Nicky Hopkins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicky Hopkins
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Hopkins in 1973
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Nicholas Christian Hopkins |
| Born | 24 February 1944 Perivale, Middlesex, England, UK |
| Died | 6 September 1994 (aged 50) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
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| Years active | 1960–1994 |
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Nicholas Christian Hopkins (born February 24, 1944 – died September 6, 1994) was an English musician. He was an amazing piano and organ player. Nicky Hopkins played on many famous rock songs from the 1960s to the 1990s. He worked with legendary bands and artists like the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Who, the Beatles, and John Lennon. Many people think he was one of the best studio pianists in rock music history.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Start
Nicky Hopkins was born in Perivale, England, on February 24, 1944. He started playing the piano when he was just three years old. He was so good that he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London when he was a teenager.
Nicky had a health condition called Crohn's disease for most of his life. This made it hard for him to travel and tour with bands. Because of this, he mostly worked as a session musician. A session musician is someone who is hired to play on recordings but isn't a permanent member of a band.
In 1960, at age 16, Nicky joined a band called Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages. Later, he joined the Cyril Davies All-Stars, playing piano on their first song, "Country Line Special." However, his health issues forced him to leave the band in 1963. After getting better, he became one of the most requested session pianists in London. He played on many hit songs during this time.
Playing with the Rolling Stones
Nicky Hopkins played piano on many the Rolling Stones' albums from 1967 to 1981. You can hear his piano on famous songs like "Sympathy for the Devil" (1968), "Gimme Shelter" (1969), and "Angie" (1973). His piano playing added a special touch to their music, especially on slower songs and acoustic tunes.
One of his most well-known works with the Rolling Stones is on their 1972 album, Exile on Main St. He played in many different musical styles on that album.
In 1972, Nicky also released an album called Jamming with Edward! with some members of the Rolling Stones. It was recorded during their Let It Bleed sessions when guitarist Keith Richards wasn't there. "Edward" was a nickname for Nicky Hopkins.
Nicky joined the Rolling Stones for their tours in 1971, 1972, and 1973. His amazing piano playing blended perfectly with the guitars of Mick Taylor and Keith Richards. Sadly, he couldn't join their 1973 European tour because of his health. After that, he only played with them live one more time in 1978.
Working with The Kinks
In 1965, Nicky was asked to record with the Kinks. He played on four of their studio albums: The Kink Kontroversy (1965), Face to Face (1966), Something Else by The Kinks (1967), and The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968).
However, Nicky had some disagreements with the Kinks after their last album together. He felt he wasn't given enough credit for his piano work and wasn't paid for some of his sessions.
Contributions to The Who's Music
Nicky Hopkins first played with the Who in 1965 for their first album, My Generation. His unique piano parts fit perfectly with the band's sound. He even helped write an instrumental song called The Ox.
He later played on their 1968 single Dogs. In 1971, he was a big part of the Who's Next album, playing on songs like Song is Over and Getting in Tune. Pete Townshend from The Who even offered him a full-time spot in the band, showing how much they valued his talent.
Nicky also played a key role in the soundtrack for the 1975 film Tommy. He always said that The Who was probably his favorite band to work with.
Solo Albums and Other Projects
Nicky Hopkins also released his own music. His first solo album was The Revolutionary Piano of Nicky Hopkins in 1966. In 1973, he released The Tin Man Was a Dreamer, which included famous musicians like George Harrison and Mick Taylor. This album even featured Nicky singing some songs.
His next solo album, No More Changes, came out in 1975. He also created three soundtrack albums for films in Japan in the early 1990s.
Other Famous Collaborations
Nicky Hopkins played with many other famous groups and artists. In 1967, he joined the Jeff Beck Group, which included Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, and Ronnie Wood. He also recorded with several bands from San Francisco, like the Steve Miller Band and Jefferson Airplane. He even performed with Jefferson Airplane at the legendary Woodstock Festival.
From 1969 to 1970, Nicky was a full member of Quicksilver Messenger Service, appearing on several of their albums.
One of his most famous contributions was playing electric piano on the Beatles' song "Revolution" in 1968. He also worked with each of the four Beatles when they started their solo careers. He played on John Lennon's Imagine (1971), George Harrison's Living in the Material World (1973), and Ringo Starr's Ringo (1973). He worked with Paul McCartney on his 1989 album Flowers in the Dirt.
Later Life and Legacy
Nicky Hopkins lived in Mill Valley, California, for some years. He continued to record music there. One thing that bothered him throughout his career was that he didn't receive extra payments (royalties) from many of his recording sessions. This was because he was usually hired as a session musician, not a main band member.
His health problems made touring very difficult, so he mostly focused on studio work. Towards the end of his life, Nicky worked on creating music for films, especially in Japan.
In 1993, Nicky played his last public show with a group called The Flew.
Death and Recognition
Nicky Hopkins passed away on September 6, 1994, in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 50. He died from complications related to his lifelong battle with Crohn's disease.
His life and music are still remembered today. A writer named Julian Dawson wrote a book about Nicky Hopkins called And on Piano ... Nicky Hopkins.
On September 8, 2018, a special "piano" park bench memorial for Nicky Hopkins was unveiled in Perivale Park, near where he was born. Many famous musicians helped fund this memorial.
On what would have been his 75th birthday, February 24, 2019, the Nicky Hopkins Scholarship was created at the Royal Academy of Music in London. This scholarship helps young musicians, just like Nicky was helped when he was young. A special plaque was also placed on his childhood home in Perivale.
