Jeff LeBlanc is set to take the stage at Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center on April 30th at 8:00 p.m. He is an independent artist who has charted on iTunes and netted millions of streams, selling out headline shows across the country.
Jeff earned his degree in history and thought he would end up on a much different path, but ever since the release of his first album he has found incredible success as an independent artist. He says, “I’m actually not sure how I got here, ha! What started as a hobby slowly kept growing. I was the kid in college that played acoustic guitar in the stairwell and annoyed everyone until the wee hours. One door just opened the next and I’ve been very lucky to sustain a full-time career in this crazy field.”
Jeff is a singer-songwriter who is often associated with his acoustic guitar. Since he mostly tours by himself, he says that he tries to write songs that can stand on their own, however he has been recently bringing electric guitar to the forefront. In describing his genre and style, Jeff notes, “I love pop songs, but I’ve always been into R&B, blues, and jazz. Those have certainly been finding their way into my songs more and more these days.”
Jeff LeBlanc had many early influences that further sparked his love of music. It was always an important part of his childhood and continued to inform his passion into his college years, which he says, “were certainly during the golden age of modern singer/songwriters. I think every dorm room was either playing Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, or Jason Mraz…”
The more he listened to the music of his idols and practiced cultivating his sound, Jeff was able to establish himself as a unique musician and become a distinguished voice and style on the indie music scene, describing his voice as “soft and sweet.” He says, “I think you find your own voice by failing to sound like your heroes. It took me a while to realize that there’s no prize for sounding exactly like someone you admire. You can buy the same expensive amps, pedals, and guitars but you’re always going to sound like you. When I think of most successful artists, they sound like themselves.”
Jeff doesn’t take his ability to perform and express himself through music for granted, especially during the last few years. He has thoroughly enjoyed stepping into venues again after the pandemic and seeing the faces in the crowd. He looks forward to his performance at Westhampton Beach on April 30th, saying, “Westhampton Beach plays an integral part in my musical journey. My first gigs were on Main Street. My friend Caroline Rose and I would sing in front of Wetter or Not Bathing Suits and the Beach Bakery. The two of us are both still going!”
He has performed at the WHBPAC many times over the years as both an opening act and headliner, but he noted that his love for the venue started as a patron long before he was a performer himself. He went to many shows at WHBPAC to see artists like John Hiatt, Robert Cray, Herbie Hancock, Amos Lee, Buddy Guy, and even Jamie Cullum’s infamous three encore night. He says, “It’s really one of the best sounding rooms in the entire country. There’s just something special about the venue. It has the magic fairy dust!”
Jeff can’t wait to take the stage in Westhampton. His show was originally scheduled for May 2020, so it has been a long time coming. He says he’s putting together a special band to join him and that he “couldn’t be more excited to present these songs on that magical stage.” Attendees are in for a great show and are sure to be part of an unforgettable evening of meaningful music!
Jeff LeBlanc just released a brand-new song, “When You Need Me” that can be found on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw4nmT4vL-g.
For more information about Jeff, his music, and tour, visit http://www.jeffleblancmusic.com, and to purchase tickets for the upcoming show on April 30th at Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center visit https://whbpac.org.
