Singer Leon Redbone Dies at 69

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Singer-songwriter Leon Redbone, who specialized in old-school vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley-style music, died earlier today, his family confirmed. He was 69 — although, in characteristically whimsical fashion, the official statement announcing his death gave his age as 127.

Although Redbone’s pop-defying predilection for seemingly antiquated musical styles of the ’20s and ’30s made him the unlikeliest of stars, he became one anyway, appearing several times as the musical guest “Saturday Night Live” — including two spots in the inaugural 1975-76 season alone — and landing frequent appearances with Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show.” Later popular successes had him singing the themes for TV’s “Mr. Beledevere” and “Harry and the Hendersons,” along with recording a duet of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with Zooey Deschanel for the soundtrack of “Elf,” for which he also voiced the animated character of Leon the Snowman.

Redbone had officially retired in 2015, with a representative then citing unspecified health concerns as the reason for his being unable to continue performing or recording.

A post on Redbone’s website confirming his death contained enough deadpan humor and whimsical fiction that it was almost certainly prepared in advance by the singer himself. “It is with heavy hearts we announce that early this morning, May 30th, 2019, Leon Redbone crossed the delta for that beautiful shore at the age of 127,” it read. “He departed our world with his guitar, his trusty companion Rover, and a simple tip of his hat. He’s interested to see what Blind Blake, Emmett, and Jelly Roll have been up to in his absence, and has plans for a rousing sing along number with Sári Barabás. An eternity of pouring through texts in the Library of Ashurbanipal will be a welcome repose, perhaps followed by a shot or two of whiskey with Lee Morse, and some long overdue discussions with his favorite Uncle, Suppiluliuma I of the Hittites. To his fans, friends, and loving family who have already been missing him so in this realm he says, ‘Oh behave yourselves. Thank you…. and good evening everybody.'”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/singer-leon-redbone-dies-at-69/ar-AAC9aqK?li=BBnbfcL

[hlthe2b]

1. That gravelly voice silenced...

RIP

[Brother Buzz]

5. You say gravely, I think skilled resonant voice

This tune is the quintessential Leon Redbone I will remember

[hlthe2b]

6. not gravelly in a bad way... Distinctive.

[Brother Buzz]

8. That syrupy rich voice was easy on my ears. Distinctive, for sure.

[lpbk2713]

2. Shine on, Shine on harvest moon up in the sky ...

[lunasun]

3. RIP Mr. Redbone

1973 above
later 2001 longer vid of live below

[struggle4progress]

4. Please don't talk about me when I'm gone

[tavernier]

7. Champagne Charlie...

You will be missed.

[MyOwnPeace]

9. So many good ones.........

but this was my favorite:

[Brother Buzz]

10. Whoa, my wife heard that from another room and thought it was the late great Dan Hicks!

[maxsolomon]

11. RIP Leon

I have about 5 of his LPs and just found a cassette in a thrift. I'll play it in the car tonight!

[GeorgeGist]

12. RIP

[Liberal In Texas]

13. Another great one gone. RIP Mr. Redbone.

Sure makes me feel old. And he was my age which is even more sobering.

[SergeStorms]

27. Same here.

So many of our contemporaries are shuffling off. He was way too young to leave us!

[LuvNewcastle]

14. He made good music.

And that's a great thing to be able to say about anyone.

[irisblue]

15. Him, I will miss

[DFW]

16. In the seventies, he used to open for Leo Kottke

I saw him several times

Always a class act!

[jcboon]

17. He was great

As a if things didn't suck enough this week. . .

[Honeycombe8]

18. An era passes. I'm old enough to remember him on..I think it was Smothers Brothers..

I think I first saw him on Smothers Brothers? Maybe not. Maybe I'm confusing him with the comedian who played a priest. They looked similar.

Unique singer. I think he even made an appearance in a movie or two.

[MyOwnPeace]

22. Father Guido Sarducci

comedian Dan Novello.

I don't remember Leon on the Smothers Brothers - but he was on SNL twice in its first season.

[Honeycombe8]

29. +1. nt

[jimmil]

19. He was one of my music heros from my 20's on....

It's hard to say anything. He gave me many hours of enjoyment throughout the years. No matter what kind of mood I was in I put on a Redbone album and I smiled. Until we meet again old friend....

[warmfeet]

20. RIP.

What a great musician and personality.

[nolabear]

21. One of the absolute best. RIP, good man.

[bluescribbler]

23. I saw him perform twice.

Wish it had been more.

[SergeStorms]

28. Same here.

Solo performances in a place called 'Red Creek' in Rochester, NY. The place only held probably 100 people at most, so it was a unique, intimate and extremely entertaining show. All the good ones are leaving us.

[txwhitedove]

24. RIP. One of my dogs is Leo, short for Leon Redbone.

Loved his voice.

[NNadir]

25. He was absolutely fabulous live.

It appears, from his own humorous obituary, written by himself that he's pretty amazing dead as well.

The is the second self written obituary I've read in recent weeks, the other written by one of my son's professors, an excellent scientist who died way too young from a degenerative disease.

Both captured the essence of the person in question well.

I need to write mine as well. Time's-a-wasting.

[SergeStorms]

26. OH NO!

I loved Leon. He always put on a hell-of-a show, and I loved his songs of yester-year. My favorite was "Shine on Harvest Moon". He was a very unique and wonderful entertainer. I'll have to go to YouTube and get a fix of Leon now.

Rest in Peace my friend.

[trackfan]

30. I think I have a Leon Rebone 8 track tape.

I remember liking the song "TB Blues".

[Peacetrain]

31. Love love love Redbone.. going to pull out the old CD's and tapes (showing my age) tonight

to remember some of the greatest times of my life.. Good Night John Redbone.. Gods speed...

[pansypoo53219]

32. aw. i loved his stuff. my fav is his cover of the shirley temple song.

[sludge man]

33. Saw him at the Front Row Theater in Cleveland

He opened for George Carlin. It remains the greatest show I ever saw. Now they are both gone.
RIP to both of them.