Today we are joined by singer-songwriter, multi instrumentalist, heart disease survivor, and most importantly loving son: Cory Legendre. After taking a five year hiatus from recording and performing music due to his illness, Cory put out the album “Reunited” on his late parents’ first posthumous anniversary as an open love letter to both of their beautiful souls. We reviewed this beautiful album here, and I had the pleasure of chatting with Cory to get to know where his inspiration and love for music come from, how his relationship with his parents was, and much more. Enjoy our wholesome interview with him below.
- First of all, I’d like to welcome you with us today. Congratulations on your beautiful album, ‘Reunited’, which you wrote about your parents. Can you tell me the process behind the music and how long it took you to make these eight tracks?
Thank you for having me, it’s an honor. I honestly sat down and started writing “Momma’s Comin’ Home” after I got off the phone with her – as the lyrics imply – and at that moment in time we thought we had more time. I didn’t know on that day that I would be doing a whole album for my parents, but I felt the need to sit down and write. Sadly, Mom passed the next morning before she woke up and when I had to revisit Momma’s Comin’ Home for recording, it was one of the most emotional moments of my life trying to get a good take of that song. It kept bringing me back to our last phone call and to the morning that she passed. I worked with Dave Johnson and Chas Evans on this album as I needed a couple extra people to keep me functioning through the emotions, and they helped see the musical vision through and I wouldn’t have done it any differently.
- Your lyrics are so heartfelt and honest, and while I understand the need for such honesty in art, I have to ask you how do you deal with expressing such sensitive topics to you publicly and just lay them all out there for the entire world to listen? Does it have an impact on you when you record such songs or when you perform them for someone?
This is my first album that touches on such raw emotions and I think it not only strikes a chord with me but that it also will help others who have faced tremendous losses in their lives. I really hope it does help others find closure. I’ve had a number of people tell me that they fought back tears listening to the album, and I can tell you, I fought tears recording the album and I still fight them listening to it. It’s one of those albums that I just absolutely love it because it means that my parents will forever live on because of this art, but it also will be the hardest releases to ever perform live if I get the chance to. I truly like to connect with people on every level possible and I think this album will build a strong bond between myself and not just existing fans, but new listeners as well.
- The album spans some different genres and influences, can you tell me what the inspiration for your sound on this album was?
I didn’t want all the songs to sound the same. Dad was born in 1931 and Mom in 1948. They both had various styles and genres of music they liked and I wanted to try and cover those bases. If you’re doing a tribute to someone (or for someone), it’s really (in my opinion) best to try and meet the mark on matching the genres or styles that fit the person (or people) that you’re honoring.
- As for the lyrics, the songs feel like they go from the point in time where you lost your father till your mother passed as well. How did it feel living throughout these years? Were you still making music or was it slower or did you stop altogether?
We lost my brother Dale before Dad passed which was probably the biggest heartbreak for my parents collectively. After my brother’s passing, I had to step away from hosting talk radio, which I had been doing for a number of years at the time. I was already on break from music to fulfill my obligations in radio and I was kindly granted early leave from the shows I hosted to put time together for family.
When Dad passed, I had finished a short run of live shows, mostly performing covers of songs I truly loved that meant something to me. It was a great set of shows. As I had just finished that run when Dad’s decline sped up, I was able to be there for every moment and stayed with him and after stayed close to Mom to try and keep the family together and get things back on track.
When Mom passed, obviously I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. If not for Mom’s wish to have something creative put out into the world instead of a funeral, I don’t think I would’ve pushed forward the way I did. I had the wonderful support of friends and my lovely lady Kloe through this which definitely helped.
- I know you’ve been diagnosed with congestive heart failure a few years back…how did this happen, and did it stop you from songwriting?
