Leon Russell
| Leon Russell | |
|---|---|
Russell c. 1980
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| Born |
Claude Russell Bridges April 2, 1942 Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S |
| Died | November 13, 2016 (aged 74) Mount Juliet, Tennessee, U.S |
| Other names | Hank Wilson & Leon Russell |
| Occupation | Musician, singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 1956–2016 |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | Blue, Tina Rose, Teddy Jack, Sugaree, Honey, and Coco |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Country, rock, folk, rhythm and blues, folk rock, blues rock |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, organ, guitar, bass guitar, mandolin |
| Labels | Capitol, Shelter Records, Paradise Records |
Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling pop music records over the course of his 60-year career. His genres included pop, rock, blues, country, bluegrass, standards, gospel and surf records. He was awarded six gold records.
His collaborations rank as some of the most successful in music history, and as a touring musician he performed with hundreds of Hall of Fame artists. He recorded 33 albums and at least 430 songs. He wrote "Delta Lady", recorded by Joe Cocker, and organized and performed with Cocker's "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" tour in 1970. More than 100 artists have recorded his "A Song for You" (1970).
As a pianist, he played in his early years on albums by the Beach Boys 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 biggest early fans, Elton John, said Russell was a "mentor" and "inspiration". They recorded the album The Union in 2010, which was later nominated for a Grammy.
Russell produced and played in recording sessions for Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, Ike & Tina Turner, the Rolling Stones, and others. He wrote and recorded the hits "Tight Rope" and "Lady Blue". He performed at the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971 along with Dylan and Eric Clapton. In 2011, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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