Mysterious Talented Silly Person

Although Leon Redbone claims to have been born on Black Monday, 1929, as the son of Niccolò Paganini and Jenny Lind, nobody believes him. For a while, David Letterman thought maybe the man behind the dark glasses, fedora, and moustache was Father Guido Sarducci, and it was widely speculated during the 1970s that he might be Andy Kaufman or Frank Zappa. But while Redbone's onstage identity is made up of giggly lies, his music is straightforward Americana, Tin Pan Alley, and ragtime jazz. He's a goofball, and possibly a Canadian. Ultimately, we read Leon Redbone as sort of an amalgam of Charlie Chaplin and Kinky Friedman. You get the picture: Expect outrageous musicianship and songs like "Diddy-Wah-Diddy" and "Harvest Moon."

Related Content

• Top Five Reasons P. Diddy Is Hilarious Now
  October 5, 2011
• The 10 Greatest Music Video Babes of All Time
  July 21, 2011
• Sizzle & Fizzle: Highs and lows from the last week in S.F. music
  May 11, 2011
• Only the Good Stuff
  July 6, 2011
• Listening to the Music of Home: Diddy, Deerhunter, and the Field Mice
  March 29, 2011

More About

• Leon Redbone
• Sean Combs
• Niccolo Paganini
• Jenny Lind
• Arts, Entertainment, and Media

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Events Newsletter: What's happening in town? From underground club nights to the biggest outdoor festivals, our top picks for the week's best events will always keep you in on the action.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

Ronny Cox opens.
Mon., April 21, 8 p.m., 2008