Leron Young
Everybody has a gift, and Washington area musician Leron Young’s gift is creating music that tantalizes and excites people of all ages. It doesn’t matter whether it is the Blues, R&B or Smooth Jazz; Leron loves and plays it all. From mainstream to contemporary, from bebop to hip-hop, he plays the guitar with a sense of grace and emotion that is wholly without cliché.
His passion for music was sparked at 8 years old when he received a guitar from his mother. Leron spent his formative years teaching himself how to play the guitar, while growing up in Washington D.C.
Leron attended Bluefield State University, where he studied electrical engineering. It was during his matriculation at Bluefield that Leron became aware of the corollary between music and math. He learned that just as in engineering, music depends on equations, relationships codified in symbolic systems (i.e. Notes) that are mathematical and equational. Whether it’s a tune with a syncopated backbeat and a funky turnaround, soulful funk, hard bop, hip hop, a beautiful ballad or a violin concerto it is all held together, as communicative, affective stimulus by numbers.
Leron was one of four Washingtonian guitar players featured in the famous Wattstax film documentary of a Black music festival that also featured Stax recording artist Isaac Hayes, Luther Ingram, Kim Weston and The Bar-Kays. Leron also played with Chuck Brown on his famous “Busting Loose Album.” It was during these gigs where his education really began. Leron says some things you can only learn on the bandstand with great musician.
Leron represents as high a level of musicianship as can be found anywhere, and his versatility and strong sense of melody have made him somewhat of an icon in his community. Leron’s melodic inventiveness i.e. his ability to improve marvelously beautiful and strikingly original melodies is his trademark. Some say Leron has captured the sound and soul of Charlie Chritain, George Benson, Carlos Santana, Earl Klugh, and guitarist extraordinaire, Wes Montgomery
In addition to being an accomplished solo guitarist, recording artist, composer, Electrical engineer, music teacher and bandleader.
In keeping with his creative growth Leron has parlayed his brilliant and original thinking in his music to write his first book. In this book Leron makes the connection between engineering, music and human growth and development. The book shows us some simple things to do when we get too distracted to do what we need to do, improperly motivated to release our own considerable potential, and how to reinvigorate our natural spirit.
Like most of us Leron has wondered what it would feel like to be a powerful player in shaping his own life, to have better control of his destiny. He found a solution that works for him and felt it his duty to share it with others through this book.
The title of the book, “How Is My T. E. D. D Y?” is a play on the word TEDDY as in Teddy Bear. Each letter is the beginnings of 5 ideas that if practiced regularly can help you stay fully engaged and empowered to create the life you want and deserve.
The book burst with supportive tools to help you to engage fully in life, experiencing the glory and the bittersweet wonder of being alive. It is your private practice field for taking charge of your life.
Leron says, “just as I play scales to strengthen my rhythm and tone, to limber my finger, hands and vocal cords, so too I use My T.E.D.D.Y to limber my thoughts and feelings so I can engage fully in my life. When I am conscious and responsible for how and what I Think, what I Eat, what I Do, what I Drink and the You (feeling good about me) my life works and I’m more productive.”
For information about Leron’s book his schedule for speaking or performing email me at leronyoung49@gmail.com