Leon Russell

Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and roll, country, gospel, bluegrass, rhythm and blues, southern rock, blues rock, folk, surf and the Tulsa Sound.

He collaborated with many notable artists and recorded at least 31 albums and 430 songs. He wrote "Delta Lady", recorded by Joe Cocker, and organized and performed with Cocker's '' Mad Dogs & Englishmen'' tour in 1970. His " A Song for You", which was named to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2018, has been recorded by more than 200 artists, and his song " This Masquerade" by more than 75.

As a pianist, he played in his early years on albums by the Beach Boys, Dick Dale, and Jan and Dean. On his first album, '' Leon Russell'', in 1970, the musicians included Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison. One of his early fans, Elton John, said that Russell was a "mentor" and an "inspiration". They recorded their album '' The Union'' in 2010, earning them a Grammy nomination.

Russell produced and played in recording sessions for Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, Ike & Tina Turner, the Rolling Stones, and many other artists. He wrote and recorded the hits " Tight Rope" and " Lady Blue". He performed at The Concert for Bangladesh in 1971, along with Harrison, Dylan, and Clapton; he earned a Grammy Award for this.

His recordings earned six gold records. He received two Grammy Awards from seven nominations. In 2011, he was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Early life

Russell was born in Lawton, Oklahoma, on April 2, 1942. He began playing the piano at the age of four.

Russell attended Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as did David Gates, with whom he had an early collaboration as The Fencemen.

Career

1950s/1960s

Russell began his musical career at the age of 14, in 1956, in the nightclubs of Tulsa. In high school, he played piano in a band, the Accents, with David Gates, who would later achieve fame in the band Bread. Leon with 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 in 1958, he studied guitar with James Burton. He was known mostly as a session musician early in his career. As Russell developed his solo artist career he crossed genres to include rock and roll, blues, bluegrass and gospel music. As a session musician he has played for and with artists as varied as Jan and Dean, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, George Harrison, Delaney Bramlett, Freddy Cannon, Ringo Starr, Doris Day, Elton John, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, the Byrds, Barbra Streisand, the Beach Boys, the Ventures, Willie Nelson, Badfinger, the Tijuana Brass, Frank Sinatra, the Band, Bob Dylan, J. J. Cale, B.B. King, Dave Mason, Glen Campbell, Joe Cocker, the Rolling Stones, and the Flying Burrito Brothers.

In Los Angeles, Russell played as a first-call studio musician on many of the popular songs of the 1960s, including some by the Byrds, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Bobby Pickett, and Herb Alpert. He also played piano on many Phil Spector productions, including recordings by the Ronettes, the Crystals, and Darlene Love and in the 1963 '' A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector'' album. He can be seen in the 1964 concert film '' T.A.M.I. Show'' playing piano with the Wrecking Crew (an informal name for the top Los Angeles 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 and creative developer, playing on numerous number-one singles, including " This Diamond Ring" by Gary Lewis & the Playboys.

In the mid-1960s, he wrote or co-wrote songs, including two hits for Gary Lewis and the Playboys: " Everybody Loves a Clown" (which reached the ''Billboard'' Top 40 on October 9, 1965, remaining on the chart for eight weeks and reaching number 4) and "She's Just My Style