Biography

-2010-

"Mr. Used To Be" - The Chris O'Leary Band's powerful 2010 debut.

“Front man Chris O’Leary carries the group .....with a huge shout and force of nature harmonica sound... he generates authotity. “
— Griel Marcus

“O’Leary, who has the crewcut-and-muscles appeal of the Marine veteran he is, is a forceful harp player, a powerful singer and a natural frontman.”
— Kay Kordtz, Blues Revue Magazine

“Mr. O’Leary spent many years working in Levon Helm’s band, often fronting when Mr. Helm’s voice was not working. In forming his own band, he has assembled a cast of premier musicians from New York’s Hudson Valley, and the fun they have playing together comes through on this debut CD. So does Mr. O’Leary’s talent as a songwriter on clever and original songs that could have come from a 60’s sould catalogue”
— Nick Delay, WVKR

“I was really impressed with Chris when he worked with Levon Helm’s Barnburners in the late ‘90s, but all of his gigs leading up to this CD have given him a seasoned authority in his singing and harp playing. Turns out he’s a fine Blues songwriter too, intimate with the battlefields of life and love.”
— Bob Margolin