Leon Russell

b. 2 April 1941, Lawton, Oklahoma, USA. The many talents of Russell include that of singer, songwriter, producer, arranger, entrepreneur, record company executive and multi-instrumentalist. While he tasted great honours as a solo star in the early '70s, it is his all-round contribution, much of it in the background, that has made him a vitally important figure in rock music for more than 30 years. His impressive career began, after having already mastered piano and trumpet as a child, when he played with Ronnie Hawkins and Jerry Lee Lewis in the late '50s. He became a regular session pianist for the pivotal US television show "Shindig" as well as being present on most of the classic Phil Spector singles, including the Ronettes, Crystals and the Righteous Brothers. James Burton is reputed to have taught him the guitar around this time. He has appeared on hundreds of major singles right across the music spectrum, playing with a plethora of artists, including Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, the Byrds, Herb Alpert and Paul Revere. He formed his own unit Asylum Choir in 1968 together with Marc Benno and formed a cultist duo that was a commercial disaster. He befriended Delaney And Bonnie and created the famous Mad Dogs And Englishmen tour, which included Joe Cocker. Cocker recorded Russell's Delta Lady during this time, to great success. Russell founded his own label Shelter Records with UK producer Denny Cordell and released the self-titled debut which received unanimous critical approbation. His own session players included Steve Winwood, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman and Ringo Starr. Following further session work including playing with Bob Dylan and Dave Mason, he appeared at the historic Concert for Bangla Desh in 1971 and was forced to rest the following year when he suffered a nervous and physical breakdown.
He returned in 1972 with the poignantly stunning CARNEY. This US number 2, million seller, was semi-autobiographical using the circus clown theme as an analogy to his own punishing career. The following year Russell delivered a superb country album, HANK WILSON'S BACK, acknowledging his debt to classic country singers. That year he released an album by his future wife, Mary McCreary, and in 1974 an excellent version of Tim Hardin's If I Were A Carpenter. Leon concentrated on his own career more and more and in 1977 was awarded a Grammy for his song This Masquerade, which made the US Top 10 the previous year for George Benson. A partnership with Willie Nelson produced a superb country album in 1979; it became one of his biggest albums. The single Heartbreak Hotel topped the US country chart, endorsing Russell's acceptance as a country singer. An excursion into bluegrass resulted in the 1981 live set with the New Grass Revival. Following HANK WILSON'S VOLUME II in 1984 Leon became involved with his own video production company. Now white-haired, he resembles Tolkein's Gandalf. He returned in 1992 with the disappointing ANYTHING WILL HAPPEN. Russell has already earned his retirement twice over and his place in the history books. If there were such a trophy he would be a contender for the ‘most outstanding all-round contribution to rock’ music award.