Leon Russell- High Heel Sneakers - Oct 28 1964

[rjlb56]

How cool is this ?

[eddie054]

Leon's bad!

[gregcircanow]

If I met a girl with a red dress and high heeled sneakers I would lose my fucking mind.

[TheTrigger900]

@gregcircanow LOOK AROUND BABY THERE ALL OVER , HAVE YOU SEEN THERE SHOES, I WOULD GO BARE FOOTED BEFORE WEARING SOME OF THAT SHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­.

[TheTrigger900]

@gregcircanow LOOK AROUND BABY  THERE ALL OVER , HAVE YOU SEEN THERE SHOES, I WOULD GO BARE FOOTED BEFORE WEARING SOME OF THAT SHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­. UGLY. HAHAHA.

[msjenjenp]

@TheTrigger900 Get a grip on yourself Trigger. You're cruel shoes ain't that gangsta'.

[Topnoteboy]

More proof that he's the Master of Space and Time!!

[nicholasmatthewpatto]

YEAH,HE WAS ALWAYS BADASS!

[Okiemom50]

Graduate of Will Roger's High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Moved to L.A. and became a member of "The Wrecking Crew" session musicians group. Did backup for The Beach Boys, etc.... Great performer. Saw him many times in Tulsa.

:o)

[emagee1967]

had somebody ask me today........leon russel??whodat

[jacobhalo100]

I'm going to the Dylan-Russell concert on Aug. 17 in Philly at the Mann.

[cockyhemi]

@jacobhalo100 I saw them in Cleveland on August 6th. Great show! Dylan was awesome, Leon was good too but seemed kinda disengaged from the audience. Hopefully you get more energy from him at your show ; )

[AllStarBugler]

@jacobhalo100 I was there. Enjoyed Leon, walked out halfway through Bob........

[Skwerrlly]

Amazing video,very hard to find!

[Thecodi55]

@starrrkrazee

Well said! Much love and respect to him for taking me to another space and time with his music. Still brings it home for me!

[rubydawn1]

WOW Leon Russel Loved to go to his shows.

[AllStarBugler]

Awesome footage!! Thanks for the post!!!

[Thecodi55]

Thanks for this blast from the past! I remember the TV shows with the dancers (was 10 & 11 yrs old) but had forgotten how funny they were. It's interesting to see how Leon's stage persona hasn't changed over all the years. He always looks SOOOO serious with a slight twinkle in his eye! lol GAWD I LOVE HIM!

[Thecodi55]

Thanks for this blast from the past! I remember the TV shows with the dancers (was 10 & 11 yrs old) but had forgotten how funny it is NOW. It's interesting to see how Leon's stage persona hasn't changed over all the years. He always looks SOOOO serious with a slight twinkle in his eye! lol GAWD I LOVE HIM!

[starrrkrazeee]

@Thecodi55 Thats because Leons a Doctor, Thinker, Philosopher, Writer of Life and expresses it through a venue he loves His Piano & Rock N Roll, one of the Greatest Ever at that and we LOVE HIM ! Thank you Leon Russell for taking the time and effort to share your talents with us all these years! Tulsa Town T.!

[sluppy11]

WOW what a trip,love love loved watching these old ones,he was soooo good looking and got better w/age

[52joan]

leon rocks!

[mrjbkap]

Never any idea Leon was making music in 64. First Leon Russell for me was 1968 or so. I love him even more after seeing these early vids.

Thanks so much

[coldshot5555]

@mrjbkap I too was very suprised to see Leon at such a young age...How about tose crowds of girls always screaming...I got to expierence it for myself...It was a phenominium...you just can't forget...and in those days the girls were satisfyed wiyh an autograph on the back of the hand not a boob...

[dang622]

i like jerry lee´s version

[Tulsaguy123]

Having gone to HS with Leon (Russell Bridges as we knew him), I can tell you that this video was taken/done less than 5 yrs. after his graduation. He played piano for David Gates band in HS and as you know - Gates went on to eventually form Bread.

[Tara1823]

Leon will be on SNL w/ Elton john this weekend, can't wait

[MPMKGM]

his right hand punches out the chord, every time.

[theoriginalbadbob]

For those of you who don't know, the dance that the two girls are doing on top of the piano is called "The Pony."

[Tara1823]

Love. This one

[doug319able]

how cool. i was ten years old, and might even have seen this. eight years later i would become a huge fan and travel hundreds of miles to see his show (i will always consider the leon live/carney era to be the high point of his career).

