Bio
King Leo grew up in Norfolk, Virginia in the US and found the Blues at a B.B. King concert in 1987. Inspired by hearing the opening act’s harmonica player, Leo learned the instrument and developed his voice listening to Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson while driving a series of unfortunate cars, with one hand on the wheel and another on the blues harp.
Soon he was singing and playing harmonica, guitar and piano in bands on the east coast of the U.S. and in Denver, Colorado. While in Denver he led his own band - King Leo - and played in area bands and touring acts, including playing guitar for Bo Diddley, Pinetop Perkins (from Muddy Waters’ band), Big Bill Morganfield, and touring with country legend Doug Kershaw.
After relocating to Aotearoa/New Zealand in 2004, Leo formed King Leo and the Growling Dogs. The band established a strong following and recorded the well-reviewed double album Mad Love, which featured a mix of original Blues and songs from Leo’s influences. The King Leo album Revival followed in 2015 and showcased Leo’s originals. Leo now performs in New Zealand and Australia with his band King Leo, joined by musicians with a wealth of experience and expertise in the genre - often including the guitar work of his son Oscar LaDell, who co-produced the self-titled King Leo album and wrote many of the songs and also collaborated on the father-and-son EP Going Home and the King Leo & Son album.
Press
From the Radio NZ review of King Leo’s LP Revival:
“LaDell’s songs are heartfelt and personal, and while secular, sometimes employ religious metaphors to carry a general message of being kind to others, and grateful for small mercies. King Leo’s Revival is a lovely album, which I’d recommend to anyone with a taste for blues of almost any kind. And it’s on vinyl as well as CD, and the vinyl sounds – feels and looks – particularly good.”
From NZ Musician about the band:
“Firing on all cylinders they sound like true survivors of the Chess Records’ era, stripped back they sound like the perfect Muscle Shoals’ session band.”
From roots music journal No Depression:
“If the audience is a soulful bunch of fish then King Leo has hooked them by now and they’re in the boat. Blues enthusiasts won’t be able to turn away from this tasty presentation. It’s all done with expertise and no flash – nothing over worked or top heavy.