Leon Majcen Delivers New Album
Today, October 17, singer-songwriter Leon Majcen released his fourth full-length album in five years, Making A Livin’ (Not a Killin’). A modern-day folk singer in the tradition of Townes Van Zandt and John Prine, Majcen was by Bosnian refugee parents who moved the family to Florida in search of a better life. His father introduced him to outlaw country at an early age, and he soon began developing his own voice while performing locally. Majcen gained national attention as a teenager when his single “Love and Misery” became a hit on SiriusXM’s The Coffee House Channel. The new album reflects a decade spent touring, performing, and chasing stories across the country, balancing solo acoustic intimacy with full-band energy. From the reflective “Down The Road” to the bluesy rocker “Walking Down The Street,” Making A Livin’ (Not a Killin’)captures the highs, lows, and humor of life on the move, marking it Leon’s most layered and honest work to date.
Majcen’s unmistakable talent has earned the attention of Nashville’s finest including Margo Price, who personally invited him to join her on tour. He’ll be on the road throughout 2025, performing both headline shows and support slots alongside Price, Kip Moore, and more.
“The road is calling; don’t leave the light on,” he sings during the first track on the project, delivering the line to all the people and places he’s left behind in the rear-view mirror. Making A Livin’ (Not a Killin) often revisits that theme of departure, from tracks like “Down The Road” — a laidback, loping tribute to skipping town, punctuated by fiddle solos and a deep, countrified groove — to the darkly humorous “Sleeping in a Car Is Fun Until You Gotta Pee.” Both of those tracks are driven forward by Leon’s acoustic guitar, a nod to his longtime roots as a disciple of Guy Clark and Bob Dylan. That doesn’t stop him from getting loud out with “Walking Down The Street,” a bluesy rocker packed with amplification and attitude. That’s uncharted territory for Leon, and it’s proof that even the most seasoned travelers deserve to explore new places once in awhile.
“I’ve always occupied the folky side of country music, or the country side of folk,” says Leon, whose father introduced him to outlaw country at a young age. That influence helped shape albums like 2020’s Back ‘Till I’m Gone, 2024’s self-titled Leon Majcen, and 2025’s Better Days, but Making A Livin’ (Not a Killin) makes feel like an expansion. “For years, I’ve felt most at home when it’s just me and my acoustic guitar,” he adds, “but this record is a pivot. It’s a bigger sound with more layers, more intent, and a real producer. It just feels right.”
The producer he’s referencing is multi-instrumentalist Pat Lyons. Celebrated for his work with Americana mainstays like Colter Wall, Lyons became a mentor to Leon shortly after he moved to Nashville.
This new body of work is surely not one to be overlooked.
