Gerry Leonard is a lead guitarist and solo artist, best known for his harmonic and ambient guitar style and for his collaborations with David Bowie, Suzanne Vega, Rufus Wainwright, Roger Waters, and many others.
TESTIMONIALS
“Gerry’s an artist on the guitar. Not just the playing of it, but how he uses it to create spaces that are dynamic sonic landscapes of beauty.”
– Suzanne Vega
“I was extremely lucky to have been introduced to Gerry Leonard when I was on tour in Europe in 1997. He is a truly unique musician and a guitarist who has no equal when it comes to creating tones and textures that bring both recorded and live music to another level. Though he would often leave me for dilettantes like David Bowie, Suzanne Vega and Rufus Wainwright, when he returned he was as astonishing as ever. A good man in a storm is that Gerry Leonard …”
– Duncan Sheik
“Pretty much from my 3rd studio album to my 7th, we always put aside a couple days for some Gerry Leonard magic, a kind of blank slate that once filled would create a certain gleam. People often say my albums from that period sound expensive, I credit a lot of that rich sensibility with Gerry’s unique and fabulous touch on the guitar.”
– Rufus Wainwright
“Gerry’s guitar playing is an absolute joy, he’s the guitarist that I wished to have on every album that I made, and in every Band that I have had. He adds riffs that sound like they are from the annals of Rock n Roll history, making the songs sound like they are already hits, or were hits, and yet unlike what I’d heard before.”
– Pierce Turner
GUITARIST
The Irish musician studied classical guitar for five years at the Municipal College of Music Dublin, culminating in an ALCM from the London College of Music. In 1986 he moved to Copenhagen and formed the band Hinterland with Donal Coughlan and signed to Island Records. They released one album Kissing The Roof Of Heaven in 1990.
New York’s East Village was Gerry’s next stop in 1993 where he soon established himself as a solo performer, producer, and session player. He recorded and toured, usually as lead guitarist, with Duncan Sheik, Laurie Anderson, Jonatha Brooke, Cyndi Lauper, Sophie B. Hawkins, Avril Lavigne, and Chris Botti. As his reputation grew, he found himself in demand by David Bowie, Suzanne Vega and Rufus Wainwright.
Hailing his live performances on Suzanne Vega’s Close Up series in 2011, one music critic stated: “In most cases, his [Leonard’] picking and fretting buttressed her acoustic strum. But in plenty of songs, Leonard added loops (instantaneously recorded, briefly stored and continuously played passages) of guitar. Combined with volume pedal and delay and reverb, there were moments when Leonard provided musical backdrop enough for an entire band.”
Bowie described Gerry’s new arrangement of Loving the Alien for one guitar and voice as “perhaps the way the song should always have been done …”
Gerry collaborated with Bowie on three albums, including Heathen [2001], Reality [2003] and featured heavily on the icon’s penultimate record The Next Day [2013]; Gerry co-wrote with Bowie the tracks ‘Boss of Me’ and ‘I’ll Take You There’. Gerry also appeared on Bowie’s posthumously released “Toy” [2022].He also has an extensive discography having played on numerous albums by Suzanne Vega, Rufus Wainwright, Duncan Sheik, Laurie Anderson, and others.
