By S. Pulse

Musician Dylan LeBlanc has a sound that conjures comparisons to Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, and Ray LaMontagne. LeBlanc’s ethereal voice can simultaneously be haunting and comforting. Traditional rock and blues elements give added layers to his music resulting in a mesmerizing effect.

We recently watched LeBlanc perform at Willie Nelson’s “Luck Reunion.” His set at the venerated Saloon Stage generated a lot of buzz. He played several songs from his recently released album, “Coyote” as well as fan favorites like “Cautionary Tale” and “If the Creek Don’t Rise.” He was backed by the Steel Vaqueros which, for this tour, included his musician dad, James, on bass.

Before taking the stage at Luck, we spoke with LeBlanc and learned more about the making of his remarkable latest album “Coyote” and gained insight into his song-writing process.

“Coyote” was recorded at the illustrious Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL. Recording there held special meaning for LeBlanc. He has a home nearby in Florence, AL, but his history with Fame goes back much further. LeBlanc spent part of his youth living in Muscle Shoals where his dad was a session musician for Fame. As a kid, Fame Studio was LeBlanc’s afterschool playground. He spent many hours there observing musicians and listening to sessions. He also became close to studio head Rick Hall and his family. LeBlanc said, “I grew up half my life with those people (the Halls). They are like family to me. They were gracious enough to give me ten days in the studio to make the record. I got there at 9 in the morning and left every day at 2 in the morning.”

LeBlanc took the production helm for the album “Coyote” and collaborated with top musicians including Seth Kauffman (bass), Jim “Moose” Brown (keys), and Fred Eltringham (drums). His father also played on multiple tracks. Local area friends, the Secret Sisters (Laura Rogers and Lydia Slagle), leant their harmonious voices to the album as did a superb string section comprised of Laura Epling on violin, Austin Hoke on cello and Eleanore Denig (viola). The resulting album includes a strong depth of beautifully produced songs that have an otherworldly quality.

LeBlanc also wrote (or cowrote) all of the songs for the album. Many of the songs on the album “Coyote” emanate from the theme of survival and the tough choices people must make in order to press ahead in life. LeBlanc drew inspiration from time spent during his formative years in Shreveport, Louisiana. He explained, “It’s pretty rough there. There were gangs. I watched people do things. It didn’t matter if it was right or wrong. I’m not judging. For them, they did what they had to do in order to persevere.”

That sentiment of pursuing a questionable path to subsist permeates LeBlanc’s title track song “Coyote,” a tune that focuses on the perils of a fictional drug runner crossing the border into El Paso to “steal a rich man’s gold.” The song is an excellent example of LeBlanc’s storytelling mastery and is rich in dramatic texture.

Drama is something that LeBlanc strives for when creating music. Even his listening habits reflect that element. LeBlanc explains, “I love cinematic music. My streaming music includes a lot of film scores by Hanz Zimmer, James Newton Howard, Danny Elfman, and James Horner. When I write music, I try to picture it happening in my mind like a mini movie. I try to make it cinematic. I love drama and the use of time and space when writing.”

When asked to share more about his song-writing process, LeBlanc admitted to having an unusual starting point. He said, “I always start with a title. Titles are so important. For me, it’s the organization of it all. I can really take it somewhere if I have the title. The title is like a center piece.”

After the title is in place, LeBlanc adds the other elements to a song. “I collect little pieces of music. I’ll put it down and record it – and then I will forget about it until I’m writing. Then comes the phrasing. It is very important to me. Phrasing is a big part of a hook on any song. My phone is full of phrasing ideas. And I love the rhythm within a rhythm (produced) by the cadence that comes from phrasing,” explains LeBlanc.

LeBlanc’s creativity as a songwriter, musician, and producer is evident. He has taken control of his career and is approaching it with tenacity. He explains that, despite his father’s industry connections, his family did not come from a lot of means. For him, breaking into the music industry has been a real effort, but it is a struggle born of passion. As LeBlanc said, “I love writing music. I do it solely because I love it. Lord knows I haven’t made a ton of money at it, but I do love to do it. It’s so much fun. If I can just keep doing it, then that’s what I’m going to.”

Currently, LeBlanc divides his time between Florence, Alabama, and Southern Norway, where his child and fiancé reside. A true citizen of the world, he tours across continents enjoying the welcome reception his music receives globally.

Give Dylan LeBlanc’s music a listen by checking out our “LeBlanc Faves” playlist on Spotify . And check out all our photos of his set from Luck on Austin 101 Magazine.

“LeBlanc Faves”

By Austin101

·       Coyote

·       Cautionary Tale

·       Stranger Things

·       If the Creek Don’t Rise

·       Angel

·       The Crowd Goes Wild

·       Never Tear Us Apart (INXS cover)

·       Sensitive Kind

·       Hate

·       I’m Moving On