Leon Redbone - August 26, 1949 to May 30, 2019 - His Guitars and Instruments

Leon Redbone

Leon Redbone was an enigma, and one of the most eccentric entertainers we will ever have the pleasure to have seen and heard. He had a trove of old songs that consisted of jazz, blues, and Tin Pan Alley classic songs which he sang in his own distinctive basso voice, while accompanying himself on a variety of vintage guitars.

Redbone was reticent to discuss his origins, and never explained the provenance of his stage name.

Leon Redbone or Dickran Golabian?

According to a Toronto Star report in the 1980s, he was once known as Dickran Gobalian, and he came to Canada from Cyprus in the mid-1960s where he changed his name via the Ontario Change of Name Act.



According to research published in 2019 by the Toronto Star, Redbone said:

 “Very little of my life goes into my music. I’ve never considered myself the proper focus of attention. I’m just a vehicle…not so much for the particular kind of music I prefer, music from an earlier time, as for a mood that music conveys. I don’t rehearse. There’s nothing studied in what I do, I operate on a completely haphazard level…I never know what the next song is going to be. One idea suggests another. "

Further research confirms he was indeed born with the name Dickran Gobalian. His Armenian parents were living in Jerusalem, when in 1948 the family moved to Nicosia, Cyprus. This is where Gobalian was born in 1949. In 1961 the family moved to London, and in 1965 they moved to Toronto Canada.

Early photo and article
about Leon Redbone

While living in Toronto he began performing and honing his act on stage, in nightclubs, and at many folk festivals .

Redbone's concerts made use of performance, comedy, and skilled instrumentals. Recurrent gags involved the influence of alcohol and claiming to have written works originating well before he was born.

1972 - Bob Dylan with Leon Redbone
Mariposa Folk Festival

Somehow Bob Dylan discovered Redbone. In fact at the Mariposa Folk Festival in 1972, Dylan was so impressed by Redbone's performance that he mentioned it in a Rolling Stone interview, leading that magazine to do a feature article on Redbone a year before he had a recording contract.

That article says Dylan described Redbone's performances as being "so authentic you can hear the scratch noises on an old 78 rpm record (in his live performances).

The Mariposa festival was held on an island and the only way to get there is by the ferry. Dylan hired a boat and took his entire family to the festival, along with Gordon Lightfoot, just to meet Leon

Redbone was not just a singer/guitarist. Throughout his career Leon Redbone acted in films and on television, and lent his distinctive voice to commercials, films and cartoons.

He appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson as a frequent guest. He also appeared on Saturday Night Live, and numerous times on Prairie Home Companion.

Leon Redbone on Between the Lions

He sang songs on Seasame Street, and Between the Lions.  He recorded the theme song for the TV show Mr. Belevedere, he was involved with the TV series Harry and the Hendersons. One of Redbone's songs was featured in the 1978 film The Fix.

He also sang Baby, It's Cold Outside, with Zooey Deschanel on the closing credits of the film Elf. Redbone also provided his voice to the character, Leon the Elf, for that same film. His repertoire includes 18 albums.

1973 - Leon Redbone and Dan Levinson

Redbone was a self taught guitarist. Although he played with some bands, he seldom rehearsed, and never followed set lists. He frequently worked with clarinetist Dan Levinson.

In 2017 Mr. Levinson recalled;

  “I toured with Redbone for 12 years. We used to listen to early Crosby while we were on the road. [Redbone's] taste in music was more eclectic than that of anyone I've ever known -- it included Emmett Miller, Blind Blake, Paganini, Caruso, Gene Austin, John McCormack, Moran and Mack, Cliff Edwards (who was known as Ukulele Ike aka Jiminy Cricket), Jelly Roll Morton, Ted Lewis, Mustafa the Castrato, the Hungarian singer Imre Laszlo, Jimmie Rodgers ('the Singing Brakeman'), Mongolian throat singers, W. C. Fields, Laurel and Hardy... and early Bing Crosby.” 

Leon Redbone in a 1977 concert

Redbone’s act was built around the character he created who usually dressed in attire reminiscent of the Vaudeville era, performing in a Panama hat with a black band and dark sunglasses, often while sitting at attention on a stool, with a white coat and trousers with a black string tie. He always wore dark sunglasses. He had a mustache, and a “soul patch” under his lower lip.

Leon Redbone in his farewell concert

He came on stage with a walking stick. His shoes were covered with spats. On stage a small coffee table was set up next to his stool or chair. On the table was a small lamp, and a glass of whiskey. He would drape his cane over the microphone stand and begin playing and singing a song.

Leon Redbone claimed he moved to Canada to get away from the Philadelphia incident. He retired from performing in 2015 due to health issues.

New Hope, Pennsylvania

Leon Redbone actually did live in a quaint Pennsylvania town called New Hope, where he led a fairly normal life.  He passed away at a hospice in this town from complications of dementia.

Redbone leaves behind his wife, two daughters, and three grandchildren.

His publicist Jim Della Croce put out a statement saying that Leon Redbone was 127 years old at the time of his passing, and went on to state:

“He departed our world with his guitar, his trusty companion Rover and a simple tip of his hat,” his family said in a statement. “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 singalong 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.'”

Leon Redbone with his Gibson CF-100

Leon Redbone performed with a variety of vintage guitars. Most notably he used 1950's Gibson CF-100. This instrument could be mistaken for the J-160e that the Beatles were known to use, but it was a much different instrument. It had a Florentine cutaway and was X-braced.

Thys model also came in an electric version (which is why I use the comparison), but Redbone's guitar was the non-electric version, although he used some sort of internal pickup.

Redbone's  1926 Gibson L-3

When Leon realized his health was declining, he auctioned off some of his collection of instruments. These included a 1926 Gibson L-3 with a beautiful 3 tone cherry-burst finish,

Redbone's 1930 Martin OM-18

Also in the auction was a 1930 Martin OM-18 that can be seen in a SNL appearance.

Redbone's 1925 Gibson Banjo

He also owned a 1925 Gibson 5 string banjo, that had been converted to a 4 string tenor banjo.

Lloyd Loar Gibson A-4 mandolin

Redbone owned a 1922 Gibson A-4 Lloyd Loar era mandolin that was finished in red-burst.

1932 National Triolian Tenor Guitar

Other instruments included a 1932 National Triolian Tenor guitar.

1930's Martin R-18 Archtop

Redbone owned a 1930's Martin R-18 archtop that had a natural finish.

Octave Bass Harmonica

Redbone owned a Huang Octave Bass Harmonica that was included in the auction.

Leon Redbone with a Martin 0-17

Leon also owned and played a few Martin guitars, including a turn of the century model 0-17 that he used early in his career.

Redbone with a 1940's Martin 0-15

Later on he played a 1940's Martin 0-15 with a mahogany top, sides, and back.

Redbone's Harmony Sovereign

Very early in his career he played a mid 1960's Harmony Soveriegn flat top guitar.  That was one of the best guitars that Harmony ever made. It was included in the auction.

National Resonator on the Tonight Show

In 1992 he appeared on The Johnny Carson show with a 1931 National Resonator guitar.

Leon Russell - His Walking Stick

Leon Redbone was one of a kind. He gave the old songs new life. We are not likely to see another entertainer like him.




Click on the links under the pictures for sources. Click on the links in the text for further information and videos.
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This is a documentary about Leon Redbone