Nomadic Spirit: Songwriter Dylan LeBlanc hits the road in support of 'Coyote'

It’s a day of travel for Dylan LeBlanc as he heads to Portland, Oregon, for his next performance.

The singer-songwriter’s latest tour kicked off and he will spend the next four months on tour.

“It’s been nice seeing people and getting excited to see a performance,” he says. “I’m lucky to be able to do this. Every show that I’m able to play, I appreciate that people are making time to come out and see me perform.”

LeBlanc’s tour is slated to make a stop in Santa Fe at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery.

LeBlanc grew up in Texas, Louisiana and Alabama.

It is that nomadic spirit that drew him not only to a life as a touring musician, but also to the beast that titles his newest record ‘Coyote.’

LeBlanc says he has always related to the insatiable, scavenging nature of the wily coyote. Much like the animal, LeBlanc is a wanderer who knows when to trust his instincts, musically and otherwise.

LeBlanc was in Austin, Texas, climbing the face of a 100-foot cliff, gambling with Mother Nature’s good graces as he pulled himself up by tree branches.

Once he reached the top, all that laid ahead of him was a lush treeline. There was a breath of stillness, then the sound of a thunderous rustling that drew closer and closer to him.

In a blink, LeBlanc watched as a frenzied raccoon came speeding out of the treeline, trailed by an animal that stopped and stared at him with striking intensity: a coyote.

“We’re looking at each other dead in the eyes and I’m saying — out loud — ‘If it’s you or me, I am going to kick you off the side of this cliff. I’m not going down.’ It was intense, this human-animal moment,” LeBlanc says. “I’ve never forgotten that… he was just trying to survive and so was I.”

“Coyote” is LeBlanc’s first self-produced release.

He’s been releasing albums since 2010.

With a growing catalog of music, putting together a setlist can be a daunting task.

“I play two or three songs from each record though the majority of the focus is on the new material,” he says. “I always include the favorites and what the fans are going to like. It’s really neat to play through the catalog. Being able to relive those songs each night is really cool. I’m in a different place in life now and it’s really cool to look back and see how cool I thought I was when I first started.”

LeBlanc says there are moments when he’s diving deep into his older songs that he fights the urge to change the lyrics.

“There’s always a better line to put in,” he says with a laugh. “I always tell people that you have to believe in yourself before anyone else will. I remember being this young musician with the confidence to do anything. That really helped me move myself forward with the music. Coming from small towns, my goal was to be somebody. That gave me the drive and I’ve done my best over the last 15 years.”

Like many other musicians, LeBlanc used his time during the pandemic to write.

He spent more than two years writing and decided in April 2023 to begin recording.

“The recording process was done in 10 days in Muscle Shoals, Alabama,” he says. “It’s a really cool place because it’s not too busy. I’m more of a loner and I like to keep to myself. I do like to be in a peaceful, calm environment. That’s where I am now.”

LeBlanc has performed once in Albuquerque prior to his upcoming date in Santa Fe.

He enjoyed the show and took some time to be a tourist.

“I did the ‘Breaking Bad’ tour and went to the ‘Breaking Bad’ store,” he says. “I really love that show. The energy I felt in the city was great and I can’t wait to return."