IN MEMORIAM The “Master of Space and Time” is gone TT...
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10 BUDDY DECEMBER 2016 IN MEMORIAM Born Claude Russell Bridges in 1942 in Lawton, Oklahoma, his was an original blend of gos- pel-infused southern boogie pi- ano rock, blues, and country music, fused to his signature grav- elly voice, sung in a loose swag- ger. At his artistic peak, it seemed he was plying his magic every- where. The irrepressibly fertile mu- sical imagination that would drive and define him was self- evident in his teenage years. Taught piano by his mother be- fore he was even in elementary school, he was playing regularly in Tulsa nightclubs with his high school friends when he was 14 years old. (He took the name “Leon” from a friend who lent him a fake ID since he was too young to legally play nightclubs.) When rock and roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis heard them in 1959, he hired the band and took them on the road with him for two years. Landing in Los Angeles in the early 60s, he rapidly established himself as a member of the “Wrecking Crew,” the stable of studio players who comprised producer Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound.” His prodigious keyboard work shone in his studio contri- butions to many of the hits of the 60s: the Byrds’ “Mr. Tambourine Man,” the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost that Loving Feel- ing,” Gary Lewis and the Play- boys’ “This Diamond Ring,” and Ike & Tina Turner’s “River Deep – Mountain High.” He appeared on albums by artists from Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Johnny Mathis, Dean Martin and Bobby Darrin to Jan and Dean, the Ronettes, Herb Alpert and Harry Nilsson. He was also on all the Beach Boys’ classic LPs, in- THE “MASTER OF SPACE AND TIME” IS Tgone. Musician, songwriter and producer Leon TRussell passed away November 13, 2016 at his home in Nashville, Tennessee. He was 74. cluding Pet Sounds It was during those years that he began songwriting, co- writing hits like Gary Lewis’ “Ev- erybody Loves a Clown,” and “She’s Just my Style.” He started his own label, Shelter Records, with offices in L.A. and Tulsa. In 1968, he re- leased Look In- side the Asylum Choir, his col- laboration with fellow session musician (and Texas native) Marc Benno. Benno fondly recalls meeting Russell for the first time. “A long haired hippie? No, more like a Howard Hughes of the music business.” “His talent revealed a genius of multiple instruments, arranger of huge orchestras and creator of hit records. It’s hard to believe he was not a solo artist of great fame. The forming of the Asylum Choir began that journey where for the first time he expressed his thoughts on freedom, politics and the state of the nation as well as (his) views on religion and ad- diction. His lyricism was incred- ible, and matched by melodies and progressions that were to- tally ahead of its time.” By 1969, he had penned “Delta Lady,” a hit for Joe Cocker, which led to Russell’s becoming the bandleader for Cocker’s leg- endary “Mad Dogs & English- men” tour, where he developed his mystical trademark stage per- sona as “The Master of Space and Time.” In November 1970, he played Bill Graham’s Fillmore East with an upcoming Elton John on the same bill. In 1970, he released Leon Russell. 1971 was a banner year: he released Leon Russell and the Shelter People and garnered his first U.S. gold album; he next released Asylum Choir II, which was co-produced by Benno. Russell played on recording sessions with B.B. King, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan. He per- formed at former Beatle George Harrison’s historic 1971 Concert for Bangladesh. By the time his biggest hit, “Tight Rope,” from 1972’s Carney was getting massive airplay, he was already established as a musical icon who could fit in almost everywhere. The “Master of Space and Time” is gone Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Leon Russell dead at 74 by Chuck Flores, photo by Ron McKeown Indeed, his songs found many admirers and multiple covers: “A Song for You” his signature song from”Leon Russell was cov- ered by Andy Williams, Donny Hathaway, the Carpenters, the Temptations, Willie Nelson and Ray Charles.. A 2005 duet be- tween Herbie Hancock and Christina Aguiliera of the song landed a Grammy nomination. George Benson had a smash hit covering