Leon Russell dead at 74

Always loved that hat and his music.
 

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From the Tulsa Daily World:

Funeral services have been announced for Tennessee — 1 p.m. Friday at Victory Baptist Church, 1777 Tate Lane, Mount Juliet. Both services are open to the public.
check this out --

.... Honorary pallbearers will be Elton John, John Cowan, Sam Bush, Jim Halsey, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, Tommy Lipuma, Bruce Hornsby, Kenneth Constantine, Chad Goodner, Bob Britt, Tom Britt, Matt Harris, Taylor Hanson, Willie Nelson, Bill Austin, Johnny Barbis , Harrod Blank, Chuck Blackwell, Bob Stinson, Steve Todoroff, T. Graham Brown, Jerry Dolezar, Jon Howard , Michael Johnstone, Mike Lawler, Mike Graham, Gailard Sartain, Gary Busey, Junior Markham, Jimmy Karstein, David Teegarden, Tommy Tripplehorn, Bernie Taupin, Cameron Crowe and Brian Thompson.


An obituary posted to the Bond Memorial Chapel in Tennessee asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Partnership with Native Americans, MusiCares or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (ASPCA).​
 
From the Tulsa Daily World:

Funeral services have been announced for Tennessee — 1 p.m. Friday at Victory Baptist Church, 1777 Tate Lane, Mount Juliet. Both services are open to the public.
check this out --

.... Honorary pallbearers will be Elton John, John Cowan, Sam Bush, Jim Halsey, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, Tommy Lipuma, Bruce Hornsby, Kenneth Constantine, Chad Goodner, Bob Britt, Tom Britt, Matt Harris, Taylor Hanson, Willie Nelson, Bill Austin, Johnny Barbis , Harrod Blank, Chuck Blackwell, Bob Stinson, Steve Todoroff, T. Graham Brown, Jerry Dolezar, Jon Howard , Michael Johnstone, Mike Lawler, Mike Graham, Gailard Sartain, Gary Busey, Junior Markham, Jimmy Karstein, David Teegarden, Tommy Tripplehorn, Bernie Taupin, Cameron Crowe and Brian Thompson.


An obituary posted to the Bond Memorial Chapel in Tennessee asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Partnership with Native Americans, MusiCares or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (ASPCA).​

Oh damn right I did. I was on it from 1970 when his first solo album came out (not counting Asylum Choir). Too many shows to remember them all. Matter of fact I learned to sing like him -- I can nail his voice so accurately it makes the hairs on people's neck stand up.

The last time I saw Leon was at Tipitina's in New Orleans which would probably be very vaguely around 15 years ago. He had obviously lost the physical energy so by then we were really paying tribute for all that had been. He had his daughter in the band as I recall, playing shekere and singing. After the show he emerged out the front door, hopped on a little scooter and zipped across the street to the supermarket parking lot where everybody parks, and that was the last I saw of him.

Hey why isn't tinydancer here......
 
Here's a brief CV for the profound impact Leon Russell had on American music, all before he became Joe Cocker's musical director and launched his solo recording stuff, which would be around 1968-70 (thanks to 45cat for info)

1964:
  • The Crickets - (They Call Her) La Bamba / All Over You (Liberty) - Arranger
  • Gary Lewis And The Playboys - This Diamond Ring / Hard To Find (Liberty) - Arranger

1965:
  • Bobby Vee - Cross My Heart / This Is The End (Liberty) - Arranger
  • Gary Lewis And The Playboys - Count Me In / Little Miss Go-Go (Liberty) - Arranger/Composer
  • Gary Lewis/Playboys - Save Your Heart For Me / Without A Word Of Warning (Liberty) - Arranger/Composer
  • Gary Lewis /Playboys - Everybody Loves A Clown / Time Stands Still (Liberty) -Arranger/Composer
  • Joe And Eddie - Walkin' Down The Line / It Ain't Me Babe (GNP Crescendo) - Arranger
  • Leon Russell - Everybody's Talking 'Bout The Young / It's Alright With Me (Dot) - Artist/Composer/Producer
  • Tommy Sands - The Statue / Little Rosita (Liberty) - Producer/Arranger
  • Gary Lewis/Playboys - She's Just My Style / IWon't Make That Mistake Again (Liberty) - Arranger/Composer

1966:
  • The Spotlights - Batman And Robin / Dayflower (Smash) - Composer/Producer
  • Gary Lewis/Playboys - Sure Gonna' Miss Her / I Don't Wanna Say Goodnight (Liberty) - Arranger
  • Brian Hyland - 3000 Miles / Sometimes They Do, Sometimes They Don't (Philips) - Arranger/Producer
  • Del Shannon - The Big Hurt / I Got It Bad (Liberty) - Producer/Arranger
  • Gary Lewis And The Playboys - Green Grass / I Can Read Between The Lines (Liberty) - Arranger
  • Jimmy Boyd - I Would Never Do That / Lazy Me (Imperial) - Producer/Arranger/Composer
  • Del Shannon - Show Me / Never Thought I Could (Liberty) - Producer/Arranger
  • Brian Hyland - The Joker Went Wild / I Can Hear The Rain (Philips) - Composer/Arranger
  • The Shindogs - Who Do You Think You Are / Yes I'm Going Home (Viva) - Producer
  • Gary Lewis & The Playboys - My Heart's Symphony / Tina (Liberty) - Producer/Arranger
  • The Astronauts - Main Street / In My Car (RCA Victor) - Producer
  • Gary Lewis/Playboys - Paint Me A Picture / Looking For The Stars (Liberty) - Arranger/Composer
  • The Robbs - Next Time You See Me / I Don't Feel Alone (Mercury) - Producer
  • Gary Lewis/Playboys - Where Will The Words Come From / May The Best Man Win (Liberty) - Arranger
  • Gene Clark - Echoes / I Found You (Liberty) - Arranger
  • James Darren - All / Misty Morning Eyes (Warner Bros) - Arranger
  • The Pipsqueeks - Santa's Little Helpers / Santa's Magic Flute (Warner Bros) - Arranger

1967
  • Harpers Bizarre - 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) / Lost My Love Today (Warner Bros) - Arranger
  • Gary Lewis/Playboys - The Loser / Ice Melts In The Sun (Liberty) - Composer
  • The T-Bones- The Proper Thing To Do / Tee Hee Hee (Liberty) - Arranger
  • The Everly Brothers - She Never Smiles Anymore / The Devil's Child (Warner Bros) - Arranger
  • Le Cirque - Land Of Oz / I'll Be Thinking Of You (Buddah) - Composer/Producer
  • Glen Campbell By The Time I Get To Phoenix / You've Still Got A Place In My Heart (Capitol) - Arranger
  • Wayne Newton Love Of The Common People / It's Still Loving You (Capitol) - Arranger

1968
  • Tom Northcott - 1941 / Other Times (Warner Bros) - Producer/Arranger
  • The Parade - The Radio Song / I Can See Love (A&M) - Arranger
  • Don Preston And The South - City Lights / I Found Love (A&M) - Producer/Arranger
  • Dorothy Morrison All God's Children Got Soul / Put A Little Love In Your Heart (Elektra) - Producer
  • Joe Cocker - Delta Lady (Composer/Arranger)... She Came In Through the Bathroom Window (Producer/Arranger).... The Letter (Producer/Arranger)

---- and that's not even counting his credits as a keyboard player on many if not most of those tracks, or publishing through Skyhill, or future composer credits including Superstar for the Carpenters and This Masquerade for George Benson .... so with this we have but scratched the surface here

--- and I saved this one as an example of the infectious gospel-styled energy that was his trademark:





Lucy Hamilton
 
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