Seven Days: Vermont's Independent Voice

Leon, the Professional

Very little is definitively known about gravelly voiced guitarist Leon Redbone — from his age to his birthplace to his real name. Since emerging into the music scene in the 1970s, the famously evasive performer has piqued curiosity with his mysterious faux persona. Here’s what we do know: Redbone perpetually wears a Panama hat, bow tie and dark sunglasses. He’s appeared on episodes of “Saturday Night Live,” been rendered in cartoon character in “The Far Side” and joined Zooey Deschanel in a killer duet of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” for the end credits of Elf. And his fingerpicking-good renditions of lesser-known, prewar jazz, ragtime and blues gems are reason enough to catch up with him in Randolph this week.