I don’t think anything ever stopped me from writing down my thoughts, some of them not really “songs” but some of them could’ve easily become songs. Yes, in the beginning, the complete onslaught of doctors and hospitals made it challenging to do anything and for the first few months, I slept a lot. How did it all happen? It came unexpectedly. While heart issues are hereditary in my family, I didn’t expect it in my 20s. Not at all. Just days before, Kloe and I were living normal lives and had taken a couple road trips. Hell, we were out and about the day before. The next thing I know, I’m in the hospital and learning that my life was going to be changing for awhile.
- Do you plan on touring or doing some live shows to promote your album? Or are you gonna be a studio artist for the time being?
I hate this question. Not because you asked it, as many have asked…I wish. I absolutely love performing – far more than recording. I’d rather have a microphone in my hand and spend 60-90 minutes on a stage vs standing in front of a studio microphone. The energy an audience gives obviously is far more interesting and fulfilling. You don’t get the kind of energy shot back to you from recording equipment that you do from a live audience. I’m sure that’s pretty obvious!
Will I tour again? Time will tell. I am still under the care of my doctors and medical team and we have to make decisions as we go. Right now, physically, it would be impossible for me to travel and tour. I miss it terribly and I hope to be on the road within a couple years, but that’s not up to me – it’s up to whatever God has planned and of course what my medical team has to say. But I would like to tour at least one more time and try and get to some hot spots in the US and Canada. I’ve never had the chance to tour internationally and I’d really love to go “down under” and “across the pond” and see some audiences there though. We’ll see. Again, time will tell.
- I want you to name five artists who inspire you to keep making music.
Five artists that are all still with us and going strong…. Dolly Parton, Cher, P!nk, Ed Sheeran and Celine Dion.
Wide range of artists, right? Dolly is a living legend, if you don’t love her, there’s something wrong with you, you know? Her song “Coat of Many Colors” was my Dad’s absolute favorite song as he shared a very similar “just scraping by” upbringing. Cher is again, another living legend. Almost 80 years old and still going. Apparently she’s ready to go back on the road again soon. If I could have half her energy now, I’d be unstoppable.
P!nk, she’s going to become a legend or an icon. I know many see her as the underdog and she’s been dismissed way too many times in her career – but go to one of her live shows, and watch her fly around an arena while still singing fully live….and sounding great. I have massive respect for the things she does in her shows – you will never see me flying around by tethers. My feet stay on the ground. Ed Sheeran is one of the few artists of “today” that I really like. His story-telling is fantastic honestly and he’s still such a humble artist despite massive success.
Last but not least, Celine Dion. One of the greatest vocalists of all time. Her heartbreaking loss of her husband followed by her diagnosis with Stiff Person Syndrome took her out of performing and to watch her back live again at the Olympics opening ceremony was a beautiful moment in history. With her diagnosis and now her planned return, it’s truly beautiful that she has the strength that she has to overcome such a terrible diagnosis so she can go back to doing what she loves.
- If there was one artist, living or dead, that you would like to collaborate with…who would it be?
One artist….one artist… Honestly, it’s so hard to pick one. I’ve wanted to sing with LeAnn Rimes since my childhood – growing up I adored her. Still do. I’ve talked with my lady Kloe a number of times (who is also a huge Dolly Parton fan) about how amazing it would be to record with Dolly, especially as Dolly was my Dad’s favorite country girl! Or imagine it….rocking out with P!nk or Cher. Can you imagine how fun that would be? If it has to be one…honestly it would be very special to do a song with Dolly because of how my parents adored her, as do I.
- Thank you so much for giving us some of your time today. Reunited is out now on all platforms, and it tells the beautiful story of Cory Legendre’s parents and how their love goes on in the heavens. May their beautiful souls rest in peace.
Thank you for having me and I truly appreciate the love and support you’ve given to me and to my album, REUNITED. Stay tuned as I’ve got my first ever country album coming in September and a Christmas album coming out later this year as well. I’m not going anywhere!
REUNITED is available across all streaming platforms on July 24th (Mom and Dad’s first afterlife anniversary) as well as physical releases in Bull Moose retail stores and online at https://thecorystore.com
