LEON RUSSELL

'Leon Russell' (born 'Claude Russell Bridges' on April 2 1942 in Lawton, Oklahoma, United States) is a singer, songwriter, pianist, and guitarist. Russell attended Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is occasionally referred to as "The Master of Space and Time," a title he acquired around the time of his collaborations with Joe Cocker.
First known mostly as a session musician, Russell has played with artists as varied as Jerry Lee Lewis, Phil Spector and The Rolling Stones. With a solo career spanning the genres of rock, blues, and gospel, Russell began his musical career at 14 in Tulsa nightclubs. Two years later, after settling in Los Angeles, he studied guitar with James Burton, and worked sessions with Dorsey Burnette and Glen Campbell.
After becoming a part of Phil Spector's studio group, Russell played backup on many of the most popular hits of the 1960s, including The Byrds, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Bobby "Boris" Pickett and Herb Alpert. He also served as Snuff Garrett's assistant on numerous productions. Russell built his own recording studio in 1967, and recorded his first LP, ''Look Inside the Asylum Choir'', in a collaboration with Marc Benno.
His first songwriting hit was Joe Cocker's 1969 version of "Delta Lady", and Russell went on to organise Cocker's ''Mad Dogs and Englishmen'' tour. The Russell-written "Superstar", sung by Rita Coolidge on that tour, would go on to be a big hit by The Carpenters, Luther Vandross, and others. Shortly thereafter, Russell released a solo album, Leon Russell, which included the original version of the popular "A Song for You". Also in 1970, Russell played piano on Dave Mason's album, Alone Together (notably, on the song "Sad and Deep as You").
During the '60s and '70s, Russell owned the Church Recording Studio on 3rd Street in Tulsa, which is now owned by Glen Mitchell and one-time Russell studio engineer Steve Ripley of the country band The Tractors. Russell still records there frequently, while his former home on Grand Lake, in northeast Oklahoma, still contains the famous dining room table and chairs made from church pews from his Church Studio. On the property stands a private recording studio that has seen many famous names, including members of The Beatles.
In the summer of 1971 Russell was asked by George Harrison to play piano on Badfinger's third album, ''Straight Up''. The piano which complements George Harrison's slide guitar on Badfinger's radio hit "Day After Day" is played by Leon from those Apple sessions. The sessions were interrupted because many of the musicians on ''Straight Up'' left for New York City to participate in the Concert For Bangladesh, organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, at which Russell performed a memorable medley of the songs "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Young Blood".
Also in 1971 Russell played on recording sessions with B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan. He also released two studio albums under his own name that year, ''Leon Russell And The Shelter People'' and ''Asylum Choir II''.
In 1972, his album ''Carney'' reached #2 on the charts, fueled by the hit single "Tightrope". In addition, the LP contained a tune called "This Masquerade" that the Carpenters also recorded, and years later, would win a Grammy for George Benson.
During the '70s, Russell continued to pop in occasionally and perform at the Paradise Club and other noted music spots around Tulsa. He surprised his fans one night by performing with Flash Eddy and the Eclectics at the Paradise.
His 1975 album ''Will O' the Wisp'' was fairly commercially successful, as was its single "Lady Blue". Gailard Sartain, fondly remembered by Tulsans as Mezeppa Pompazoidi (a Saturday night movie host, joined many times by Gary Busey), did the cover artwork for the LP.
Later that year, Russell married Mary McCreary, a former member of Sly & the Family Stone's background vocal group Little Sister. The two collaborated on ''The Wedding Album'' in 1976. In 1977, Russell and McCreary reunited for another album, and in 1979 Russell worked on a collaboration with Willie Nelson. He spent the next two years touring with the New Grass Revival, and released two more albums with Paradise before the label folded.
For several years, Russell stayed largely out of the music spotlight, releasing ''Anything Can Happen'' in 1992, then two more albums in 1998 and 1999. He continues to tour at the age of 65. His bassist, Jack Wessel, has been with Russell close to 25 years. His son with McCreary, Teddy Jack (named after Gary Busey's character on Sartain's show), has also toured with his father, as have his sisters Tina Rose and Sugaree Noel.

Contents

Discography

External links

Discography

★ 2006 ''Angel In Disguise'' - Leon Russell

★ 2006 ''A Mighty Flood'' - Leon Russell

★ 2002 ''Moonlight & Love Songs'' (with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra) - Leon Russell

★ 2001 ''Rhythm & Bluegrass: Hank Wilson, Vol. 4'' - Leon Russell & The Newgrass Revival

★ 2001 ''Signature Songs'' - Leon Russell

★ 2001 ''Guitar Blues'' - Leon Russell

★ 2001 ''Best of Leon Russell [EMI-Capitol Special Markets]'' - Leon Russell

★ 2000 ''Live at Gilley's'' - Leon Russell

★ 1999 ''Blues: Same Old Song'' - Leon Russell

★ 1999 ''Face in the Crowd'' - Leon Russell

★ 1998 ''Hank Wilson, Vol. 3: Legend in My Time'' - Leon Russell

★ 1997 ''Retrospective'' - Leon Russell

★ 1996 ''Gimme Shelter: The Best of Leon Russell'' - Leon Russell

★ 1995 ''Hymns of Christmas'' - Leon Russell

★ 1992 ''Collection'' - Leon Russell

★ 1992 ''Crazy Love'' - Leon Russell

★ 1992 ''Anything Can Happen'' - Leon Russell

★ 1989 ''Leon Russell [Bonus Tracks]'' - Leon Russell

★ 1984 ''Solid State'' - Leon Russell

★ 1984 ''Hank Wilson, Vol. 2'' - Leon Russell

★ 1979 ''Life and Love'' - Leon Russell

★ 1979 ''Willie & Leon'' - Leon Russell

★ 1978 ''Americana'' - Leon Russell

★ 1977 ''Make Love to the Music'' - Leon & Mary Russell

★ 1976 ''Wedding Album'' - Leon Russell

★ 1976 ''Best of Leon Russell [DCC/Shelter]'' - Leon Russell

★ 1975 ''Will O' the Wisp'' - Leon Russell

★ 1974 ''Stop All That Jazz'' - Leon Russell

★ 1973 ''Leon Russell, Looking Back'' - Leon Russell/Various Wrecking Crew.

★ 1973 ''Hank Wilson's Back'' - Leon Russell

★ 1973 ''Leon Live'' (triple live album) - Leon Russell

★ 1972 ''Carney'' - Leon Russell

★ 1971 ''Asylum Choir II'' - Leon Russell/Marc Benno

★ 1971 ''Leon Russell And The Shelter People'' - Leon Russell

★ 1970 ''Leon Russell'' - Leon Russell

★ 1968 ''Look Inside the Asylum Choir'' - Leon Russell/Marc Benno

★ 1966 ''Rhapsodies for Young Lovers'' - Leon Russell/Midnight String Quartet

External links

The Official Website of Leon Russell