Music

Perhaps accordions were too heavy. Damon Leibert first picked up the fiddle in 1982 and by 1986 was playing music at social dances between rural New England and Nova Scotia. He is one of the last generations, before the dawn of the CD and internet, to aurally inherit traditional dance music. Based in Boston from 1997 to 2017 he has been featured on numerous recordings, toured extensively, and has made his living primarily as a freelance performer. Leibert’s experiences immersed in traditional music while living in Galway, Ireland, Boston and Nova Scotia has produced his unique and energetic style. Living somewhere between the driving dance beat of Cape Breton and the lyrical music of Ireland his style has been described as “ingenious” by Steve Morse of WBOS Radio/The Boston Globe. No Depression, on Bow Thayer & Levon Helm’s album “Spend it All,” says Leibert’s fiddle “showcased in this track smokes and is worth the price of admission.” Adept at movement whilst playing he has worked on stage in theater and dance and currently tours nationally with The Irish Comedy Tour. Relocating to the mid-coast of Maine in 2017 Leibert released a compilation album in 2018 and is currently in the early stages of new compositions and projects. While not on stage he is the technical director of the Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta, ME and in his spare time he farms oysters and wrangles lobsters

Leibert’s fiddle “smokes and is worth the price of admission.”

No Depression (on Bow Thayer & Levon Helm’s album “Spend it All”)

“ingenious”

Steve Morse of WBOS Radio/The Boston Globe

Damon cites Jerry Holland, Johnny Cunningham, and his father as his biggest musical influences. Some of the groups & artists he has performed with include: The Johnny Come Latelies, Paddy Saul, Inchicore, dunn, Josh Lederman & The Cambridge-Somerville All Stars, Ronan Quinn, The Irish Comedy Tour, & The McTeggarts

Some past musical collaborations, groups, freelance work or artists performed with: Bow Thayer featuring Levon Helm,  Christian McNeill, The Redeemers/Sea Monsters, Dave Mattacks, Jerry Holland, Chris Murphy, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Bob Metzger, Stu Kimball,  Peter Leibert, Steve Mayone, Kevin Connolley, Los Diablos, The Rex Complex, Sunday’s Well, Eugene Byrne, Celtic Clan, The Old Brigade, Jimmy Ryan, The Radioactive Rustlers, Buddy MacMaster.