Leewood James LeBlanc (Lee James)

Leewood James LeBlanc, better known as the musician Lee James, was born December 24, 1943 and graduated from Abbeville High School in 1961.  He started playing music in the fourth grade and by 1957; he and the Abbeville High School band were marching in President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Inaugural parade in Washington, DC

Seeing, the success of his musical skills and only 12 years old, LeBlanc joined his with cousins and friends to form a dance band for the area.  They called themselves Butch & the Boppers.  He played only a few months and left that band to join his uncle’s band, Randy & the Rockets.  He then took over that band and renamed it as Lee James & the Impacts.  They played a variety of music including rock’ n roll, swamp pop, country, French, Top 40 and others.  They played teenage dances every Saturday night, along with high school graduations and private parties. As they grew older the band members were able to begin playing in nightclubs and played throughout the state of Louisiana and Texas, performing from two to six nights a week.  They played for all age groups, teenagers to 100 years old.   LeBlanc played keyboards, (piano, organ, synthesizer), clarinet, saxophone, and drums.

For those with fond memories of the old party places in south Louisiana, LeBlanc performed at the Airport Club, Purple Peacock, the Rainbow in Cade, the Rainbow in Kaplan, the Bamboo Club, Pangays, Pohnah’s, Four Seasons, Carpet Room (Bon Ami), Smileys, Starmist Club, Star Light Lounge, Lake Shore Club, Signarellei’s, Cowboys, Bayou Club, Banacheck, Country Oaks, The Balcony, Randy’s in Berwick, Club Country, Pepper’s, Landry’s Palladium, Rock A Bye, Pelican Club, Club La Louisiane, Wild Wild West, Paul’s Lounge, Whiskey River Club, Top Inn, Beno’s, Curve Lounge, O K Corral, Acadian Motor Lodge, Fox Trap, Clem’s Dancehall, Dudley’s, Beehive Lounge, Triangle Club, Pete’s, Kitty’s Kitchen, Holiday Inn, Jim’s Lounge,  Night Owl, J & D’s Lounge, ZoZo’s Lounge, Fantasy’s Sweeney’s Club in Cameron, Cory’s Town Lounge, Tiger Lounge, Maco’s, and The Shop.  He also performed teenage dances at American Legions and recreation centers in Abbeville, New Iberia, Franklin, Erath, and Jeanerette.  In addition to schedule, LeBlanc found the time to host a radio program on KROF in Abbeville, and television programs on KLFY-TV in Lafayette.

Throughout his career. Leewood has met many local and national artists and became friends with them having been inducted into the Music hall of Fame. Highlights in his career include backing up Michael Twitty (son of Conway Twitty) for two sold-out concerts at the Country Oaks in Kaplan, and opening up for Percy Sledge at the Star Mist Club in Abbeville.

After a forty-one year career in music, and open-heart surgery in 1995, LeBlanc decided to retire.  He says he owes a “great deal of thanks to God, my family, all my fans, and to all the people that made my career such a great success.”

* Asterisk after a person’s name indicates that the person is deceased.