Today we’d like to introduce you to Don Leady.
Hi Don, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My grandma was a singer and worked the clubs in St. Louis as a singing waitress. My grandpa was a fiddler. When I was 5 or 6 they got me a ukulele with the chord box on it and she taught me and sang most of her songs from the 20-50’s. My grandpa died before I was born. I got a guitar when I was about eight and took a few lessons from a guy in the 8th grade.
We got together somehow and started a band called the Ramblers-ha By the time I was in high school I had joined a band playing electric guitar, called the Hitch-Hikers, playing R&R, R&B, and the popular hits of the mid 60’s. I played with them until I got drafted in 1966. In 1969, I decided to go back to playing acoustic type music. I learned several styles of playing over the years. Nothing I did before the early 70’s is recorded. I pursued this style until 1977 when I started playing electric guitar again. During most of these formative years I had jobs to support me but they also took up time from music. In 1980 I moved from Ft. Worth to Austin with support from Mike Buck who had recently left the Fabulous Thunderbirds who were immensely popular. It was definitely a leap of faith to come to Austin. My music partner Steve Doerr and I were invited to Austin so we came down at the same time and a friend of ours,Joe Nick Patoski, let us stay at his place ’til we got situated.
We started a blues band called the Headhunters and we played a month or two then had a band with Lou Ann Barton called “LouAnn and the Fliptops” – it lasted a couple months then we started the LeRoi Brothers who are still together today. I quit that band in 1984 to do my own thing which was “Swamp Rock”, so the Tailgators was born. I still do gigs with the Tailgators and we’ve been together. For about 40 years. Keith Ferguson who was also a founding member of the Thunderbirds was my bass player in the Gators for six years, then he was replaced by my friend J.J. Barrera. We have literally traveled all over the world touring / nearly every state in USA, Canada, BC, most of Europe, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Australia and New Zealand. I put out several records with LeRoi Brothers and Tailgators. I did a project in 1984 called “Big Guitars from Texas” – we were nominated for a Grammy in 85 for best rock instrumental.
We didn’t win but we went to LA for the ceremony and party, met a lot of famous people. I still love playing roots rock, americana, music from other countries and of course cool guitar stuff. In around 2012 I started doing a lot of recording on my own. I play several instruments so that’s a nice outlet. I have recorded several CDs of instrumental music. During the covid lockdown I really focused on bringing several musical styles together and really getting the sound I wanted. I combined blues, surf, latin jazz, r&b and several other elements to come up with a new fresh sound. A real good example of the blend is on my latest EP “Panther Pink”. It’s the third EP in the series.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the major obstacles in my career is that I have stayed true to the styles and types of music that I write and play. Not any of my previous recordings or even songs have been commercial or pop music. I have been playing roots rock with my bands since 1980 and I have written many songs within that genre of swampy rock n roll and blues influenced originals. It’s funny when I was staying home during the covid thing I took a look backwards and decided to try and combine some of the musics I have learned, especially button accordion that is a staple in a lot of latin music.
So there was the challenge. I had been recording for years both at home and in several studios. I even recorded in Capitol Studio’s building that resembles a stack of 45 records, with the LeRoi Brothers in 1983. I think we may have been the last band to record there, at least that’s what they told us. Well anyway, I recorded at home for years and couldn’t really get a sound that I was happy with. Then around 2011 I recorded a instrumental CD called “Hillbilly Boogie Surfin’ Blues” `mostly for fun I wrote all the songs on it and recorded it myself but added drum sets, later played by Art Kidd and Nico Leophonte. Right then I knew if I kept with it I could get the sound I wanted. I did many recordings of various styles of music that I wrote and some covers that I liked. Finally I put together a magic combination, one that I can listen to without being too disappointed.
I’m hoping that my new EP series catches on. Panther Pink is doing better each week since it dropped on May 13. I’m hoping for movie use and possibly other projects like scoring the songs for an orchestra. It would be quite a feat for me to perform them live since they have several instruments on the songs. I could put together a group to perform the songs live though and isn’t ruled out yet.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Over the past couple years I have stayed in central and south Texas, mostly in Austin. I have been pretty careful about trying not to get covid. I have written a large body of songs since 1980 so I do get some mailbox money occasionally. I’ve had songs used in movies from the ’80s like Made in USA, Dudes, Overboard and others. I believe the new EP series has a lot of potential for movies and commercial use.
Cumbia meets the Blues/ 4 song EP
Cumbia Wipeout~Blues Explosion/ 4 song EP
Panther Pink/ 7 song EP
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I have learned to make music part of my life instead of thinking of it as a job. In a lot of ways I’m still that kid that sat on the side of his bed learning how to play. It always makes me happy and feel better to make music and art. I realize that I’m very lucky to have a career that I love. It’s always such a great feeling to write a new song or learn a new one that I like.
Pricing:
- Panther Pink EP $11.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://donleady.hearnow.com/panther/pink.
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/don.leady.1
- Youtube: donleady
- Other: https://donleady.hearnow.com/panther/pink.
Image Credits
Fiddle photo – Tracy Hart
