Leon Russell (Official Thread)

[deezee]

for whatever reason i always associate leon with elton john. why? because they both hit at around the same time as solo artists.both were piano men.elton's first release was "your song" and leon's first solo release (at least on the east coast) was "a song for you". it was sometimes confusing to the djs cause the song titles were similar and they were both newer artists. obviously leon has been around for years but not putting out records himself. so invariably some dj would announce one song and play the other.

what i never got was how elton became this huge star and leon's stuff didn't catch on the same way. i like some of elton's early stuff, but if you ever saw leon live you know he 's also an amazing musician and showman live. not to mention an unbelieveable songwriter. the only thing that i like about him not getting all the recognition i think he deserves, is that i get to see him locally in a tiny bar up in malibu once in awhile.
any other fans out there?

 

[Music Wench]

Re: leon russell fans?

Never saw Leon Russell live but I do like him. Can't say I like him more or less than Elton John cause I haven't really kept up with his work. Elton got boring for me after Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy but his early work was phenomenal. And of course he had Bernie Taupin as his lyricist and he would be my favorite lyricist so I have a special affinity for Elton.

I think perhaps Elton just had more commercial appeal, not necessisarily more talent.

 

[pooldude]

Re: leon russell fans?

I saw Leon Russell & the Shelter People @ the San Diego Sports Arena sometime back around late '71 or early '72.

He had the full Mad Dogs & Englishmen lineup of famous players, a big band of guys that had played with Delaney & Bonnie & Joe Cocker.

I really don't remember exactly who all was playing that night, maybe the late Jesse Ed Davis on guitar...only the stage was really full of musicians, with backup singers on a riser.

This was one of the most moving concerts I ever attended.

Leon Russell sang & conducted the band & spoke to the audience with the fervor of a Gospel Preacher...his voice had a timbre & intensity that was startling. He was an extremely commanding performer.

I remember he brought a young girl out of the audience to sit next to him on his piano stool when he sang "When I was a young man, barely 17" & it was extremely moving; the girl started crying.

They did "Stranger in a Strange Land" & Dylan's "Hard Rain's Gonna Fall" & George Harrison's "Beware of Darkness" & "Goin' Back to Tulsa" & "Alcatraz" & Ballad of Mad Dogs"...& just tons of heart-felt songs that made me think about my own life experiences, & where I was heading, during a difficult time of my life.

I'll never forget that concert.

 

[magnoliasteve]

Re: leon russell fans?

I went through a serious Leon Russell phase and then sort of lost interest. The list of his collaborations reads like the who's who of rock and roll and I respect the hell out of him. I thought he hit his peak with "Carney" and "Leon Live". Never much cared for anything he put our after that. I do have to say that his "Christmas Album" was among the most unique holiday releases from a rocker I have ever seen.

 

[billtjr51]

Re: leon russell fans?

I saw Leon Russell in Fayettville NC in 71 or early 72. He sipped on a Budweiser the entire performance. At one point someone threw a joint and hit him with it(I was at the front of the stage). He casually reached down and picked it up, stuck it behind his ear, and continued playing. It was a great show. I saw him again soon after that in Charlotte NC at an outdoor concert with John Nitzinger.

 

[magnoliasteve]

Re: leon russell fans?

Man, John Nitzinger, a blast form the past. He wrote a shit load of great songs for Bloodrock, a very tight, underappreciated band. He also wrote from stuff for Alice Cooper and Carl Palmer's PM.

 

[Reverend Rock]

Re: leon russell fans?

No matter what else you might say about Leon Russell, you gotta hand it to the man for stealing the show (in his finest southern backwoods revivalist style) at the Concert for Bangladesh with "Jumping Jack Flash/Youngblood". What a moment.

 

[JackInBox]

Re: leon russell fans?

he, Leon Russell just seemed great in "JOE COCKER-MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMAN", the live album, conert tour (their is even a movie of this tour)

Leon Russell worked well with the "MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMAN", but after this I found his work very inconsistent. his music was up-and-down. sometimes very good, a lot very bad.

Good subject; any comments

NOTE: Leon Russell, plays electric guitar pretty good, besides piano.

 

[deezee]

Re: leon russell fans?

No matter what else you might say about Leon Russell, you gotta hand it to the man for stealing the show (in his finest southern backwoods revivalist style) at the Concert for Bangladesh with "Jumping Jack Flash/Youngblood". What a moment.

i was at the early show of this concert and you are absolutely right! it wasn't easy to steal the show from a surprise performance by a "just returned to the stage after 5 years" bob dylan and george and eric trading guitar riffs. but IMHO leon did just that.

 

[Reverend Rock]

Re: leon russell fans?

...NOTE: Leon Russell, plays electric guitar pretty good, besides piano.

Also, during the Dylan set at the Concert for Bangladesh, he played bass.