Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
This is the definitive biography of legendary musician, composer, and performer Leon Russell, a profound influence on countless artists, including George Harrison, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, and the world of music as a whole.
Leon Russell is an icon, but in many ways he is also an underappreciated artist. He is spoken of in tones reserved not just for the most talented musicians, but also the most complex and fascinating. His career is like a roadmap of American music, yet he worked integrally with English rock royalty like the Beatles and the Stones. He played piano on records by such giants as Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, and Phil Spector, and on hundreds of classic songs with major recording artists. Leon inspired Elton John's career, and Elton inducted him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. Leon also gets credit for altering Willie Nelson's career, giving us the long-haired, pot-friendly Willie we all know and love today.
In his prime, Leon filled stadiums on solo tours, and was an organizer/performer on both Joe Cocker's revolutionary Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour and George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh. Leon also founded Shelter Records in 1969 with producer Denny Cordell, establishing offices and studios in Los Angeles and eventually Tulsa, fostering wild and free atmospheres for musicians to live and work together. Leon always assembled wildly diverse bands and performances, and he laughed in the face of musical and social barriers. However, Russell also struggled with his demons, including substance abuse, severe depression, and a crippling stage fright that wreaked havoc on his psyche over the long haul. Now, acclaimed author and founding member of Buffalo Tom, Bill Janovitz shines the spotlight on one of the most important music makers of the twentieth century.