Russell’s “The Masquer- ade” in 1977 and the Carpenters hit gold with the Russell co- penned song, “Superstar.” In 1973, he released Hank Wilson’s Back, Vol. 1, his foray into his own brand of roadhouse C&W. Also in 1973, he and Willie Nelson performed at sun- rise to open Willie’s first Fourth of July Picnic in Dripping Springs. He appeared at almost every Willie picnic since then. He toured with Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, Edgar Win- ter, and the New Grass Revival. He collaborated with icons like fellow Oklahoman J.J. Cale, Glen Campbell and the Rolling Stones and introduced the world to fel- low Tulsans the GAP Band. After touring with Willie Nelson in 1979, Russell and Nelson had a #1 hit on Billboards country music chart with their duet of “Heartbreak Hotel.” They re- leased their joint duet studio country pop-rock album, One for the Road, earning him his fifth Gold album. After the tremendously busy years of the ’70s, he pulled back in the 80s and 90s, quietly re- leasing solo material. When Elton John tapped him to perform, tour and record “The Union” in 2010, he returned to the scene and interest in Russell was renewed. In 2011, Elton John inducted Russell into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Benno looks back on his long- running musical friendship with Russell with awe and gratitude. “I was honored to be a partner of inspiration and effort to drive him to pursue his career and I learned everything I could about recording, engineering, and songwriting. He was a major part of my life and it is great that we always got along.” In 2010, Leon Russell under- went surgery to stop leaking brain fluid, and he suffered a heart attack in July 2016 and had coro- nary bypass surgery, after which he postponed shows while con- valescing at home. He had hoped to return to his concert schedule in January 2017. He is survived by his wife, Jan; five daughters, Blue, Tina Rose, Sugaree, Honey and Coco; and a son, Teddy Jack. He also leaves behind a musi- cal legacy that in its depth and breadth transcended genres and generations. Just about what you’d expect from the Master of Space and Time. He performed with Willie Nelson and Family at Dallas Market Hall New Years Eve 1974: Leon Russell RON MCKEOWN
Transcript of IN MEMORIAM The “Master of Space and Time” is gone TT...
10 BUDDY DECEMBER 2016
I N M E M O R I A M
Born Claude Russell Bridgesin 1942 in Lawton, Oklahoma,his was an original blend of gos-pel-infused southern boogie pi-ano rock, blues, and countrymusic, fused to his signature grav-elly voice, sung in a loose swag-ger. At his artistic peak, it seemedhe was plying his magic every-where.
The irrepressibly fertile mu-sical imagination that woulddrive and define him was self-evident in his teenage years.Taught piano by his mother be-fore he was even in elementaryschool, he was playing regularlyin Tulsa nightclubs with his highschool friends when he was 14years old. (He took the name“Leon” from a friend who lenthim a fake ID since he was tooyoung to legally play nightclubs.)When rock and roll pioneer JerryLee Lewis heard them in 1959,he hired the band and took themon the road with him for twoyears.
Landing in Los Angeles in theearly 60s, he rapidly establishedhimself as a member of the“Wrecking Crew,” the stable ofstudio players who comprisedproducer Phil Spector’s “Wall ofSound.” His prodigious keyboardwork shone in his studio contri-butions to many of the hits of the60s: the Byrds’ “Mr. TambourineMan,” the Righteous Brothers’“You’ve Lost that Loving Feel-ing,” Gary Lewis and the Play-boys’ “This Diamond Ring,” andIke & Tina Turner’s “River Deep– Mountain High.” He appearedon albums by artists from FrankSinatra, Bing Crosby, Doris Day,Johnny Mathis, Dean Martin andBobby Darrin to Jan and Dean,the Ronettes, Herb Alpert andHarry Nilsson. He was also on allthe Beach Boys’ classic LPs, in-
THE “MASTER OF SPACE AND TIME” ISTgone. Musician, songwriter and producer LeonTRussell passed away November 13, 2016 athis home in Nashville, Tennessee. He was 74.
cluding PetSounds
It was duringthose years thathe begansongwriting, co-writing hits likeGary Lewis’ “Ev-erybody Loves aClown,” and“She’s Just myStyle.”
He startedhis own label,Shelter Records,with offices inL.A. and Tulsa.In 1968, he re-leased Look In-side the AsylumChoir, his col-laboration withfellow sessionmusician (andTexas native)Marc Benno.
