Leroy Preston & The Unknown Blues Band

Leroy began performing as a Vermont-based musician and went on to found, tour and record with the Grammy-award winning western swing group Asleep at the Wheel.

He later moved to Nashville where he spent many years as a professional songwriter. He wrote the number 1 chart hit (“My Baby thinks He’s a Train”) for Rosanne Cash and has had other top ten hits by Cash and Asleep at the Wheel as well as top 40 hits for the Wheel, k.d. Lang and Lee Roy Parnell.

Leroy is probably best known as the co-founder of the Texas swing band, Asleep At the Wheel, but he has also penned hit songs for the likes of Rosanne Cash, k.d. Lang, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, Los Lobos, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Ruth Brown, and Maria Muldaur. While he spent many years between Texas, and Nashville, what many may not know is that Leroy originally hails from Strafford, Vermont, and now resides in Waltham, Vermont.

In 2023, Leroy enlisted the services of Unknown Blues Band veterans, Paul Asbell, Chas Eller, and Clyde Stats, along with drummer Jeff Salisbury, to record a new collection of songs that Leroy had written. These new songs are a soulful blend of country, blues, jazz, and swing that create what Leroy is calling, “a songwriter’s album”—an album that is performed by the songwriter himself.

The Unknown Blues Band are no strangers to supporting vocalists, having backed up B.B. King alumnus, Big Joe Burrell for over 25 years. They have also toured extensively with blues icon, Paul Butterfield, as well as performed as the back up band for a number of shows with New Orleans own, Marva Wright, and Kenny Neal.

This top-notch group will be joined by saxophonist extraordinaire Michael Zsoldos, as well as the amazingly talented Taryn Noelle, a local treasure, who was voted Western Swing Female Vocalist of the Year in 2019. Taryn will be lending her lovely voice to some of Leroy’s famous hits that were covered by women artists.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear these songs performed as the writer intended. It should prove to be a memorable night of music!