As a young man in his 20s, Lenny LeBlanc was shaping up to be a pop star, with his BMI Millionaire hit song ‘Falling’, and career prospects about to blow up big. For a man of talent like Lenny, there was virtually no outcome in sight than outright success and fame.
Lenny was one of the prominent acts of the 70s – LeBlanc and Carr, taking on shows and performances on a regular. He also toured in the US with a popular band, Lynard Skynard.
But then at the height of his secular career, LeBlanc met Christ, and gave up everything for a life committed to the Lord. He would go on to lose a prestigious record dealership with Capitol Music, but his resolve to follow Christ remained unshaken.
I didn’t care if I made another record ever again. The peace of God overwhelmed me so much I didn’t care about anything else.
Lenny LeBlanc, quoted from an interview on 100Huntley on YouTube
Love came down
When the love and immense forbearance of a righteous God dawns on a sinful soul, no hardness of heart or stiffness of neck can stand in the way of transformation.
Lenny LeBlanc’s story is, to say the least, a story of what the love of God can make out of man.
From early on, LeBLanc was highly achieved, fast ascending into wealth and fame. He was living the life of a dream, one that any young man would idolize.
But LeBlanc wasn’t an all perfect man. One of Lenny’s glaring faults was leaving his wife and child to pursue his career. The single, self-centered quest for success in music controlled him, affecting his entire life. Everything at the time revolved around music.
One night, an all time buddy called LeBlanc, and started off his journey into knowing Christ;
“Lenny, I got saved and I’m going to heaven, and I want you to be there with me.”
This friend had been a drug smuggler caught in the web of evil, but God’s love found him and losed him off the snare. He had turned a new leaf, and wished the same for Lenny.
“Are you saved?”
The friend went on to ask. Back then, LeBlanc was green on God’s salvation, and right off the question, his response was an uncertain yes!
After the call, Lenny’s pal sent him a Bible and a couple of Christian books. He would go ahead to read the Bible, becoming aware of the weight of his shortcomings – he was a sinful man deserving of judgement.
But at the same time, this God of judgement was extending mercy and love, with great patience. This turned Lenny’s heart around to God.
It wasn’t the judgement of God. God is a just God. It was his love that melted my heart. When I realised that He loved me even though I’d done all those things – that’s what drew me to Him.
Lenny LeBlanc, quoted from an interview on 100Huntley on YouTube
The love of God came down, broke chains, and left a guilty man’s soul free. As Lenny read the scriptures, his knowledge of God grew, inspiring a devotion to Him.
In effect, all else came to a grinding halt – the tours, shows, record deals and the drive to fame and success. Lenny then drew back, and began writing Christian songs, at a time when gospel music wasn’t a genre yet.
LeBLanc’s legacy of world renown songs
Most often, the greatest songs written draw inspiration from moving life stories. This is true with LeBlanc. He’s written and sung world-renown songs, some of which were inspired by the love of God that changed his heart.
There’s something about the love and grace of God toward an undeserving soul, that draws out insurmountable gratitude, praise and devotion – call it a transformation. It has a way to inspire and spur men to great feats.
Think of John Newton, a former sailor and slave trader with a known propensity to violence, turned into a Christian author and cleric. His journey to transformation was marked by life threatening events, all of which he miracurously survived.
Newton considered himself a vile sinner, perhaps the worst there could be, undeserving of the saving grace. But still, this grace carried him safe into salvation. In 1772, he penned the song Amazing Grace, as a transformed man. To this day, the song echoes of the wonder of God’s grace.
With skilled songwriting, and a backstory of transformation comes songs of enduring legacy. Lenny LeBlanc, having been a skilled musician prior to conversion, would later on write and sing some of the most iconic Christian songs of all time.
Above All
In 1995, Lenny LeBlanc co-wrote the song Above All with Paul Baloche. The song tells of the greatest sacrifice of all, for the most undeserving of all. Its arguably the most sung on the crucifixion of Christ.
Above All is such a lyrical masterpiece it not only sums up the sacrifice of Christ, but brings down its hefty weight crashing down onto the soul. On the song, LeBlanc and Baloche use vivid imagery and evocative symbols, such as the disfigured rose.
This has to be the best line: “Like a rose, trampled on the ground. You took the fall and thought of me.” The sheer image of a rose, whose essence is magnificence to be adored, trampled and defaced like it was rubbish bears down on the soul with great sympathy.
But then comes up another line: “You took the fall, and thought of me, above all.” Out of this unimaginable suffering emerges love, a love towards cunning, and undeserving man, but one that inspires gratitude and devotion.
It is this love that dominates Lenny’s first Christian album.
Love Came Down
This is my all time favorite LeBlanc song. We all share a piece in this song.
All of humanity, despite our diversities and differences, have one thing in common – we’ve gone wrong, and are in need of salvation. This is something Lenny must have realized as soon as he met the Lord and felt the weight of his shortcomings.
Love Came Down is a moving account of Lenny’s moments of salvation, when love came down and changed him. Only a forgiven soul could truly appreciate the freedom and love of transformation, and when such a soul is gifted in songwriting, a timeless classic is made.
There is None Like You
At the time of the writing of this song, there wasn’t enough contemporary worship music to go by. LeBlanc yearned to write songs for use in congregational worship.
‘There Is None Like You’ was born out of a writing session, bringing LeBlanc to tears as he pieced together its lyrics. The song embodies the character of worship – absolute adoration and awe. Since its release in 1991, it is still sung in churches.
One Desire
One desire is a devout song for a deep yearning for God. With a zealous choice of words, LeBlanc expresses his one, ultimate desire – that his heart burns with fire for God.
Such a yearning could only come off of a heart that has had a walk with God, and tasted of His goodness.
LeBlanc’s work with Don Moen
Once it was the fast-rising secular duo, LeBlanc and Carr, but soon after, it would become an iconic gospel duo, Don Moen and Lenny LeBlanc.
After Lenny converted to a Christian, he began writing worship music. His Christian music journey saw him work as a background vocalist at Integrity Music. It was here that he met Don Moen in St. Louis, at a studio owned by Tom Brooks, one of the founding producers of Integrity Music and the Hosanna Music Series.
In 1991, LeBlanc and Don Moen recorded Pure Heart together. Later on, Lenny would reveal to Don that God had spoken to him that he was supposed to sing background for Don Moen.
In Don Moen’s 1992 concert ‘Worship with Don Moen’, Lenny can be seen singing background vocals. The two have since then sang together in concerts all over the world.
Lenny and Don Moen – little overview, how they met, projects they have done, awards they have won together, places they have gone for concerts.
Bio
Lenny LeBlanc is a Massachusetts native, born June 1951. As 2024, Lenny Leblanc is 72 years old. Before moving to his current residence in Florence, Alabama, Lenny resided in Florida and Ohio.
Lenny is married to Sherrie LeBlanc, and together they have a daughter, Hanna.
Discography
LeBlanc’s first Christian album was in 1983 – Say a prayer, followed by Person to Person in 1983. In 1991, Lenny released Pure Heart under Hosanna Music, in which he worked with Don Moen.
Above All was released in 1999, in which also were iconic songs such as Closer, I believe, What a Wonder and Rainbow Song.
One Desire was released in 2002. In the album was also Love Came Down, Only Love, and You Have Been So Good.
In 2012, LeBlanc released Anthology, a collection of his favorites.
LeBlanc’s latest single is Joy, a song for the joy in despair, and hope in adversity.
Awards
In 2003, the song Above All received a Dove award for inspirational song of the year.
Loved this article? Find more on other gospel artists here!
Cover image credits: Facebook/High Cotton Homes, Inc