Leon Redbone Retires, Announces Archival Releases for Third Man

BY Alex HudsonPublished May 22, 2015

Earlier this week, jazzy ragtime vet Leon Redbone officially announced his retirement. And although his music career is over, Jack White and Third Man Records will be celebrating his past with a couple of archival releases.

This mini-campaign will give Redbone's 1975 debut On the Track a vinyl reissue. There's no bonus material, and the 11-song tracklist will be preserved. The record was produced by Joel Dorn and originally came out through Warner Bros. Records. It's made up of covers of old jazz songs and Tin Pan Alley classics.

The other record is Long Way from Home, which will be getting its first commercial release. This consists of 1972 recordings made by Dave Benders for Buffalo, NY's WBFO Radio. There are 18 tracks in all. It will come out on vinyl, CD and digitally.

The release dates for these two LPs haven't been confirmed, but the tracklists can be seen below.

As for Redbone's retirement, his representative told Rolling Stone that it's due to health issues. The rep said, "It has become too challenging for him to continue the full range of professional activities." 

Meanwhile, the singer is the subject of a long-in-the-works documentary called Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone: The Search for Leon Redbone. Watch a five-minute promo video for that doc at the bottom of this page.

On the Track:

1. Sweet Mama Hurry Home or I'll Be Gone
2. Ain't Misbehavin'
3. My Walking Stick
4. Lazybones
5. Marie
6. Desert Blues (Big Chief Buffalo Nickel)
7. Lulu's Back in Town
8. Some of These Days
9. Big Time Woman
10. Haunted House
11. Polly Wolly Doodle

Long Way from Home:

1. Looked Down the Road
2. Mother Queen of My Heart
3. T B Blues
4. Don't Let It Bother You
5. Marie
6. Me and the Devil
7. If I Had a Possession over Judgement Day
8. Mississippi Blues
9. Kind Hearted Woman
10. Love Letters
11. Hurry Home
12. Jailhouse Blues
13. Walking Stick
14. Catman
15. Gamblin' Barroom Blues
16. My Good Gal's Gone
17. Yodelling Cowboy
18. Bootleg Rum Dum Blues

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