Lamont Landers

Biography

Lamont Landers is an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, guitarist, and songwriter, born and raised in Decatur, Alabama, a small North Alabama town where, in his words, “everybody knows everybody.”[1] Music was central to his upbringing: riding in the back of his father’s Chevrolet S‑10 Blazer, he absorbed Southern rock from bands like the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd, while at home his mother played classic soul artists such as Al Green, Sly & The Family Stone, Ray Charles, and Marvin Gaye.[1] Amid his parents’ divorce he turned to music as a refuge, teaching himself guitar in his mid‑teens and later discovering his singing voice in his early twenties when he unexpectedly stepped up to sing after his college band’s lead vocalist quit.[1][2]

Landers spent years honing his craft in his bedroom, listening repeatedly to records by Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Sly & The Family Stone, Ray Charles, and others, before forming the Lamont Landers Band, a four‑piece group that became a staple in college towns across the U.S. Southeast.[2] His breakthrough came around age 22, when a candid video filmed by his sister of him performing Ray Charles’ “Hit the Road Jack” went viral online, earning hundreds of thousands of views overnight and rapidly expanding his audience.[1][2] He went on to appear on national television, including “America’s Got Talent” Season 14 and “Showtime at the Apollo,” bringing his blend of retro‑soul vocals, tight funk grooves, and blues‑rooted guitar to wider audiences.[1][2][5]

Artistically, Landers draws heavily from classic soul, Southern rock, and vintage R&B, combining a soaring, emotionally charged voice with gritty guitar tone and grooves influenced by Motown, funk, and church‑inflected organ sounds.[1][2] After building a following through live shows, viral covers, and TikTok performances, he attracted the attention of GRAMMY‑winning producer Dave Cobb when Questlove reposted Landers’ cover of the Spinners’ “Rubber Band Man.”[1] Cobb invited him to record at his Savannah, Georgia studio, leading to Landers signing with Cobb’s Republic Records imprint, Lucile, and cutting a body of original material that includes socially aware tracks like “America,” the post‑breakup soul cut “Whole Lot of Love to Give,” the playful “Oh Shit! (I’m in Love),” and the deeply personal “I Have Always Loved You,” dedicated to his daughter.[1] While still in the early stages of his recording career, Landers has already established a reputation as a compelling live performer and modern torchbearer of retro soul emerging from the American South.[1][2][3]

Fun Facts

• A casual home video of Landers performing Ray Charles’ “Hit the Road Jack,” filmed by his sister, went viral with over 400,000 views overnight after being shared on Reddit, effectively launching his professional career.[2]
• Before he ever thought of himself as a singer, Landers primarily saw himself as a guitarist; he only discovered his vocal ability in his early twenties when he stepped up to sing after his college band’s lead singer quit.[1][2]
• Questlove’s repost of Landers’ cover of the Spinners’ “Rubber Band Man” on social media directly led to GRAMMY-winning producer Dave Cobb hearing his work and inviting him to record, a connection that resulted in his signing to Cobb’s Lucile imprint at Republic Records.[1]
• One of Landers’ most personal recorded songs, “I Have Always Loved You,” is written as a heartfelt letter to his daughter, expressing what he describes as the overwhelming depth of feeling he has as a father.[1]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Al Green - One of the core classic-soul artists his mother played at home, shaping his taste and vocal approach toward warm, church-inflected Southern soul. (General influence from classic Al Green recordings frequently cited in his listening background; no specific track-by-track mentorship.) [Childhood and adolescence listening, continuing as a stylistic influence into his professional career.[1][2]]
• Sly & The Family Stone - Formed part of the funk and soul records he listened to repeatedly while practicing guitar and vocals, influencing his groove-oriented, funk-infused sound. (Overall catalog influence rather than documented collaboration, reflected in his band’s emphasis on funk and R&B covers and originals.) [Teen years and early 20s during his formative practice period.[1][2]]
• Ray Charles - A central influence whose material he covered extensively; his viral performance of “Hit the Road Jack” became Landers’ breakout moment and solidified Charles as a guiding stylistic figure. (Cover of “Hit the Road Jack” that went viral on YouTube and Reddit, catalyzing his professional career.[1][2]) [Late teens to early 20s, culminating in the viral video at around age 22.[2][5]]
• Stevie Wonder - Frequently cited among the records he studied; Wonder’s sophisticated harmony and rhythmic feel inform Landers’ retro-soul and R&B songwriting and arranging. (General exposure through records such as the songs his band covers live (e.g., “Superstition,” “As,” “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” “I Wish”).[2]) [Formative years of practice and ongoing influence, especially evident in his live repertoire.[2]]

Key Collaborators

• The Lamont Landers Band (four-piece ensemble) - His primary performing outfit, a four-piece band that plays soul, funk, and R&B across the southeastern United States, serving as the vehicle for his early touring and regional reputation. (Live performances in college towns and venues across the Southeast; broad cover repertoire including songs by Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, and others.[2]) [From his early 20s onward as the band became a staple in college-town circuits across the Southeast.[2][6]]
• Dave Cobb - GRAMMY-winning producer who invited Landers to record after discovering him via a Questlove repost; helped shape and record Landers’ first major-label material. (Studio sessions at Cobb’s Savannah, Georgia studio resulting in a collection of songs including “America,” “Whole Lot Of Love To Give,” “Oh Shit! (I’m In Love),” and “I Have Always Loved You,” released under Cobb’s Republic Records imprint Lucile.[1]) [Mid-2020s, leading up to and including sessions for his 2025 rollout of new music.[1]]
• Lucile (Republic Records imprint) - Label imprint founded/helmed by Dave Cobb through which Landers signed and released his newer original material, providing industry support and distribution. (Release of the Cobb-produced tracks, including “America,” “Whole Lot Of Love To Give,” “Oh Shit! (I’m In Love),” and “I Have Always Loved You.”[1]) [Signing and recording period leading into the 2025 release cycle.[1]]

Artists Influenced

• [[|]] - No specific artists, students, or protégés have been reliably documented as being directly influenced by Lamont Landers by name in available sources; while his viral videos and televised performances have clearly reached a wide audience, concrete cases of named musicians citing him as an influence are not yet part of the public record.

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz