Leon Russell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leon Russell
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Russell c. 1970
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| Born |
Claude Russell Bridges
April 2, 1942 Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S.
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| Died | November 13, 2016 (aged 74) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
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| Resting place | Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Other names | Hank Wilson, Russell Bridges |
| Occupation | Musician, singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 1956–2016 |
| Spouse(s) |
Mary McCreary
(m. 1975–1980)Jan Bridges (Janet Lee Constantine)
(m. 1983) |
| Children | 6 |
| Musical career | |
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Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter. He was part of many popular songs over his 60-year career. His music included rock and roll, country, gospel, and R&B.
Leon worked with many famous artists. He recorded at least 31 albums and wrote 430 songs. He wrote "Delta Lady," which was recorded by Joe Cocker. He also helped organize and perform on Cocker's Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour in 1970.
His song "A Song for You" is very well-known. More than 200 artists have recorded it. It was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2018. Another song, "This Masquerade," has been recorded by over 75 artists.
Early in his career, Leon played piano on albums for the Beach Boys and Dick Dale. Later, on his first album, Leon Russell (1970), musicians like Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison played with him. Elton John called Leon his "mentor" and "inspiration." They even recorded an album together, The Union, in 2010. This album earned them a Grammy nomination.
Leon also produced music and played for artists like Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, and the Rolling Stones. He wrote and recorded his own hits, "Tight Rope" and "Lady Blue". In 1971, he performed at The Concert for Bangladesh with Harrison, Dylan, and Clapton, which earned him a Grammy Award.
He earned six gold records for his music. He won two Grammy Awards from seven nominations. In 2011, he was added to both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life
Leon Russell was born in Lawton, Oklahoma, on April 2, 1942. He started playing the piano when he was just four years old.
He went to Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. There, he played piano in a band called the Accents with David Gates. David later became famous in the band Bread.
Music Career
Starting Out: The 1950s and 1960s
Leon began his music career at 14 in 1956. He played in nightclubs in Tulsa. With his band, the Starlighters, he helped create the "Tulsa Sound." This was a special style of music.
In 1958, he moved to Los Angeles. There, he became a "session musician." This means he played instruments for many other artists' recordings. He played for famous groups like the Beach Boys, the Byrds, and the Rolling Stones. He also played piano on many songs produced by Phil Spector.
In the mid-1960s, Leon started writing songs. He co-wrote two hits for Gary Lewis and the Playboys: "Everybody Loves a Clown" and "She's Just My Style".
In 1969, Leon and Denny Cordell started their own record company, Shelter Records.
Leon's first big success as a songwriter came when Joe Cocker recorded "Delta Lady" in 1969. Leon also helped organize Cocker's 1970 Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour. He played piano or lead guitar on the tour.
The 1970s: Solo Success and Collaborations
In 1970, Leon released his first solo album, Leon Russell. This album included "A Song for You," which became one of his most famous songs. Many artists, including Ray Charles, have recorded it. Ray Charles's version won a Grammy Award in 1994.
Also in 1970, Leon played piano on Dave Mason's album Alone Together. He also had his first hit song, "The Letter," with Joe Cocker.
In 1971, George Harrison asked Leon to play piano on Badfinger's album Straight Up. Leon also performed at The Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971. He played piano and sang with Harrison, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton. The concert album won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Leon helped blues guitarist Freddie King with his career. He worked on three of King's albums in the early 1970s. Leon also recorded country music under the name "Hank Wilson."
In 1972, Leon released his album Carney. It reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart. This album featured his hit songs "Tight Rope" and "This Masquerade". It became his second gold album.
Leon bought The Church Studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1972. Many famous musicians recorded there, including Willie Nelson and Eric Clapton.
In 1973, Leon released Hank Wilson's Back Vol. I, a country album. It included the hit "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms".
In 1975, Leon had another Top 40 hit with "Lady Blue" from his album Will O' the Wisp. This was his fourth gold album.
His song "This Masquerade" became a huge hit for George Benson in 1977. Benson's version won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year.
In 1976, Leon started his own record label, Paradise Records. He released Wedding Album with his wife, Mary Russell.
In 1979, Leon and Willie Nelson had a number one country hit with their duet "Heartbreak Hotel". They also released a duet album, One for the Road, which was Leon's fifth gold album.
Leon also built and owned Paradise Studios in Burbank, California. It was a large studio complex where many artists recorded.
The 1980s and 1990s
In the 1980s, Leon toured with the New Grass Revival. He released more albums on Paradise Records. In 1984, he released his second Hank Wilson album, Hank Wilson, Vol. II.
In 1991, Leon released Anything Can Happen. This album was produced by Bruce Hornsby. Leon also started his own independent record label, Leon Russell Records, in 1995.
He released a Christmas album called Hymns of Christmas in 1995. In 1996, Capitol/EMI Records released a two-CD set of his best songs, Gimme Shelter! The Best of Leon Russell.
The 2000s and 2010s
In 2001, Leon won a Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance for the song "Foggy Mountain Breakdown".
In 2006, Leon received the Living Legend award at the Bare Bones International Film Festival. He was also inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.
In 2010, Leon's career got a big boost when Elton John reached out to him. They recorded a double album called The Union. This album was a huge success and became Leon's sixth gold album. They also went on The Union Tour together.
In 2011, a documentary film called The Union was released. It showed how John and Russell created their album.
Leon continued to perform live. He played at Willie Nelson's Fourth of July Picnic in 2013. In 2014, he released the album Life Journey.
In 2015, a restored documentary about Leon from 1974, A Poem Is A Naked Person, was shown. It included concert footage and recording sessions.
Leon continued to tour in 2016. His last album, On a Distant Shore, was recorded in 2016 and released after his death. His daughters, Coco and Sugaree Noel Bridges, sang backing vocals on it.
Death
Leon Russell passed away in his sleep on November 13, 2016, at age 74. He had been recovering from heart surgery. His funeral was held in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, and a public memorial took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa.
Musical Style and Influence
Leon Russell's music was a mix of many styles. These included rock, country, gospel, bluegrass, R&B, and blues. He was known for his unique "Tulsa Sound."
Elton John said Leon was his "biggest influence as a piano player, a singer and a songwriter." He said, "I loved him and always will."
Pixies singer Black Francis said Leon influenced his singing style. He noted Leon's "blown-out and exaggerated" Southern accent in his singing.
One of Leon Russell's nicknames was Master of Space and Time.
Leon contributed a lot to music:
- He was credited on 408 albums.
- He had 251 artistic credits, playing many instruments:
- Piano (77 credits)
- Arranger (23 credits)
- Keyboards (20 credits)
- Guitar (17 credits)
- Organ (14 credits)
- Vocals (11 credits)
- He had 282 writing credits for songs.
- He had 45 production credits.
Personal Life
Leon Russell had six children. He had a daughter from a relationship with Carla McHenry. He had a son and daughter from his first marriage to Mary McCreary. He also had three daughters from his later marriage to Janet Lee Constantine.
Images for kids
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Russell circa 1970
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Russell in 1970
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Russell in 2009
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Russell taking time out to tell a story in 2016
