Jerry Leger
- Americana, Folk, Rock, Singer-Songwriter
Born in the mid-80s, singer-songwriter Jerry Leger came of age in the East End of Toronto. Surrounded by music from a young age, his first obsession was The Beatles, and his grandfather turned him onto Hank Williams. Leger was intrigued by the ways that Williams’ songs told a story and often conjured up mysterious images in his head. Other seminalinfluences were added including Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Gordon Lightfoot and Lucinda Williams.
By time Jerry was thirteen, he had taught himself how to play guitar and piano. His high school years were spent writing songs at a feverish pace and honing his craft playing a weekly show at a local coffee shop.
In 2005 as Leger turned nineteen he recorded his self-titled debut album. After releasing a further five records independently, he was signed to the Cowboy Junkies’ label, Latent Recordings in 2013. Leger’s final album for the label, Donlands (2023) was produced by Grammy-winning veteran engineer, Mark Howard.
Jerry’s music has been heard on CBC, BBC, NPR, SiriusXM and received acclaim in Uncut, Rolling Stone, Globe & Mail, Toronto Star and Exclaim! He has appeared at Mariposa Folk Festival, on prestigious stages such as Massey Hall, and performed around the world, including ten European tours. Leger’s growing presence internationally led to Hamburg-based label, DevilDuck Records releasing his most recent album, Waves Of Desire (2025).
In 2020, Leger expanded his artistic endeavors by publishing a book of poetry titled Just The Night Birds. Jerry has opened for many artists including Steve Earle, Jill Barber, Dawes, The Sadies, Jim Cuddy and Ron Sexsmith. Sexsmith has praised Leger as “the real deal”.
“Worn-in songs and poetic melancholia of a welcome stranger, with a laconic style that lives
somewhere between Blue Rodeo and Lucinda Williams.” – GLOBE & MAIL
“Heartache has rarely sounded so haunting” – UNCUT Magazine
“There aren’t many songwriters like Leger anymore.” – ROLLING STONE Germany
“A gifted storyteller.” – THE TORONTO STAR
“Darkness can lead to an uplifting experience in the hands of a master songwriter.” –
AMERICANA UK
“…one of Canada’s best.” – EXCLAIM!
“Jerry Leger has that spark in him that all the great songwriters have. He’s the real deal.” –
RON SEXSMITH
“Take the time to listen to Jerry Leger.” – DOUG PAISLEY