[dawntreader55]

It's not for nothin' that Leon is known as the Master of Time and Space! It's a real pleasure to watch him being Leon. Nobody else comes anywhere close to measuring up to him and what he gives musically or energy-wise to an audience..

[hillbillyvol]

I am surprised those big girls did not dance their way through the top of the piano. Thanks for the post. Leon was slightly before my time at that point. I got into him in the 70's.

[hfelton]

Would never have guess that was Leon. It's kinda like seeing the young Willie Nelson.

[uppityhomo]

Darlene Love and the Blossoms on backing vocals.

[cidedwards31a]

sounds like Leon and plays like Leon already,but looks like a schoolboy.I bet he cried like that when he was born.Love you Leon and i'm glad you're getting your flowers while your still on the planet. faves inc: stranger,sweet emily,roll away the stone,prince of peace,out in the woods,if i were a carpenter,way down in columbus Ga, wanna be back in tennesee (that song),hummingbird,bluebird,let­s get started. etc

[sassyreggae]

OMG this is why God made You Tube !!

I would have never recognized him but that voice is unmistakable. Priceless.

When he played at Neil Young's Bridge concert last year the crowd gave him so much love.

[FIRECRACKER392]

I was 9 days old when Leon done this one.

Thanks Leon, im still listening bro !

[lindan96]

Now I know why he let his hair grow out...

[JoeMarelli]

Billy Bob Russell

[tskanderful]

hey jude tks for the reply last week , i was inquisitive ,? Who is Emily , childhood friend? Girlfriend at time?

[judecreek2]

@tskanderful Miss Emily has been a friend of Leon's since they were in high school. She came from a wealthy family in Lawton, went out to California with Leon, was the "den mother" for the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour. She's featured in some of the MD&E videos and "Honky Tonk Women" from Leon's 1971 TV appearance. That vid is here, too.He wrote "Sweet Emily" for her, a pretty tribute song. I saw photos from his 65th birthday and Emily was sitting right next to him. What a lasting friendship!

[biensidhe]

I remember this song (Brenda Lee, I think), and I remember Shindig, but I don't remember Leon from this era. I cannot believe I didn't fall hard for him, even if I WAS only 10 years old.

[vinyljunie1980]

For those of you who don't know, Leon Russell was born in Tulsa, OK. His birth name was Russell Bridges. He used to be on a local Tulsa TV show, along with Gary Bussey called the Mazeppa Pompozoitti Show during the early 70's. He lived in Tulsa many years, even after becoming  famous and he comes to town every year and performs on his birthday (Leonopolooza).

[judecreek2]

@vinyljunie1980 I think his birth name is Claude Russell Bridges.

[bodiddlywiddly]

Leon Russell was born in Lawton, OK.

[monicabowie]

he's so cool

[gsdsteve]

Al Kooper did write This Diamond Ring. Leon wrote Everybody Loves a Clown for Gary Lewis.

[jayhawks69]

No one beats the KILLER...

btw., nice vid, thanks for postin`!

;-)

[Elin48]

wow...what a different look. It could have been The Ed Sullivan Show, or on Dick Clark possibly.

[birdstuckinchimney]

Get those girls off that piano!

[ennui406]

Damn, he sure changed!

[aammirr]

...Leon is with the infamous studio musicians 'the WRECKING CREW' around this time. Writing 'This Diamond Ring' for Gary Lewis & the Playboys; playing piano for Frank Sinatra, and the Beach Boys. among others !

[micklean]

Al Kooper wrote "This Diamond Ring"

[judecreek2]

@aammirr Leon was also a major part of Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" in the 60's. He played piano on many of the girl group's records like "Be My Baby" among many others.

[judecreek2]

WOW!!! Besides the voice, the only thing I recognize about Leon is that glare that could stop traffic from three miles away!

[jum1801]

Wow! A mere five years later Leon was absolutely unrecognizable, having grown his hair, which had by then gone almost completely gray, down below his shoulders. But the voice would have given him away anywhere.....

[angelineHful]

Right after I was born, omg love him...... ANGEL

[2ndmae1958]

I never dreamed Leon ever looked like that. Wow.

[rentatrip1]

Leon Looks all the world like his cousin ... Famous Rock Roadie ...

Rockin' Ricky Bridges... who was Kieth Richards Guitar tuner and stage assistant

[SHEPARDWISPERER]

where,s thye beard and top hat ?

