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Musical legend Leon Redbone performs in Towanda
Published: November 23, 2009
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TOWANDA - Before guitarist and singer Leon Redbone appeared on the stage at the Keystone Theatre on Sunday, members of the audience were chanting "Leon! Leon! Leon!"
"He (Redbone) has got a cult following out there, those of us who remember him," Bill Cady of Elmira, N.Y. said after seeing the Redbone's concert at the Keystone on Sunday. "He's just great."
Cady said that Redbone's music "is real old-timey stuff."
"I'm sure some of it is out of Broadway shows," Cady said. "A lot of it is blues. He's like an old bluesman up there."
The downstairs section of the Keystone Theatre was nearly sold out for the concert.
One member of the audience, Richard Colegrove of Mansfield, recalled seeing Leon Redbone's debut performance on Saturday Night Live in the 1970s.
Colegrove said that after that, he continued to watch Redbone whenever he could on the Johnny Carson show, as well as on Saturday Night Live.
"I really enjoy the gentleman and his music," said Colegrove. "He helps me to relax and forget about all the worries in life and to take every moment as it comes."
Another member of the audience said in an interview that Redbone is a "musical legend."
The nationally-known musician Dr. John is on many of Redbone's records, said Redbone's manager, Beryl Handler. Others who have performed on his records include Merle Haggard and Roger McGuinn.
Nationally-known singer and guitarist Bonnie Raitt was quoted in Rolling Stone as saying: "He (Redbone) is probably the best combination singer guitarist I've heard in years.
Performing with Redbone at the Keystone was Vince Giordano, who is a big band leader from New York City. Giordano plays the upright bass, bass sax and the tuba with Redbone.
In an interview on Sunday, Redbone said that he doesn't do much practicing these days, but keeps in shape as a guitarist by performing.
"Most of my practicing is on the stage," he said. "All of it."
However, when asked why Redbone became such a good guitarist, Redbone's manager said on Sunday: "Practice, practice, practice. If you don't practice, you can't do anything."
In the interview on Sunday, Redbone said he doesn't do any teaching.
"I do basically innovative, improvisation on the guitar," he said. "You can't really teach that."
Moreover, the type of music he is interested in - which was performed 100 years ago - is not of interest to most music students today, he said.
Asked which guitarists - living or dead - he admires most, Redbone cited blues singer Lonnie Johnson as well as Luke Lucas and Eddie Lang.
James Loewenstein can be reached at (570) 265-1633; or e-mail: jloewenstein@thedailyreview.com.
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