The North Carolina-based singer, known for his creative mouth imitations of brass instruments, returns to KSUT this Friday for song and conversation.
Lawrence "Lipbone" Redding specializes in accurately imitating such instruments and working them into his own repertoire. He also uses an old style of expression known as throat singing.
From his website:
Redding worked the subways of New York City during the late night hours in 1998 through 2001 singing soulful ballads and stomping out echoey grooves. Late one night when a crowd of weary straphangers had gathered on the northbound side of the uptown 6 platform at Spring street, something amazing happened. Always prone to imitating sounds and people, Redding began using his voice as a wordless solo instrument over the funky strumming of his acoustic guitar, a kind of wailing that bounced from wall to wall in the subterranean cavern. He reformed the shape of his lips and by accident the sound resembled a brass instrument. Long slow sliding tones and bright brash explosions of musical joy. The commuters smiled and applauded as the train pulled into the station. Thus was born, "The Lip Trombone."
Redding's songs have appeared on FX and A&E shows, and he plays festivals and concert halls in America and Europe.
Lipbone Redding played the KSUT studios a few years ago, and his song "Dogs of Santiago" appears on KSUT's Roots & Rhythms Volume 5 CD.
He'll return to the station Friday April 10 to play a few more songs and talk about his latest tour.
Redding also plays at Dancing Spirit Arts in Ignacio April 10.