In 2021, it was announced that a documentary film about Nicky Hopkins' life, called The Session Man, is being made.
Discography
Solo albums
- The Revolutionary Piano of Nicky Hopkins (1966)
- The Tin Man Was a Dreamer (1973)
- No More Changes (1975)
Soundtracks
- The Fugitive (1992)
- Patio (1992)
- Namiki Family (1993)
Selected performances and collaborations
- with The Rolling Stones
- Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967);
- "We Love You" (1968)
- "She's a Rainbow" (1968)
- "Sympathy for the Devil" (1968)
- "Street Fighting Man" (1968)
- "Gimme Shelter" (1969)
- "Monkey Man" (1969)
- "Sway" (1971)
- Exile on Main St. (1972)
- "Angie" (1973)
- "Time Waits for No One" (1974)
- "Fool to Cry" (1976)
- "Waiting on a Friend" (recorded 1972, released 1981)
- with Jeff Beck
- "Morning Dew" (1967)
- Truth (1967)
- "Girl From Mill Valley" on Beck-Ola (1969)
- with Joe Cocker
- I Can Stand a Little Rain (1974)
- "You Are So Beautiful" (1974)
- Jamaica Say You Will (1975)
- with Art Garfunkel
- Breakaway (1975)
- Lefty (1988)
- with George Harrison
- Living in the Material World (1973)
- Dark Horse (1974)
- Extra Texture (Read All About It) (1975)
- with Jefferson Airplane
- "Volunteers" (1969),
- "Wooden Ships" (1969),
- "Eskimo Blue Day" (1969)
- "Hey Fredrick" (1969)
- Woodstock Festival set
- with The Kinks
- The Kink Kontroversy (1965)
- Face to Face (1966)
- Something Else by The Kinks (1967)
- The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968)
- with John Lennon
- Imagine (1971)
- "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (1971)
- Walls and Bridges album (1974)
- with Quicksilver Messenger Service
- Shady Grove (composer of "Edward, the Mad Shirt Grinder") (1969),
- Just for Love (1970)
- What About Me (composer of "Spindrifter") (1970)
- with Ringo Starr
- Ringo (1973)
- Goodnight Vienna (1974)
- with Rod Stewart
- Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977)
- Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
- Every Beat of My Heart (1986)
- with The Who
- My Generation (1965),
- The Song Is Over and Getting in Tune on Who's Next (1971),
- Let's See Action (1971)
- The Who by Numbers (1975)
- with others
- Gene Clark - various recordings
- Amory Kane - various recordings
- Cat Stevens - "Matthew and Son" on the album Matthew and Son (1967)
- The Easybeats - "Heaven & Hell", and an unreleased album titled Good Times (1967)
- The Beatles - "Revolution" (single version) (1968)
- The Move - "Hey Grandma", "Mist on a Monday Morning", "Wild Tiger Woman" (all 1968)
- The Raisins - "Sahara", "Under the Plump Pears" (1968)
- Brewer & Shipley - Weeds (1969)
- Steve Miller Band - "Kow Kow", "Baby's House" (which Hopkins co-wrote with Miller) (1969)
- Jackie Lomax - Is This What You Want? (1969)
- P. J. Proby - Reflections of Your Face (Amory Kane) from "Three Week Hero" (1969)
- The Iveys - "See-Saw Granpa" on the album Maybe Tomorrow (1969)
- Donovan - "Barabajagal" (1969), Essence to Essence (1973)
- Jamming with Edward (jam session with Ry Cooder, Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts (recorded 1969, released 1972)
- The Jayhawks - "Two Angels" and "Martin's Song" on the album Hollywood Town Hall (1992)
- Carly Simon - No Secrets (1972)
- New Riders of the Purple Sage - Powerglide (1972)
- Harry Nilsson - Son of Schmilsson (1972)
- Marc Bolan - "Jasper C. Debussy" (recorded 1966–67, released 1974)
- Martha Reeves - Martha Reeves (1974)
- Peter Frampton - Somethin's Happening (1974)
- Jerry Garcia Band - Let It Rock: The Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 2 (1975), Garcia Live Volume Five (1975)
- Art Garfunkel - Breakaway (1975)
- Jerry Garcia - Reflections (1976)
- Bill Wyman - Stone Alone (1976)
- Carole Bayer Sager - Carole Bayer Sager (1977)
- Jennifer Warnes - Jennifer Warnes (1977)
- Badfinger - Airwaves (1979)
- Meat Loaf - "More Than You Deserve" from Dead Ringer (1981)
- Ron Wood - 1234 (1981)
- Graham Parker - Another Grey Area (1982)
- Dusty Springfield - White Heat (1982)
- Buzzy Linhart - The Four Sides of Buzzy Linhart (1982, EP)
- Carl Wilson - Youngblood (1983)
- Belinda Carlisle - Belinda (1986)
- Paul McCartney - Flowers in the Dirt (1989)
- The Dogs D'Amour - Errol Flynn (1989)
- Adam Bomb - New York Times (recorded in 1990, released in 2001)
- Spinal Tap - "Rainy Day Sun" on the album Break like the Wind (1991)
- Izzy Stradlin - Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds (1992)
- Matthew Sweet - Altered Beast (1993)
- Joe Walsh - "Guilty of the Crime" on the album A Future to This Life: Robocop – The Series Soundtrack (1994)
Images for kids
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Quicksilver Messenger Service in January 1970, with Hopkins second from right
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Commemorative plaque at 38 Jordan Road, Perivale
See also
In Spanish: Nicky Hopkins para niños