EVENTS
- August 2, 2022 Lille, FR Le Splendid
- July 2, 2022 West Palm Beach, FL Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre
- July 1, 2022 St. Petersburg, FL Vinoy Park
- June 30, 2022 Orlando, FL Tinker Field
- June 29, 2022 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheatre
- June 23, 2022 Las Vegas, NV Hard Rock Hotel
- June 22, 2022 Phoenix, AZ Fear Farm Festival Grounds
- July 12, 2018 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center
ACCOLADES:
2022 – Toy EP – David Bowie – Guitar (Electric)
2022 – Toy (Toy:Box) – David Bowie – Guitar (Electric)
2021 – White Bird: Anthology of Favorites – Judy Collins – Guitar (Electric)
2021 – Brilliant Adventure (1992-2001) – David Bowie – Guitar (Electric)
2020 – Unfollow the Rules – Rufus Wainwright – Guitar
2020 – Bob Hillman & Spooky Ghost – Bob Hillman / Spooky Ghost – Guitar (Electric)
2020 – An Evening of New York Songs and Stories – Suzanne Vega – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
2018 – When It Falls – Rachel Eckroth – Guitar
2016 – Silver Skies Blue – Judy Collins / Ari Hest – Guitar (Electric)
2016 – Lover, Beloved: Songs from an Evening with Carson McCullers – Suzanne Vega – Guitar, Mandolin, Ukulele, Vibraphone
2016 – Cure for Dreaming – Jenny Gillespie – Guitar (Electric)
2015 – Strangers Again – Judy Collins – Guitar (Electric)
2015 – Sirens – The Weepies – Guitar (Electric)
2014 – Tales from the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles – Suzanne Vega – Bass, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Harmonium, Keyboards
2014 – Highspeeds – Elliot Moss – Guitar
2014 – Close-Up Series – Suzanne Vega – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Mandolin, Ukulele, Piano, Harmonium, Wurlitzer
2013 – The Next Day – David Bowie – Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Keyboards, Vocals
2013 – Raven – Paula Cole – Guitar (Electric)
2012 – The Fire Plays – Ari Hest – Guitar
2012 – In the Time of Gods – Dar Williams – Guitar
2012 – Close-Up, Vol. 4: Songs of Family – Suzanne Vega – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Mandolin, Ukulele, Piano, Harmonium, Wurlitzer
2011 – Electric Moroccoland/So Below – Club d’Elf – Guitar
2011 – Close-Up, Vol. 3: States of Being – Suzanne Vega – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
2010 – Close-Up, Vol. 2: People & Places – Suzanne Vega – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
2010 – Close-Up, Vol. 1: Love Songs – Suzanne Vega – Guitar (Electric)
2009 – Whisper House – Duncan Sheik – Featured Artist, Guitar, Performer
2009 – Slice – Five for Fighting – Guitar
2009 – Milwaukee at Last!!! – Rufus Wainwright – Guitar, Vocals (Background)
2009 – Lovethief – Lunic – Guitar
2008 – Shotgun Daisy – Stacie Rose – Guitar (Electric), Ambience
2008 – In the Pink – Donna Lewis – Guitar, Mandolin, Harmonium, Keyboards, Synthesizer Bass
2008 – Bleu Pétrole – Alain Bashung – Guitar (Electric)
2008 – A Fondness for Hometown Scars – Keith Caputo – Guitar (Electric), Guitar (12 String)
2007 – The Last Mimzy [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] – Howard Shore – Guitar
2007 – Release the Stars – Rufus Wainwright – Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
2007 – Outside/Heathen – David Bowie – Guitar
2007 – On Stage at World Cafe Live – Duncan Sheik – Guitar (Electric), Vocals (Background)
2007 – Music in Motion – Amy Diamond – Guitar
2007 – It’s Christmas, of Course – Darlene Love – Guitar
2007 – Drive All Night – Kelly Flint – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Mandolin
2007 – David Bowie Box – David Bowie – Guitar
2007 – Brighter: A Duncan Sheik Collection – Duncan Sheik – Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Dobro, Dulcimer, Mandolin, Loops, Vocals (Background)
2007 – Beauty & Crime – Suzanne Vega – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
2006 – White Limousine – Duncan Sheik – Guitar (Electric)
2006 – Now I Understand – Club d’Elf – Guitar
