Fred LeBlanc is the lead singer/drummer for the

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

-based rock band

Cowboy Mouth Cowboy Mouth is an American band based in New Orleans, Louisiana known for fusing alternative rock with album-oriented rock, roots rock, and jam band influences. Formed in 1992, the band saw early mainstream success in the 1990s, including th ...

, and a freelance songwriter, record producer, short story author, and acoustic performer. Known for his "maniacal" performance style, and described as "a short, muscular guy with a heavy brow and piercingly intelligent eyes", LeBlanc has been called "one of the more instantly recognizable figures in contemporary Louisiana music."

Biography

After graduating from Jesuit High School in New Orleans, LeBlanc began his career in the early 1980s as the drummer of the Backbeats, also from New Orleans, which featured many future members of

. A year after the Backbeats disbanded in the mid-1980s, LeBlanc joined

power trio A power trio is a rock and roll band format having a lineup of electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit (drums and cymbals), leaving out a second rhythm guitar or keyboard instrument that are often used in other rock music bands that are quartet ...

Dash Rip Rock Dash Rip Rock is an American rock band. Originally playing rockabilly and country music, the band is best known for its cowpunk sound, which mixes punk rock, rockabilly, hard rock, country and boogie. ''The New York Times'' stated that Dash Rip ...

as drummer and as contributing songwriter and co-lead singer. The band was heavily influenced by the American roots music movement of the time, as well as the frenzied punk and rock stylings of both the

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...

and

Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock & roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis made ...

. To this mix, LeBlanc's songs usually had a very strong melodic component, with "Operator", "Blue Moon At Midnight", and "Go Home, Little Girl." LeBlanc left Dash Rip Rock in mid-1989 and signed a deal as a solo artist with EMI Records. Although no recordings were ever released from his tenure with the label, LeBlanc has said that the year off from the road "gave me a chance to focus on my songwriting," with LeBlanc writing many songs during that time that would appear on various

recordings later on. LeBlanc formed

in late 1990 with a lineup that has changed variously throughout the years, with the main constants being LeBlanc and

John Thomas Griffith John Thomas Griffith (born April 3, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter best known as a guitarist and vocalist for the band Cowboy Mouth. Griffith first established himself on the American music scene in the early 1980s as lead singer and gu ...

on guitar and vocals. The band has maintained a steady touring schedule since their formation, gaining notoriety for their live shows. LeBlanc has written many of

's material, such as "How Do You Tell Someone", "Love Of My Life", "Disconnected", "Take Me Back To New Orleans", "Easy", "Tell The Girl", "So Sad About Me", "The Avenue", and the band's signature song "

Jenny Says "Jenny Says" is a song by Cowboy Mouth, written by drummer and lead singer Fred LeBlanc from the band's 1992 first studio album, ''Word of Mouth''. The song was first released by Dash Rip Rock on the album ''Ace of Clubs'' in 1989, for which Fre ...

". In addition to performing and recording with Cowboy Mouth, LeBlanc has worked as a producer. He produced ''A Different Story'' by

Deadeye Dick ''Deadeye Dick'' is a novel by Kurt Vonnegut originally published in 1982. Plot summary The novel's main character, Rudy Waltz, or "Deadeye Dick", commits accidental manslaughter as a child when he shoots a gun out of a window and fatally strike ...

. The album featured the song "

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", which earned the band and LeBlanc a gold record in the early 1990s and was included in the

Jim Carrey James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy te ...

movie ''Dumb And Dumber''. LeBlanc has produced material for

Mark Bryan Mark William Bryan (born May 6, 1967) is an American musician. He is a founding member, songwriter, and the lead guitarist for the band Hootie & the Blowfish. In 1986, Bryan and his friend Darius Rucker formed a duo called The Wolf Brothers whi ...

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, and albums for Dash Rip Rock, The Bingemen, and The Garden District. He also released solo albums entitled ''Here On Earth'', ''Shiver'', ''Double Dammit'', and ''Playing The Game Of My Life'', as well as an album of spoken word short stories (also released as a book) called ''Always Give Thanks''. In July 2010, LeBlanc said that he would continue to release solo music during breaks in Cowboy Mouth's schedule.Keith Spera
"Fred LeBlanc to strum solo, release new music online"
''

Times-Picayune ''The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate'' is an American newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana, since January 25, 1837. The current publication is the result of the 2019 acquisition of ''The Times-Picayune'' (itself a result of th ...

'', July 8, 2010. Fred LeBlanc drumming

CowboyMouth HouseofBluesHouston MardiGras2010-02-17 FredLeBlanc

Discography

Cowboy Mouth studio albums

* ''Word of Mouth'' • 1992 * '' It Means Escape'' • 1994 * '' Are You with Me?'' • 1996 * ''Word of Mouth (Remix)'' • 1996 * ''Mercyland'' • 1998 * ''Easy'' • 2000 * '' Uh-Oh'' • 2003 * '' Voodoo Shoppe'' • 2006 * ''

Fearless Fearless or The Fearless may refer to: Psychology * Lack of fear * Courage or bravery Film, television and audio Film * ''Fearless'' (1978 film), an Italian film directed by Stelvio Massi * ''Fearless'' (1993 film), an American drama directed ...

'' • 2008 * ''This Train...'' • 2012 * ''Go!'' • 2014

Cowboy Mouth live albums and EPs

* ''Mouthin' Off (Live & More)'' • 1993 * ''Mouthin' Off (Live & More) (Remastered)'' • 1997 * ''Cowboy Mouth LIVE! (limited edition 5-song EP issued with Mercyland)'' • 1998 * ''

Live in the X Lounge Live in the X Lounge is a series of albums released by Birmingham, Alabama's former alternative rock radio station, WRAX. Though the station can no longer be found on the air, this series of live performances was produced while the station wa ...

'' "Jenny Says" • 1998 & 2001 * ''All You Need Is Live'' • 2000 * ''

'' "Easy" • 2000 * ''Uh Oh (5-song Preview EP)'' • 2003 * ''Live at the Zoo'' • 2004 * ''

Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fat ...

'' • 2010 * ''This Train'' • 2013 * ''Go'' • 2014 *''Open Wide'' • 2020

Cowboy Mouth live DVD

* '' The Name of the Band is Cowboy Mouth'' • 2007

Dash Rip Rock albums featuring work of Fred LeBlanc

* ''Paydirt'' (1998) (producer only) * ''Ace of Clubs'' (1989) * ''Dash Rip Rock'' (1987)

References

External links

Cowboy Mouth websiteFred LeBlanc website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leblanc, Fred Cowboy Mouth members Year of birth missing (living people) Living people American male singer-songwriters American rock songwriters American rock singers Jesuit High School (New Orleans) alumni American alternative rock musicians Musicians from New Orleans Cowpunk musicians Alternative rock singers Alternative rock drummers American rock drummers Singer-songwriters from Louisiana