Jerry Leger

I remember writing most of the words on ‘Traveling Grey’ in coffee shops around where I was living. Some of the songs were written in flashes with both words & music but most often I had the lyrics written first from pages and pages in my notebooks. The record is about half acoustic/half full band, produced by Tim Bovaconti and recorded in his home studio. It was a natural progression from the previous album and I continued writing story songs like the title track, the 8 minute murder ballad “John Lewis”, “Isabella” and “East Coast Queen.” “Is He Treating You Good?” is one of my favourites I’ve written and “Wrong Kind Of Girl” is one of my favourite recordings. I’m still really proud of this album as a writer and I think it has some of my best lyrics. It’s a no fuss record.

I felt like it was pretty much ignored here in Canada but at the very least it did help with more opportunities across the border where I appeared on the legendary WSM Radio in Nashville. Also in Nashville I played the “Music City Roots” concert series a couple times hosted by Jim Lauderdale. This included other guests such as Danny Flowers (writer of “Tulsa Time”) and Amanda Shires. I made these US trips (losing another shirt everytime!) with Dan Mock on bass/vocals and we ended up appearing twice on “Blue Plate Special” WDVX radio in Knoxville, which we got a kick out of. Traveling Grey also received some positive press overseas in Europe and the UK but any breakthrough over there would come much later. Meanwhile I started building a small cult following that I was completely unaware of.

The cover photo was shot in the Sideshow Cafe (now something else) in the East End of Toronto by Drew Perkins. He quickly caught it as they were closing. I loved the wall and the table, wanted to capture it before it was covered up.

‘Traveling Grey’ is currently available on Vinyl and as a download on Bandcamp, which will be waiving their share of revenue June 5th. Consider buying it on that day if you don’t have it already. Stream and listen now: https://jerryleger.bandcamp.com/album/traveling-grey

I wanted to make a mainly acoustic record but with a really full sound like Gordon Lightfoot’s early albums. I also wanted to write some folk ballads, words that had a narrative. The ghost story in “Daddy’s Lantern”, “Raspberry Bush” inspired by an old Toronto cold case and the Northern Ontario love song “Mansion Round The Bend” started to come out of my pen. Other tunes like “Drive Away Tonight” and “Warning Sirens” had a cinematic quality. Most of these were written in a dreary basement apartment I was living in at the time. I remember going for a long walk one night with a tune in my head, coming through the door and writing “Love’s Abandoned Your Heart” in a flash of lightning. I started hearing the new album being formed in my head.

I played some of these songs to Josh Finlayson (of the band Skydiggers) and found he too loved the idea of trying to get that Lightfoot sound. To also play and co-produce, I wanted Tim Bovaconti involved because he always brings something special and can adapt to anything. He’s got an amazing musical mind. We recorded it in a circle on the 2nd floor of ‘Diggers sound tech Phil Presnal’s house, very relaxed. It introduced a couple new members to the fold on record, Dan Mock on bass and James McKie on fiddle. Kyle Sullivan appears on the only track with (cocktail) drums, the closer “My Little Crook.”

This album seems to have become a favourite among some fans and friends. It’s the one where I think I found my voice. It was also the album I was supporting when I first toured the US as a duo with Dan Mock. The first time I’d ever been out of Canada.

‘You, Me & The Horse” is currently available on CD and as a download on Bandcamp, which will be waiving their share of revenue June 5th. Consider buying it on that day if you don’t have it already. Stream and listen now:https://jerryleger.bandcamp.com/album/you-me-and-the-horse

Day 2 “Thoughts On The Albums” : ‘FAREWELL GHOST TOWN’ (2006)
Produced by Don Kerr and Tim Bovaconti, recorded at The Gas Station on Toronto Island and fueled by Guinness. This was a lot of fun to make and it’s a favourite of mine, long out of print but I’m hoping to issue it on vinyl at some point. It’s more musically focused than the first album, a roots record, bit of rock ‘n’ roll-folk-country-blues-rockabilly. Every record from that point on would be a combination or leaning towards one of those styles. I played more acoustic and we added some country tinges (beautiful pedal steel by Tim who also played guitar and omnichord on the record, further bringing a certain sound) to songs like “See My Baby Run” and “Love Is Meant To Be Blue.” For me, I’d be happy to write those songs now or ones like “Old Shoes On My Feet” and “Too Broke To Die” (inspired by an infomercial for having a cheap funeral). The writing was maturing, though I still hadn’t quite found my voice.

