Biography
Gilbert John Landry, born December 10, 1975, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, received his first guitar at age 5 and began his musical journey as a street busker in New Orleans, the Pacific Northwest, and Europe, often living out of Volkswagens. In 1998, he co-founded the Kitchen Syncopators with Woody Pines, emerging from a vaudeville-inspired show featuring early American music influenced by figures like Baby Gramps. His immersion in American folk traditions led him to join Old Crow Medicine Show in 2004, initially filling in for Critter Fuqua; he contributed guitar, banjo, pedal steel, vocals, and songwriting through their van tours, Grand Ole Opry induction, and Grammy win for Remedy (2014), departing in 2015 to focus on solo work.[1][2][4]
Landry's solo career began with The Ballad of Lawless Soirez (2007, Nettwerk), followed by Piety & Desire (2011, self-released, featuring Felice Brothers, Brandi Carlile, Jolie Holland, Ketch Secor, and Samantha Parton), his self-titled third album (2015, ATO Records, with Ross Holmes, Skylar Wilson, Logan Matheny), Love Rides a Dark Horse (2017), and further releases across six albums total. A multi-instrumentalist, visual artist, photographer, and self-taught painter, his style blends americana, southern gothic, alt-country, Dylan-inspired folk-rock, delta blues, atmospheric Americana, and cinematic introspection, marked by poetic lyrics, baritone vocals evoking Leonard Cohen, Kris Kristofferson, and Dave Alvin.[1][2][4][5]
Landry's legacy includes two Grammy Awards via Old Crow Medicine Show, extensive touring (e.g., Americana Music Festival with Loretta Lynn and Steve Earle, support for Warren Haynes, festivals in Europe), and performances with Dianna Agron at Café Carlyle (2017, 2019). His versatile, genre-defying work resonates with timeless folk innovation while drawing from busker roots and nomadic life experiences.[1][2][3]
Fun Facts
- Also known by the stage name Frank Lemon.
- Learned clawhammer banjo in two weeks after buying his first one, despite no prior experience, to join Old Crow Medicine Show; played it on the Grand Ole Opry.
- Self-taught painter, adventuresome photographer, hitchhiking gentleman, and shade tree mechanic, with a nomadic history of sleeping under bridges and in estates.
- Got his OCMS start via mutual friend Sam Parton suggesting he call Ketch Secor, initially filling in for Critter Fuqua during Europe tour in 2005.
Associated Acts
- Old Crow Medicine Show (2007–2015)
- The Anal Beatles
- Salvador Dali Parton - electric guitar
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Baby Gramps - Key inspiration for early American music in vaudeville show leading to Kitchen Syncopators (The Songsters vaudeville show) [late 1990s]
Key Collaborators
- Woody Pines - Co-founder of band (Kitchen Syncopators) [1998 onward]
- Old Crow Medicine Show - Band member, multi-instrumentalist (guitar, banjo, pedal steel), contributing songwriter (Tennessee Pusher (2008), Carry Me Back (2012), Remedy (2014)) [2004-2015]
- Ketch Secor - Guest on solo album; mutual friend Sam Parton connected them for OCMS (Piety & Desire (2011)) [2011]
- Felice Brothers - Guest collaborators (Piety & Desire (2011)) [2011]
- Brandi Carlile - Guest collaborator (Piety & Desire (2011)) [2011]
- Jolie Holland - Guest collaborator (Piety & Desire (2011)) [2011]
- Samantha Parton - Guest collaborator; mutual friend who suggested OCMS connection (Piety & Desire (2011)) [2011]
- Ross Holmes - Fiddle player (Gill Landry (2015)) [2015]
- Dianna Agron - Concert performances (Café Carlyle shows) [2017-2019]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| The Ballad of Lawless Soirez | 2007-01-30 | Album |
| Cinnamon Canyon Blues | 2024-06-07 | Album |
| Skeleton at the Banquet | 2020-01-24 | Album |
| Love Rides A Dark Horse | 2017-10-06 | Album |
| Gill Landry | 2015-03-03 | Album |
| Skeleton at the Banquet | 2020-01-24 | Album |
| Skeleton at the Banquet | 2020-01-24 | Album |
| Gill Landry | 2015-03-03 | Album |
| Love Rides a Dark Horse | 2017-10-06 | Album |
| Piety & Desire | 2011-10-11 | Album |
| Love Rides a Dark Horse | 2017-10-06 | Album |
| Love Rides a Dark Horse | 2017-10-06 | Album |
| Gill Landry | 2015-03-03 | Album |
| Skeleton at the Banquet | 2020-01-24 | Album |
| Love Rides A Dark Horse | 2017-10-06 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Mexico (The Ballad of Lawless Soirez)
- Lawless Soirez (The Ballad of Lawless Soirez)
- I Love You Too (Skeleton at the Banquet)
- Denver Girls (Love Rides A Dark Horse)
- Always Here Tonight (Cinnamon Canyon Blues)
- I Love You Too (Skeleton at the Banquet)
- Dead Language (Cinnamon Canyon Blues)
- When I Get There (Cinnamon Canyon Blues)
- I Love You Too (Skeleton at the Banquet)
- Denver Girls (Love Rides a Dark Horse)
External Links
Tags: #bluegrass, #progressive-bluegrass
References
Heard on WWOZ
gill landry has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 11, 2025 | 20:27 | lawless soirez | R&Bw/ Your Cousin Dimitri |