Leon Redbone

Leon Redbone was a Canadian singer and guitarist known for his distinctive gravelly baritone voice and iconic fedora, dark glasses, and Groucho Marx mustache. Despite his enigmatic persona, Redbone's music spoke volumes. He revived pre-World War II ragtime, jazz, and blues sounds, drawing inspiration from the likes of Jelly Roll Morton, Bing Crosby, and Emmett Miller. With his debut album "On the Track" in 1976 featuring Joe Venuti and Don McLean, he quickly gained recognition with appearances on Saturday Night Live. Throughout his career, Redbone collaborated with an eclectic mix of artists such as Dr. John, Ringo Starr, Merle Haggard, Frank Vignola, Ken Peplowski,and Jay Leonhart.

Although Redbone recorded sporadically after 1981's "Branch to Branch," he continued to captivate audiences with his unique style. Notably featured in various television advertising campaigns alongside maintaining a low profile outside of music circles.

In 2018, Riddle Films released a short documentary titled "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone," shedding light on the mysterious artist who preferred privacy above all else.