2006 – Greatest Hits: Postcards from East Oceanside – Paula Cole – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), E-Bow
2006 – Brighter/Later: A Duncan Sheik Anthology – Duncan Sheik – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Dobro, Dulcimer, Mandolin, Loops, Vocals (Background)
2005 – Quest Journey – Mino Cinelu – Guitar
2004 – Want Two – Rufus Wainwright – Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
2004 – The Love Lot – Teddy Goldstein – Guitar (Electric)
2004 – The Living Room: Live in NYC, Vol. 2 – Guitar, Loops
2004 – Shut Up And Kiss Me – Michelle Wright – Guitar (Electric)
2004 – Promises to Eve – Tina Shafer – Guitar
2004 – Little Things – Toby Lightman – Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
2004 – I Don’t Know What It Is – Rufus Wainwright – Guitar
2004 – Give It All Away – Ben Jelen – Guitar (Electric)
2004 – Gems – Mari Iijima – Guitar
2004 – A Reality Tour – David Bowie – Bandleader, Vocals, Guitar
2003 – What a Girl Wants – Guitar (Electric), Loops, Ambience
2003 – Want One – Rufus Wainwright – Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Mandolin
2003 – The Simple Truth – Wendy Wall – Guitar (Electric)
2003 – Run to Ruin – Nina Nastasia – Guitar, Banjo, Hammer Dulcimer
2003 – Retrospective: The Best of Suzanne Vega – Suzanne Vega – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Dulcimer, Mandolin, Zither
2003 – Reality – David Bowie – Guitar
2003 – Handcuff King – Paul Bryan – Guitar
2003 – Ashley MacIsaac – Ashley MacIsaac – Guitar (Electric), Loops
2002 – What If It All Means Something – Chantal Kreviazuk – Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
2002 – The Very Best of Chris Botti – Chris Botti – Guitar
2002 – The Blackened Air – Nina Nastasia – Guitar, Mandolin
2002 – Snapshot – Roger Glover / Roger Glover & the Guilty Party – Hammer Dulcimer, Mandolin, Guitar Effects
2002 – Rainy Day Assembly – Tess Wiley – Guitar, Banjo, Voices
2002 – Let Go – Avril Lavigne – Guitar
2002 – Heathen – David Bowie – Guitar
2002 – Daylight – Duncan Sheik – Guitar (Electric), Mandolin, Loops, Vocals (Background), Ambience
2001 – Willa Was Here – Willa Ford – Guitar
2001 – Phantom Moon – Duncan Sheik – Guitar, Dobro, Banjo, Dulcimer
2001 – Fear of Success – Caleb / Caleb Heinemen – Guitar, Wah Wah Guitar, E-Bow, Effects, Guitar Loops
2001 – Big Iron – Carol Noonan – Guitar (Electric), Drones
2001 – Always Be – Jeffrey Gaines – Guitar
2001 – Almost Had a Hit Song – Melissa Pearl – Guitar
2000 – Talk Normal: The Laurie Anderson Anthology – Laurie Anderson – Guitar
2000 – Romantically Helpless – Holly Cole – Guitar (Electric), Primary Artist
2000 – Lowlands – Susan McKeown – Guitar, Guitar Loops
2000 – Loud On Earth – Daniel Cage – Guitar
2000 – Little Light – GrooveLily – Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
2000 – Jigsaw – John McVey – Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
2000 – Dogs – Nina Nastasia – Main Personnel, Guitar
1999 – Timbre – Sophie B. Hawkins – Guitar
1999 – The Living Room – Trina Hamlin – Guitar (Electric), E-Bow
1999 – Mother: Songs Celebrating Mothers & Motherhood – Susan McKeown / Cathie Ryan / Robin Spielberg – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Harmonium
1998 – Humming – Duncan Sheik – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
1998 – Great Expectations [Original Soundtrack] – Guitar
1998 – Blue Planet – Donna Lewis – Guitar
1997 – Midnight Without You – Chris Botti – Guitar
1997 – 10 Cent Wings – Jonatha Brooke – Guitar (Electric), Slide Guitar, Sampling
1996 – This Fire – Paula Cole – Guitar, Strings
1996 – Now in a Minute – Donna Lewis – Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Classical), E-Bow
1996 – I Love You Always Forever – Donna Lewis – Guitar
1995 – The Live from Mountain Stage, Vol. 8 – Guitar
1994 – Harbinger – Paula Cole – Vocals, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), E-Bow, Talking Drum
1994 – Bright Red – Laurie Anderson – Guitar
1990 – Kissing the Roof of Heaven – Hinterland – Guest Artist, Guitar