We had guests on it such as Ron Sexsmith and Fergus Hambleton. I met Fergus through Tim while Ron I met a few times when I worked at a hardware store, but I got to know him more through Tim and Don who were in his band. I wanted to make another record with Tim and after hearing the beautiful album ‘Sexsmith & Kerr – Destination Unknown’ produced by Don, I decided I wanted Don involved too. We’d record from morning til Don and Tim were tired then we’d walk around the island, sneaking into the amusement park Centreville and walking through the hedge maze. I started to find my identity on this album of how I wanted to represent myself as an artist. Sexsmith’s career and songwriting was becoming a real influence on me. I felt like I was carrying a torch. It was also amazing that Ron became a fan and supporter after Tim had brought my 1st album while on the road with him, and Ron thought I had something.

With this album we would make our television debut (and I think only live TV appearance) on the Ed The Sock show performing “Cutting Heads.” We also filmed “On Your Own” which never aired. I only saw the original broadcast, does anyone have a copy?

‘Farewell Ghost Town’ is currently available as a download on Bandcamp, which will be waiving their share of revenue June 5th. Consider buying it on that day if you don’t have it already. Stream and listen now: https://jerryleger.bandcamp.com/album/farewell-ghost-town

June 5th Bandcamp will be waiving their revenue share, a good day to buy music from artists you dig. Since my debut album will be turning 15 June 8th, I thought we’d make it available on Bandcamp at a special low price starting on the 5th along with bonus tracks. I also thought I would share some thoughts on each of my albums for any of those interested. Here we go.

The debut album, recorded mostly live off the floor in two days at the now long gone Monumental Studios here in Toronto. We were intending to go in and record a 3 track demo with Tim Bovaconti producing and Joe Dunphy engineering. The first day we got 5 songs down to tape and Tim suggested we book another session and record a full length album. I was easily thrown into the enthusiasm because I’d been wanting to make an album for years ( funny ’cause I was only 19 at the time!). I had only gotten my band “The Situation” together in the fall of 2004, consisting of Kyle Sullivan on drums and Corey Stinson on bass, the album was recorded in spring of 2005. We taped every song of mine that we pretty much had down and a couple of more acoustic numbers on reels that I had the option to buy but chose to have them just bounced to digital. That’s where they were headed anyway. It still has that piss and vinegar, that fire in the belly, the energy of being young and hungry with a few delicate moments thrown in. Rough around the edges but committed and genuine.

I wanted to incorporate Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello with a touch of Joe Strummer. There’s an urgency and some of the songs such as “My Worst Will Have To Do”, “Ratatat”, “Riverside” and the opener “Red City” which would all continue to show up now and then in my setlists and are some fans favourites. The album touches on different genres as I figured out who I wanted be as an artist. I would start to find my artistic identity as a rootsy singer-songwriter on the 2nd album and we’d lose some of the followers in the process. They thought I’d be spitting out the lyrics for years to come but the 1st album is a good blueprint and has the elements and hints of where I wanted this thing to go. The first run of CDs still had an ‘s’ at the end of the band name which we would drop shortly after. When I listen back now I still dig a lot of the words, music and “in the moment” performances. It captures us at the moment and I like to think of my records as documents.

On June 5th the ‘Jerry Leger & The Situation’ CD and download will be available at a special low price with bonus tracks including demos and live recordings. For now, stream the record: https://jerryleger.bandcamp.com/album/jerry-leger-the-situation

Next month the 1st record Jerry Leger & The Situation turns 15 (I was 19 years old when we recorded it!). To celebrate we’ll be adding some unreleased bonus tracks when you purchase the album June 5th on Bandcamp. Also, the compilation Too Broke To Die: Retrospective 2005-2019 (previously only available in Europe) will be added the same day to download and stream. June 5th is another date that Bandcamp will waive their share of revenue, so it’ll be a good day to support artists you dig. Starting tomorrow I’m gonna be posting about each of my albums with some memories and thoughts. They will be available to read on my website in the NEWS section plus on my Facebook and Instagram. Anything missing in your collection? (not pictured the digital-only The Good Old Days Are Back In Drag (2011) & Songs From The Apartment (2020).

