in memoriam the “master of space and time” is gone tt rock ... · ered by andy williams, donny...

10 BUDDY DECEMBER 2016

I N M E M O R I A M

Born Claude Russell Bridgesin 1942 in Lawton, Oklahoma,his was an original blend of gos-pel-infused southern boogie pi-ano rock, blues, and countrymusic, fused to his signature grav-elly voice, sung in a loose swag-ger. At his artistic peak, it seemedhe was plying his magic every-where.

The irrepressibly fertile mu-sical imagination that woulddrive and define him was self-evident in his teenage years.Taught piano by his mother be-fore he was even in elementaryschool, he was playing regularlyin Tulsa nightclubs with his highschool friends when he was 14years old. (He took the name“Leon” from a friend who lenthim a fake ID since he was tooyoung to legally play nightclubs.)When rock and roll pioneer JerryLee Lewis heard them in 1959,he hired the band and took themon the road with him for twoyears.

Landing in Los Angeles in theearly 60s, he rapidly establishedhimself as a member of the“Wrecking Crew,” the stable ofstudio players who comprisedproducer Phil Spector’s “Wall ofSound.” His prodigious keyboardwork shone in his studio contri-butions to many of the hits of the60s: the Byrds’ “Mr. TambourineMan,” the Righteous Brothers’“You’ve Lost that Loving Feel-ing,” Gary Lewis and the Play-boys’ “This Diamond Ring,” andIke & Tina Turner’s “River Deep– Mountain High.” He appearedon albums by artists from FrankSinatra, Bing Crosby, Doris Day,Johnny Mathis, Dean Martin andBobby Darrin to Jan and Dean,the Ronettes, Herb Alpert andHarry Nilsson. He was also on allthe Beach Boys’ classic LPs, in-

THE “MASTER OF SPACE AND TIME” ISTgone. Musician, songwriter and producer LeonTRussell passed away November 13, 2016 athis home in Nashville, Tennessee. He was 74.

cluding PetSounds

It was duringthose years thathe begansongwriting, co-writing hits likeGary Lewis’ “Ev-erybody Loves aClown,” and“She’s Just myStyle.”

He startedhis own label,Shelter Records,with offices inL.A. and Tulsa.In 1968, he re-leased Look In-side the AsylumChoir, his col-laboration withfellow sessionmusician (andTexas native)Marc Benno.

B e n n ofondly recalls

meeting Russell for the first time.“A long haired hippie? No, morelike a Howard Hughes of themusic business.”

“His talent revealed a geniusof multiple instruments, arrangerof huge orchestras and creator ofhit records. It’s hard to believehe was not a solo artist of greatfame. The forming of the AsylumChoir began that journey wherefor the first time he expressed histhoughts on freedom, politics andthe state of the nation as well as(his) views on religion and ad-diction. His lyricism was incred-ible, and matched by melodiesand progressions that were to-tally ahead of its time.”

By 1969, he had penned“Delta Lady,” a hit for Joe Cocker,which led to Russell’s becomingthe bandleader for Cocker’s leg-endary “Mad Dogs & English-men” tour, where he developedhis mystical trademark stage per-sona as “The Master of Space andTime.”

In November 1970, he playedBill Graham’s Fillmore East withan upcoming Elton John on thesame bill.

In 1970, he released LeonRussell. 1971 was a banner year:he released Leon Russell and theShelter People and garnered hisfirst U.S. gold album; he nextreleased Asylum Choir II, whichwas co-produced by Benno.

Russell played on recordingsessions with B.B. King, EricClapton and Bob Dylan. He per-formed at former Beatle GeorgeHarrison’s historic 1971 Concertfor Bangladesh.

By the time his biggest hit,“Tight Rope,” from 1972’s Carneywas getting massive airplay, hewas already established as amusical icon who could fit inalmost everywhere.

The “Master of Spaceand Time” is gone

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Leon Russell dead at 74by Chuck Flores, photo by Ron McKeown

Indeed, his songs found manyadmirers and multiple covers:“A Song for You” his signaturesong from”Leon Russell was cov-ered by Andy Williams, DonnyHathaway, the Carpenters, theTemptations, Willie Nelson andRay Charles.. A 2005 duet be-tween Herbie Hancock andChristina Aguiliera of the songlanded a Grammy nomination.George Benson had a smash hitcovering Russell’s “The Masquer-ade” in 1977 and the Carpentershit gold with the Russell co-penned song, “Superstar.”

In 1973, he released HankWilson’s Back, Vol. 1, his forayinto his own brand of roadhouseC&W. Also in 1973, he andWillie Nelson performed at sun-rise to open Willie’s first Fourthof July Picnic in Dripping Springs.He appeared at almost everyWillie picnic since then.

He toured with Delaney &Bonnie and Friends, Edgar Win-ter, and the New Grass Revival.He collaborated with icons likefellow Oklahoman J.J. Cale, GlenCampbell and the Rolling Stonesand introduced the world to fel-low Tulsans the GAP Band. Aftertouring with Willie Nelson in1979, Russell and Nelson had a#1 hit on Billboards countrymusic chart with their duet of“Heartbreak Hotel.” They re-leased their joint duet studiocountry pop-rock album, Onefor the Road, earning him his fifthGold album.

After the tremendously busyyears of the ’70s, he pulled backin the 80s and 90s, quietly re-leasing solo material.

When Elton John tapped himto perform, tour and record “TheUnion” in 2010, he returned tothe scene and interest in Russellwas renewed. In 2011, Elton Johninducted Russell into the Rockand Roll Hall of Fame.

Benno looks back on his long-running musical friendship withRussell with awe and gratitude.“I was honored to be a partner ofinspiration and effort to drivehim to pursue his career and Ilearned everything I could aboutrecording, engineering, andsongwriting. He was a major partof my life and it is great that wealways got along.”

In 2010, Leon Russell under-went surgery to stop leaking brainfluid, and he suffered a heartattack in July 2016 and had coro-nary bypass surgery, after whichhe postponed shows while con-valescing at home. He had hopedto return to his concert schedulein January 2017.

He is survived by his wife,Jan; five daughters, Blue, TinaRose, Sugaree, Honey and Coco;and a son, Teddy Jack.

He also leaves behind a musi-cal legacy that in its depth andbreadth transcended genres andgenerations.

Just about what you’d expectfrom the Master of Space andTime.

He performed with Willie Nelson and Family at DallasMarket Hall New Years Eve 1974: Leon Russell

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