“Chris O’Leary generates authority…with a huge voice [and] a force-of-nature harmonica sound.” – Greil Marcus, Real Life Rock

“Gritty blues and soulful ballads [performed with] absolute authority…Chris O’Leary rocks relentlessly with assurance and a clear sense of passion and purpose. He is a potent tour-de-force.” – Living Blues

“The Chris O’Leary Band offer a virtual encyclopedia of entertaining roadhouse blues styles, from boogie-woogie to Southside Chicago to Louisiana stompers.” – Philadelphia Daily News

“O’Leary is a forceful harp player, a powerful singer, and a natural frontman.” – Blues Music Magazine

Devastatingly soulful vocalist, dynamic harmonica master, and superlative songwriter Chris O’Leary is among the blues and roots world’s most talented unsung heroes. The award-winning O’Leary—disciple and friend of both The Band’s legendary drummer/vocalist/songwriter Levon Helm and iconic blues harmonica giant James Cotton—has been playing professionally since the 1990s, with five previous solo albums to his credit. The Marine veteran, ex-Federal police officer, former lead singer of The Barn Burners (featuring Levon Helm on drums), and loving father has walked a hard line from his upstate New York home to stages all over the world. No Depression magazine says, “O’Leary’s voice contains startling emotion…reaching an intensity and emotional rawness [that’s] primal. The performances practically vibrate with an authenticity that stays with you.”

Between his large, athletic frame and his military-style “high and tight” haircut, O’Leary commands attention, singing his indelible original songs with pure, unadulterated soul and playing harmonica with urgent locomotive power. His keenly written songs come directly from his colorful and sometimes harrowing life experiences. On his Alligator Records debut, The Hard Line, O’Leary set his sights high and created what he says is, “the best work I’ve ever done. It’s the most focused, most to-the-point album I’ve ever made.”

Alligator Records founder and president Bruce Iglauer is thrilled to welcome Chris into the Alligator family. “What first struck me about Chris was his terrific songwriting, which ranged from hilarious tales to soul-deep personal stories. I love the passion he puts into every song. As a musician, he’s a world-class harmonica player (and a fine guitar and bass player) but his goal is not to show off his chops. He plays emotional solos that tell the story of the lyrics and heighten the impact of the song.”

The Hard Line, produced by O’Leary and featuring 12 striking originals, has many stories to tell. With over 30 newly-written, never-recorded songs to choose from (mostly written during the downtime of the pandemic) O’Leary and Iglauer carefully picked what Chris calls “the best of them all,” ranging from the intense slow-burners Ain’t That A Crime and Lay These Burdens Down to the rollicking Love’s For Sale and Need For Speed to the hard Chicago blues Could’ve Been My Fault to the pleading Who Robs A Musician?. In addition to his harp work, he plays the blistering guitar solos on the impassioned opener, No Rest, and pulsating bass on You Break It, You Bought It. The deeply personal I Cry At Night is the emotional centerpiece of the album, drawn from the singer’s own experiences as a Marine. It’s a wrenching performance and one that O’Leary hopes will resonate with both soldiers and civilians. “I write and sing what I know,” says the seven-year U.S. Marine combat veteran. “And as long as I have a platform, I’m always going to use it to shed light and raise awareness about the realities our veterans face.”

Born in Schenectady, New York in 1968, O’Leary was raised in a house filled with music. “My dad played everything from Beethoven to Springsteen,” he recalls. Having seen his first live concert at age 10—The Band (with Levon on drums)—he was drawn to their famous triple album, The Last Waltz, which included, among other guests, Van Morrison, The Staple Singers, and Muddy Waters. O’Leary was captivated by Muddy’s ferocious performance and needed to hear more. His dad got him Muddy’s Hard Again album, which featured the great James Cotton blowing some of the most forceful harmonica of his career. This was the first time O’Leary heard Cotton, and he was hooked. He got his hands on a Hohner Marine Band harmonica and taught himself to play the real Chicago blues, listening to nothing but the classics of the genre.