R.I.P. Leon Russell

[tnapucco]

Rocker Leon Russell dies in Nashville at 74

 

[Chewbaccer]

RIP. Always liked Leon, especially when he and Earl Scruggs got together.

 

[tnapucco]

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

An email from Leon Russell Records to The Associated Press says Russell died Sunday in Nashville. The email cites Russell's wife as the source of the information. Russell had heart bypass surgery in July and was recovering from that at the time of his death. He had been planning on resuming touring in January, the email said.

Besides his music, Russell was known for his striking appearance: wispy white hair halfway down his back and that covered much of his face.

Russell played keyboard for the Los Angeles studio team known as the Wrecking Crew, helping producer Phil Spector develop his game-changing wall of sound approach in the 1960s.

As a musician, primarily a pianist, he played on The Beach Boys' "California Girls" and landmark "Pet Sounds" album, Jan and Dean's "Surf City," the Ronettes' "Be My Baby," and the Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man." He also played guitar and bass.

He performed at the The Concert for Bangladesh in 1971 along with George Harrison, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton.

Russell produced and played on recording sessions for Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, Ike and Tina Turner, the Rolling Stones and many others. He arranged the Turners' "River Deep, Mountain High."


Russell began his musical career at the age of 14 in the nightclubs of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He and his group the Starlighters, which included J.J. Cale, Leo Feathers, Chuck Blackwell and Johnny Williams, were instrumental in creating the style of music known as the Tulsa Sound. After settling in Los Angeles, he studied guitar with James Burton. Known mostly as a session musician early in his career, as a solo artist he has crossed genres to include rock and roll, blues, and gospel music, playing with artists as varied as Jan & Dean, Gary Lewis, George Harrison, Gram Parsons, Delaney Bramlett, Ringo Starr, Doris Day, Elton John, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, the Byrds, Barbra Streisand, the Beach Boys, the Ventures, Willie Nelson, Badfinger, Tijuana Brass, Frank Sinatra, the Band, Bob Dylan, J.J. Cale, B.B. King, Dave Mason, Glen Campbell, Joe Cocker and the Rolling Stones.

Jerry Lee Lewis was so impressed with Russell that he hired Russell and his band for two years of tours.

Russell moved from Tulsa to Los Angeles in 1958. where, as a first-call studio musician, he played on many of the most popular songs of the 1960s, including some by the Byrds, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Bobby "Boris" Pickett, and Herb Alpert. He can be seen in 1964's T.A.M.I. Show, playing piano with "the Wrecking Crew" (an informal name for the top L.A. session musicians of the 1960s), sporting short, dark, slicked-back hair, in contrast to his later look. Soon after, he was hired as Snuff Garrett's assistant/creative developer, playing on numerous #1 singles, including "This Diamond Ring" by Gary Lewis and the Playboys. He wrote or co-wrote two hit songs for Gary Lewis and Playboys: "Everybody Loves a Clown" (which hit the Billboard Top 40 on October 9, 1965, remaining on the chart for eight weeks and rising to number 4) and "She's Just My Style", (which hit Billboard′s Top 40 on December 18, 1965, and rose to number 3).He played xylophone and bells on the 1966 single "The Joker Went Wild", sung by Brian Hyland and penned by Bobby Russell (no relation to Leon). He also worked sessions with Dorsey Burnette and Glen Campbell on Campbell's 1967 album Gentle on My Mind, where he was credited as "Russell Bridges" on piano, and arranged and conducted the 1966 easy listening album Rhapsodies for Young Lovers by the Midnight String Quartet.

In 2011, Russell was chosen for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He also was honored with an Award for Music Excellence from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

 

[TheStarOne]

I actually got to see Leon live.........part revival ........ part blues.......part rock...........powerful music
And his album 'Leon Live" really represented his concerts well.

Leon Russell Homewood Session 1970-12-05 on YouTube is pure Leon.

For a lot of years, Leon has been a best kept secret.............

along with, Randy Newman, The Moody Blues, Harry Chapin, and Warren Zevon

"I got a rainbow round my beautiful face, and I'm living in a pot of gold."

Thanks Leon

 

[packerzrule]

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

 

[1phlapdown]

Damn, Merle and Leon gone in the same year

From "One For The Road", one of my favorite albums:

If any of you blokes aren't familiar with his alter ego, check out his Hank Wilson recordings:

He didn't like taking crap from people and is demonstrated in a famous episode is related below:

We left after a couple of hours and went to my home in Bixby, where he entertained my family with story after story of his illustrious career. One in particular involved Leon and Glen Campbell, who were running late for a session. Time is money at those sessions, especially when you have a large group of musicians sitting around on the clock. Glen finally arrived, apologetic and red as a beet due to his embarrassment as the producer dressed him down in front of the others. Eventually Leon arrived, about 15 minutes late, and as soon as he got to the piano the producer started in on him. Leon closed the lid of the piano, got up, and walked out of the session, leaving the producer to find another piano player on short notice.

 

[ill]

Leon Russell was one of my dad's favorites. We used lyrics from A Song For You on my dad's prayer card back in June. The man could write a song and had his own style.