Not every country story starts back in Texas or Tennessee.
This one actually begins in Central America, of all places. Long before asserting himself as a GRAMMY® Award-winning collaborator for the likes of Pitbull, Lauryn Hill, Rick Ross, and many more, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and Miami-born artist Leo Brooks vividly recalls visiting his family on the Honduran island of Roatán and witnessing the most unexpected sight a South Florida native could possibly see...
"Man, these fools are all line dancing to George Strait in little bars on this Caribbean island," he laughs. "You'd never believe it! That's how deep my connection runs to country though. This kind of music was really in my blood."
At four years old, Leo's dad handed him an acoustic guitar and introduced him to the classics à la George Jones, Hank Williams, and many more. Growing up of Honduran descent in Miami, Leo spoke English and Spanish fluently, and had already begun developing his songwriting chops at a young age. An audition for the legendary Ms. Lauryn Hill in 2002 landed Leo a job right out of high school as a bassist, handling the low end and singing backing vocals on tour, eventually becoming her musical director through 2011.
At the suggestion of drummer Omar Tavarez, he linked up with Pitbull in 2012, touring with "Mr. Worldwide" as a bassist and establishing himself as a trusted studio collaborator. Brooks co-wrote "Echa Pa'lla (Manos Pa'rriba)," taking home the Latin GRAMMY® Award for Best Urban Performance. Leo has also lent his talents to Jennifer Lopez, Fat Joe, Lloyd, and Rick Ross, with whom he recorded bass for tracks featuring Mary J. Blige, Nas, CeeLo Green, and John Legend.
In early 2020, fueled by the encouragement of his late older brother, Leo headed to Nashville with Pitbull and Jim Jonsin to usher in a new "solo thing" chapter, telling his own story with his own sound. He developed his brand of "Miami country," bringing "booty-shaking kick drums and 808s" to a traditional twang.
Next, joining as half of the country duo Neon Union, Brooks helped fuel the group's breakout success, earning an ACM nomination for New Duo or Group of the Year, garnering a Billboard Rookie of the Month, and securing performances at the ACMs and CMA Fest. Neon Union toured with major acts including HARDY and Scotty McCreery, and released charting music, including their debut single "Bout Damn Time" in 2023.
Giving the genre a new face and origin story, Leo presents something different and necessary for country music as "a proud, bilingual Black man from Miami." Brooks reflects, "I want my music to bring people together. This style can be for everybody. It's different, and it's who I am... just your average country boy in the city who can hang anywhere. I'm a farmer, a fisherman, a party guy, and a family guy."
