce, confirmed that Redbone was actually 69 years old when he passed away.
Leon Redbone in Movies and TV
Leon Redbone's unique voice and style led him to many appearances in other media.
- He sang "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Zooey Deschanel for the closing credits of the 2003 movie Elf. He also provided the voice for Leon the Snowman in that film.
- On his 1987 album Christmas Island, he sang "Frosty the Snowman" with Dr. John.
- He performed the theme songs for the TV shows Mr. Belvedere and Harry and the Hendersons.
- Redbone appeared regularly on the PBS children's show Between the Lions.
- On Sesame Street, Redbone sang several songs over film footage, including "Blueberry Mouth" and "What Do They Do When They Go Wherever They Go?".
- He also appeared as Leon in the 1988 film Candy Mountain and on an episode of the TV show Life Goes On.
- He narrated the 2011 Emmy Award-winning documentary Remembering the Scranton Sirens. This film celebrated the musical history of a special dance band.
Redbone also performed in several TV commercials. These included ads for Budweiser beer, Chevrolet cars, All laundry detergent, and InterCity British Rail service. He even lent his voice to a cartoon version of himself in a commercial for Ken-L Ration dog food.
In 2018, a short documentary film called Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone was made about Leon Redbone. It was created by Mako Funasaka, Liam Romalis, and Jason Charters.
Leon Redbone's Music Albums
Studio Albums
- On the Track (Warner Bros., 1975)
- Double Time (Warner Bros., 1977)
- Champagne Charlie (Warner Bros., 1978)
- From Branch to Branch (Atco, 1981)
- Red to Blue (Sugar Hill, 1985)
- Christmas Island (August, 1988)
- No Regrets (Blue Thumb, 1988)
- Christmas Island (Universal Music Canada, 1988)
- Sugar (Rounder, 1990)
- Up a Lazy River (Blue Thumb, 1992)
- Whistling in the Wind (Private Music, 1994)
- Any Time (Rounder, 2001)
- Flying By (August, 2014)
- Long Way from Home: Early Recordings (Third Man, 2016)
Compilation Albums
- Rhino Hi-Five: Leon Redbone (Rhino, 2007)
Live Albums
- Live & Kickin'' (Purple Pyramid / Cleopatra, 1981)
- Mystery Man (Accord Records, 1982)
- Leon Redbone Live (Green Stone Records, 1985)
- Live! (Pair, 1991)
- Live – October 26, 1992: The Olympia Theater, Paris, France (Rounder, 2005)
- Strings & Jokes: Live in Bremen 1977 (MIG, 2018)
- If We Ever Meet Again (Concert Archive-Delta-Special Markets, 2021)
Images for kids
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Redbone in 2010
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Redbone at Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada in 2007
See also
In Spanish: Leon Redbone para niños
