Who knew that poker could be so romantic? From the fourth release from LeBlanc’s 2021 ECMA and Music NB Country Recording of the Year-nominated album, When It’s Right, It’s Right, “All In” has East Coast Acadian country artist Laurie LeBlanc singing about risking it all for love over a game of chance.
Awash with card-playing puns with a solid dose of the expected pedal steel, LeBlanc hits hard with the poker metaphors.
“The idea of the song came while playing a game of poker one Saturday Night,” says LeBlanc. “The story is about a guy and a girl at the final poker table. The hot babe is making a pretty cute poker face at her opponent, and he thinks they have something special going on.
“He’s getting more and more interested in the girl thus losing focus on the game.”
Co-written with his wife and manager, Jeannette, LeBlanc’s new single is the latest instalment in something of a cultural niche, with the Acadian singer’s latest album being a major shift from his native French to English. If history has taught us anything, this is the sweet spot where brilliant sparks of creativity tend to emerge from.
“I’ve written numerous French songs, and most of them are based on fun ideas that I hope make people smile,” he says. “So, I wanted to try to do that in English.”
LeBlanc, fortunately, didn’t have to bet on this new direction alone. He partnered up with fellow New Brunswicker and multi-Canadian Country Music Award-winning producer and guitarist Jason Barry to record When It’s Right, It’s Right at Barry’s CCMA-honoured Barrytone Studios. The album also features several big-hitting songwriters and performers, including Grammy-winner Don Schlitz, Mike Reid, and Dallas Davidson, and Don Mescall, with musical contributions from members of Dean Brody’s touring band.
“I needed to step out of my comfort zone, and it turned out to be a truly gratifying experience,” adds LeBlanc. “I’ll always love singing in French and cherish the support I get from my francophone audience but hearing one of my songs on the radio alongside the Canadian and American country artists I admire gives me so much joy.”