Interview: Dylan LeBlanc

A native of Shreveport, La., Dylan LeBlanc got a crash course in professional music as a kid while hanging with his songwriter father at FAME Enterprises in Muscle Shoals, Ala. Since then, he’s recorded multiple acclaimed albums (including 2016’s superb Cautionary Tale) and toured with the likes of First Aid Kit and Alabama shakes.

Back on the road in support of his sharp new disc Renegade, including a Friday, Nov. 1 stop at The Mothlight, LeBlanc spoke with Asheville Stages about the art of listening, shifting from one revered producer to another, and translating his recent electric-forward tracks to intimate settings.

Edwin Arnaudin: You’ve played Asheville numerous times over the years. What are some of your standout memories from those shows and being here in general?

Dylan LeBlanc: When I played The Orange Peel with Lucinda Williams. I was on a month-long tour with her and she did half the tour with her band and the other half solo, and I was playing solo opening for her. The first night she asked me to play a song with her was at The Orange Peel, and we played “Jackson" and she looked me in the eyes the entire time we played that song, and tears came streaming down my face. That song reminds me of my childhood. It was one of my favorite musical moments.

EA: What prompted you to leave Single Lock Records? And to move to Nashville? Were the two decisions related?

DL: I only had a one record deal with Single Lock, so my contract was done with them. They weren’t related. I just had moved from Louisiana to be closer to the people I work with and Nashville is so centrally located that it made sense.

EA: Who are some of your favorite renegades — ones in the public sphere and/or lesser-known folks — and why?

DL: Nelson Mandela, fighting apartheid while so many things were standing in his way. He literally had to fight to get the racist white nationalists out of power and destabilize a racist government. So to me, he is a true hero. All the people who work hard to liberate minorities and fight for their rights are the true heroes. The people in the press who fight with their words and the truth and realities of people who still suffer in our own home country are the true renegades.

EA: Who had the better lyrics on the 2001 song “Renegade,” Jay-Z or Eminem?

DL: They both kick ass. I’m a fan of both of them.

EA: Several songs on Renegade (“Domino,” “Bang Bang Bang,” and possibly more?) grew out of conversations you had with strangers. How did you meet them?

DL: Mostly roaming the streets of New Orleans and being on tour and having a general interest in people — getting outside of myself and being more interested in other people’s stories. I’m a pretty decent listener when I want to be.

EA: As a songwriter, do you feel that people somewhat naturally open up to you and share their stories — almost like you have a magical, magnetic pull? Or is it more that adapting stories into song form has turned you into a better listener and mental note-taker over time?

DL: I think a little bit of both. I try to be observant most of the time of what’s going on inside of me and what effect life has on other people. I’m definitely an empath and I’m very familiar with the tougher sides of life, given my background and where I come from. I relate to people who have suffered and are suffering because I myself have suffered.

This world, no matter what background you come from, will either make you crack or get tough or both. In my case, both — but I cracked first. [Laughs] I still do a lot of things in spite of fear. I think there is a lot of anxiety in America and other places. It sometimes feels like we are all just tiny nervous pieces of matter doing our best to fit into society, but not yet evolved enough to comfort and take care of one another.

EA: Since recording the songs, have you contacted the people who inspired them and shared your creations? If so, how did they respond? If not, are you interested in reaching out to them or would you rather leave things as they are?

DL: I just think of them often and I keep my songs vague enough that no one would know it was exactly about them. I think that’s more respectful in case they wouldn’t want their story told. 

EA: How do Dave Cobb [Renegade] and John Paul White [Cautionary Tale] compare and contrast as producers? What do you see as their distinct strengths in the studio?

DL: They are similar in the way they are both purists, but John Paul White you have to convince that another instrument needs to be on a song, and Dave Cobb is up for anything.

EA: Renegade is a decidedly electric record, yet you’ll be embarking on an acoustic tour this December. What’s been involved in translating your new songs to that form? What do you feel they gain and lose in that setting versus their electric versions?

DL: I don’t feel like they lose anything. I think the cool thing about what I do is I can always translate them into both. It’s not like Renegade was an EDM record, so it’s not that hard. They are just maybe a little more intimate and maybe a little sadder.

EA: You also have some house shows planned for January. What inspired you to play in that setting? Will they be simply you with a guitar, or will you be bringing another player or two with you?

DB: I’m not sure yet. I enjoy meeting fans one-on-one and getting to know the people who like my music, and it’s a great way to meet new fans. And it induces growth between the listener and the artist to get to know one another on a more personal level.

EA: Lastly, I was fortunate enough to interview your friend Brittany Howard and catch one of her two shows at The Orange Peel over the summer. What do you think of her new album, Jaime? And have you been able to see her perform on her current tour cycle?

DB: I love Brittany. From the moment I saw her, I knew right away she was a force to be reckoned with. I love her new album and I can’t wait to see her perform it live since I haven’t yet. But hopefully she and I will get to catch up soon.

IF YOU GO

Who: Dylan LeBlanc with Night Moves
When: Friday, Nov. 1, 9 p.m.
Where: The Mothlight, 701 Haywood Road, themothlight.com
Tickets: $15 advance/$18 day of show

(Photo by Alysse Gafkjen)