B e n n ofondly recalls
meeting Russell for the first time.“A long haired hippie? No, morelike a Howard Hughes of themusic business.”
“His talent revealed a geniusof multiple instruments, arrangerof huge orchestras and creator ofhit records. It’s hard to believehe was not a solo artist of greatfame. The forming of the AsylumChoir began that journey wherefor the first time he expressed histhoughts on freedom, politics andthe state of the nation as well as(his) views on religion and ad-diction. His lyricism was incred-ible, and matched by melodiesand progressions that were to-tally ahead of its time.”
By 1969, he had penned“Delta Lady,” a hit for Joe Cocker,which led to Russell’s becomingthe bandleader for Cocker’s leg-endary “Mad Dogs & English-men” tour, where he developedhis mystical trademark stage per-sona as “The Master of Space andTime.”
In November 1970, he playedBill Graham’s Fillmore East withan upcoming Elton John on thesame bill.
In 1970, he released LeonRussell. 1971 was a banner year:he released Leon Russell and theShelter People and garnered hisfirst U.S. gold album; he nextreleased Asylum Choir II, whichwas co-produced by Benno.
Russell played on recordingsessions with B.B. King, EricClapton and Bob Dylan. He per-formed at former Beatle GeorgeHarrison’s historic 1971 Concertfor Bangladesh.
By the time his biggest hit,“Tight Rope,” from 1972’s Carneywas getting massive airplay, hewas already established as amusical icon who could fit inalmost everywhere.
The “Master of Spaceand Time” is gone
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Leon Russell dead at 74by Chuck Flores, photo by Ron McKeown
Indeed, his songs found manyadmirers and multiple covers:“A Song for You” his signaturesong from”Leon Russell was cov-ered by Andy Williams, DonnyHathaway, the Carpenters, theTemptations, Willie Nelson andRay Charles.. A 2005 duet be-tween Herbie Hancock andChristina Aguiliera of the songlanded a Grammy nomination.George Benson had a smash hitcovering Russell’s “The Masquer-ade” in 1977 and the Carpentershit gold with the Russell co-penned song, “Superstar.”
In 1973, he released HankWilson’s Back, Vol. 1, his forayinto his own brand of roadhouseC&W. Also in 1973, he andWillie Nelson performed at sun-rise to open Willie’s first Fourthof July Picnic in Dripping Springs.He appeared at almost everyWillie picnic since then.
He toured with Delaney &Bonnie and Friends, Edgar Win-ter, and the New Grass Revival.He collaborated with icons likefellow Oklahoman J.J. Cale, GlenCampbell and the Rolling Stonesand introduced the world to fel-low Tulsans the GAP Band. Aftertouring with Willie Nelson in1979, Russell and Nelson had a#1 hit on Billboards countrymusic chart with their duet of“Heartbreak Hotel.” They re-leased their joint duet studiocountry pop-rock album, Onefor the Road, earning him his fifthGold album.
After the tremendously busyyears of the ’70s, he pulled backin the 80s and 90s, quietly re-leasing solo material.
When Elton John tapped himto perform, tour and record “TheUnion” in 2010, he returned tothe scene and interest in Russellwas renewed. In 2011, Elton Johninducted Russell into the Rockand Roll Hall of Fame.
Benno looks back on his long-running musical friendship withRussell with awe and gratitude.“I was honored to be a partner ofinspiration and effort to drivehim to pursue his career and Ilearned everything I could aboutrecording, engineering, andsongwriting. He was a major partof my life and it is great that wealways got along.”
In 2010, Leon Russell under-went surgery to stop leaking brainfluid, and he suffered a heartattack in July 2016 and had coro-nary bypass surgery, after whichhe postponed shows while con-valescing at home. He had hopedto return to his concert schedulein January 2017.
He is survived by his wife,Jan; five daughters, Blue, TinaRose, Sugaree, Honey and Coco;and a son, Teddy Jack.
He also leaves behind a musi-cal legacy that in its depth andbreadth transcended genres andgenerations.
Just about what you’d expectfrom the Master of Space andTime.
He performed with Willie Nelson and Family at DallasMarket Hall New Years Eve 1974: Leon Russell
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