Leroy made his own debut as a leader for Contemporary in 1957, with an album inevitably entitled Leroy Walks, followed by Leroy Walks Again in 1963. Vnnegar enjoyed a fruitful working relationship with saxophonist Teddy Edwards in the early 1960s, commemorated on the classic Teddy's Ready . The bassist freelanced throughout the decade, contributing to commercial as well as jazz projects, and enjoyed another major association when he teamed up with the very successful duo of organist Les McCann and saxophonist Eddie Harris in the late-60s, including their big-selling album Swiss Movement in 1969. He was reunited with Edwards and trumpeter Howard McGhee when they reformed their quintet in the late-70s, and demonstrated his versatility in appearing on television with the Dixieland band The Panama Hats which accompanied actor George Segal.