It’s been a month since I played some online shows, live from my apartment in outer space to you. I hope you are all staying safe and well. It’s been a crazy time for all of us and I sure do miss being on a stage after playing live non-stop for the last 16 years. I’m glad that I can still play some tunes for you in some way. It can never replace the live connection but it’s still good to be connected to some degree. 
Tomorrow (Wednesday May 27th) I’ll be live from the apartment on Instagram Live 3pm EDT and then Facebook Live the next day (May 28th) same time. Hope you can join me. On the “live from the apartment” topic, I’ve been filming more and more clips at home and adding them to my YouTube channel in a playlist called just that, ‘Live From The Apartment’. Songs of mine and covers of songs that I love. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel if you haven’t already: https://www.youtube.com/user/JerryLegerMusic/

As lockdown was just happening, I talked to Bryan Williston at The Spill Magazine but the article was just published this past week. It’s interesting to read it now. Have a read: http://spillmagazine.com/spill-feature-songs-from-the-apartment-a-conversation-with-jerry-leger/

Another thing I did recently was have a great chat with Jan Hall at Folk Roots Radio. We chatted about the lockdown, my latest album Time Out For Tomorrow and the surprise isolation album Songs From The Apartment. Listen here: https://folkrootsradio.com/folk-roots-radio-episode-512-feat-jerry-leger-in-conversation-time-out-for-tomorrow/

– Jerry

RESCHEDULED DATES! Our new Scandinavian shows have been announced for Spring 2021. Dates below, more shows throughout Europe TBA. Stay safe and hang in there.
*Apr 21 – STÅ – Pintxos & Vänner – Örebro,SWE
*Apr 22 – Krøsset – Oslo, NO
*Apr 23 – Arnemoen Gard – Ringebu, NO
*Apr 24 – Moskus – Trondheim, NO
*Apr 25 – Melodybox – Stockholm, SWE
Ticket links and more info: http://www.jerryleger.com/tour/

Hey folks, 
hope you’re all staying safe and well during these odd times. Since I’ve been in self-isolation I released a surprise album (Songs From The Apartment), been writing, reading, watching old horror movies and playing some online shows. You may have caught some of them on Facebook and Instagram or live from my apartment exclusives such as AmericanaUK’s “mini-gig” series. Well, Rolling Stone Magazine in Germany has also started doing a web series (like their American counterpart with their “In My Room” series) called “At Home” and they asked me to take part. I filmed 4 songs from here in my Toronto apartment and it’ll be published on Rolling Stone’s website May 8th beginning at 1pm EDT with Rufus Wainwright, Frank Spilker and then your truly. Also part of the series are such notables as Lucinda Williams (one of my favourites) and Jonathan Wilson. More info in the coming days but it’ll be available on their website from that point on: https://www.rollingstone.de/

In other news, Bandcamp will be waiving their revenue share again this Friday (May 1st) from midnight-midnight PDT. This would be a good day to support artists such as myself since all of the money will go directly to us from sales of downloads, CDs, Vinyl and other merch. 9 of my releases are available in my Bandcamp store including the March 20th surprise release Songs From The Apartment. Go check it out to see if you’re missing anything in your collection or you would like to purchase for a friend. Unfortunately my two album Nonsense and Heartache and the recently released Time Out For Tomorrow cannot be sold through my Bandcamp under contractual agreements but you can still seek them out from my website MERCH page. 
Browse around my Bandcamp store and remember from midnight-midnight PDT May 1st Bandcamp will not take a cut of the sales: https://jerryleger.bandcamp.com/music

Stay safe and healthy! 
Thank you all for the love and support. 

Jerry