Biography
Cousin Leroy was the stage name of Leroy Rozier (also documented as Leroy Asbell), a singer, guitarist and harmonica player born on September 30, 1925 in Chester, Georgia, USA.[1][4][6][8] He came from a rural Southern background and, like many postwar bluesmen, moved north, eventually surfacing in New York City’s rhythm-and-blues scene in the mid‑1950s.[1][4][5] Very little is known for certain about his early life, but accounts consistently place his origins in rural Georgia and describe him as a largely mysterious figure whose personal history was only partially reconstructed by later blues researchers.[1][4][5]
Cousin Leroy’s recording career was brief but distinctive, running roughly from 1955 to 1957, during which he cut a small body of sides for New York independent labels.[3][4][6] His records were firmly rooted in the down‑home blues tradition even as they were marketed in the R&B era, with rough‑edged vocals, driving guitar, and prominent harmonica that put the “blues” ahead of smoother commercial influences.[4] Later critics described his work as an example of postwar New York blues that preserved a Southern feel, and his scarcity on record, combined with fragmentary biographical data, has made him one of the more enigmatic figures of postwar blues scholarship.[1][4][5] Despite limited commercial impact, his recordings have been reissued and discussed by blues historians, ensuring a modest legacy among collectors and genre specialists.[1][3][4][5]
Cousin Leroy’s later life and date of death remain uncertain in published sources, contributing to his reputation as a “lost” or “mysterious” artist in postwar blues history.[1][5] Nevertheless, modern discographies and reissue notes have helped document his complete known output and confirm his identity under multiple name variants, preserving his place as a minor but intriguing voice in the 1950s New York blues milieu.[1][3][4][6]
Fun Facts
- Cousin Leroy recorded under multiple civil names and nicknames, including Leroy Rozier, reportedly born Leroy Asbell, and the alias “Chewin’ Gum.”[1][3][6]
- Blues writers describe him as one of the most mysterious figures in postwar blues, with key details of his life and death still undocumented.[1][5]
- Although active in the peak R&B era, his records are noted for putting the emphasis squarely on traditional blues rather than the more polished R&B sound of the time.[4]
- His known recording career was extremely short, concentrated between 1955 and 1957, which adds to the rarity and collector interest in his original singles.[3][6]
Musical Connections
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Crossroads | 2014-08-23 | Album |
| Up the River | 2014-08-23 | Album |
| Crossroads | 2014-01-20 | Album |
| Upside Blues | 2013-12-02 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Goin' Back Home (Juke Joint Blues Black Cat Rag)
- I'm Lonesome (Playboy & Girl Next Door)
- Crossroads (The Glory of Love - From the Vaults)
- Will a Matchbox Hold My Clothes (Memories of the Great 1950's, Vol. 2)
- Catfish
- Goin' Back Home (Music Road, Vol. 4 - Pop Travel)
- Will a Matchbox Hold My Clothes (Pure Nostalgia, Vol. 4)
- Will a Matchbox Hold My Clothes (Music Road,Vol. 12 - Pop Travel)
- I'm Lonesome (Music Road,Vol. 12 - Pop Travel)
- Will a Matchbox Hold My Clothes
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
COusin Leroy has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 5, 2025 | 15:24 | Im Lonesomefrom EMBER 45 | The Blues Breakdown |