Leon Redbone | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Dickran Gobalian |
Born | [1] Nicosia, British Cyprus | August 26, 1949
Died | May 30, 2019 New Hope, Pennsylvania, U.S. | (aged 69)
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, songwriter |
Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals |
Years active | Late 1960s–2015 |
Labels | |
Website | leonredbone |
Leon Redbone (born Dickran Gobalian;[2][3] August 26, 1949 – May 30, 2019) was a singer-songwriter and musician specializing in jazz, blues, and Tin Pan Alley classics. Recognized by his hat (often a Panama), dark sunglasses, and black tie, he was born in Cyprus of Armenian ancestry and first appeared on stage in Toronto, Canada, in the early 1970s. He also appeared on film and television in acting and voice-over roles.
In concert, Redbone often employed comedy and demonstrated his guitar-playing skill. His recurrent gags involved the influence of alcohol and claims he had written works originating well before he was born. He favored music of the Tin Pan Alley era, circa 1890–1910. He sang the theme to the 1980s television series Mr. Belvedere, and released 18 albums.