{"id":656,"date":"2019-05-30T13:02:19","date_gmt":"2019-05-30T18:02:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nassaubaymusiclessons.com\/?p=656"},"modified":"2022-03-05T23:17:16","modified_gmt":"2022-03-06T05:17:16","slug":"singer-leon-redbone-dies-at-69","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nassaubaymusiclessons.com\/?p=656","title":{"rendered":"Singer Leon Redbone Dies at 69"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Singer Leon Redbone Dies at 69<\/h1>\n

In a nod to how Redbone sought to exist outside of time, much less current musical styles, his death announcement gave his age as 127.<\/h2>\n
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By<\/em> Jem Aswad<\/a> and Chris Willman<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"LEON <\/span>
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CREDIT: Herbie Knott\/REX\/Shutterstock<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Singer-songwriter Leon Redbone<\/a>, who specialized in old-school vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley-style music, died Thursday, his family confirmed. He was 69. Though, in characteristically whimsical fashion, the official statement announcing his death gave his age as 127.<\/p>\n

Although Redbone\u2019s pop-defying predilection for seemingly antiquated musical styles of the \u201920s and \u201930s made him the unlikeliest of stars, he became one anyway, appearing several times as the musical guest on \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d \u2014 including two spots in the inaugural 1975-76 season alone \u2014 and landing frequent appearances with Johnny Carson on \u201cThe Tonight Show\u201d into the 1980s. Later popular successes had him singing the themes for TV\u2019s \u201cMr. Beledevere\u201d and \u201cHarry and the Hendersons,\u201d along with contributing a duet of \u201cBaby, It\u2019s Cold Outside\u201d with Zooey Deschanel to the soundtrack of \u201cElf,\u201d for which he also voiced the animated character of Leon the Snowman.<\/p>\n

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Redbone had officially retired in 2015, with a representative then citing unspecified health concerns that had \u201cbeen a matter of concern for some time\u201d as the reason for his being unable to continue performing or recording.<\/p>\n

A post on Redbone\u2019s website<\/a> confirming his death contained enough deadpan humor and obvious fiction that it was almost certainly prepared in advance by the singer himself. \u201cIt is with heavy hearts we announce that early this morning, May 30th, 2019, Leon Redbone crossed the delta for that\u00a0beautiful shore at the age of 127,\u201d it read. \u201cHe departed our world with his guitar, his trusty companion Rover, and a simple tip of his hat. He\u2019s 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 S\u00e1ri Barab\u00e1s. 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, \u2018Oh behave yourselves. Thank you\u2026. and good evening everybody.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Ironically, one of Redbone\u2019s most popular concert pieces was \u201cPlease Don\u2019t Talk About Me When I\u2019m Gone\u201d \u2014 a number that incorporated whistling solos that further ensured Redbone would be talked about in his absence. That song title, which dates back to 1930, was adapted as the name of a documentary about Redbone that premiered at festivals in 2018 but has not yet been widely released.<\/p>\n