[collinclink]

Excelent.

Leon lets the music be the star.

It looks easy but its hard to play like that.

Under-rated song writer

[peelumba]

love the pompadore and the attitude from early on. Leon is the king what a talent

[b96d]

oh yesssss!...

[redrock1965]

thanks great

[Biguns]

Thanks for posting this, it looks multi-generational, rare indeed

[aarfeld]

The hidden talents of Eddie Munster. :-)

[GmodGIRL]

Your style stays true

[rrtallon]

Leon forever. One of the very greatest in my book. The RR HOF has a lot of people in it that are not nearly as good as Leon. If they leave him out it is a sorry shame on them.

[lgmccarville]

He should be in the R and R hall of fame.!! and he's intergrated in 64

[racerdan]

Can"t say much more than "Thanks Leon" Saw you the first time in about 68,, Still love seein you at your birthday bash.

[lovinSpoonful]

Wow, he sure looked different when he was young! Still rocked pretty good, though.

[PWB87]

he kinda looks like a ventriloquist dummy

[deweydewmeyer]

He kinda looks like Unknown Hinson on this one. He's even got the black teef

[RumRunningRebel]

Now more than ever there is room for more greats like Leon, but so very few to be found today.

[jnmklo9]

Thank you Leon you have brought a lot great music and brilliant arrangements into our lives - you rock man!

[buskerbuoy]

That young turk rocked

[whitewolf60]

Is that Eddie Munster on piano? : )

[gottoloveLa]

haha he looks soo diffrent

[sosome57]

Leon Russell with Elvis hair!! That's funny! His musical style is already there.

[TheEarthDiedScreamin]

First time I´ve seen him like this, this is really funny. The look on his face is the same though. The dancing piano chicks are hillarious

[MattHatter]

Yeah...it's the "Leon stare" at 0:54 to 0:57. LOL.

[3rdPR]

"Leon Stare" - I'll think of that every time now, from now on -

[MarkRocchio]

OMG!!! I am LMFAO!!!! I would not have recognized Leon Russell. This is a full-on mind twist. I need Leon in his neon green MadHatter hat, long hair and his signiture whiskers. But still... this is Leon thru and thru and true!

[MattHatter]

LOL! Man all that hair he grew later on sure hid those ears!

[Tdgonline]

Leon really came on strong as a country rock artist in the 70's. And who would have known that he started right here in LA.. Then after

Tightrope, what?

[kristenknutson]

He looks like Colin on Sports Nation

(ESPN)

[randolphmarshall]

wow he sure looks diferent today...

[2711913]

Looks like an ad for Brylcreem. Leon used more than "a little dab" though.

[crosscatch]

Anything worth doin' is worth overdoin'.

[2711913]

Or, as I like to say, moderation in all things, INCLUDING moderation.

[crosscatch]

Good point.

[lukemccaffrey]

Does anyone else think he looks like Eddie Munster?

[lconeill1949]

@lukemccaffrey I do.I wonder if he let his grow to cover his ears. Personally I like big ears.

[kntshrm]

@lukemccaffrey for sure--i think the actor's name was Butch Patrick. Wonder whatever became of him?

[jeromekerngarcia]

@lukemccaffrey Dude it was 1964; we all looked like Eddie Munster ;-)

[kawliga55]

this vid is PRICELESS!!!! thanks so much for posting, OMG, look at his hair!! what a trip... :)

[sunnyand75]

Dancing on a Grand!...i think it's against the law in some states! Ain't no stopping this thing called ROCK & ROLL!..Put on you high heels mama, cause we're going out tonight!!!

[eltodomundo]

Respectfully, I thinks it's always been "wig hat". He sounds so much like Jerry Lee. Looks like he was shooting for a solo career while a well-entrenched session guy. Played on recordings for the Byrds, The Beach Boys, gobs of others, credited as the arranger on "This Diamond Ring". And that blue album just can't be touched. Looks like in this case he had to share the piano work with the house player but couldn't resist his trademark cascade riff at one point. This guy is in a league of his own.

[KatManDude]

Leon Russell WAS the the house piano player on Shindig! This is where he got his start in the biz.

[eltodomundo]

I defer to your chops and stand corrected.

[aarfeld]

Indeed, Leon was a Shindog--that's what the show's house band was called--and played on many popular recordings that came out of LA: like The Monster Mash--yes, that's Leon playing on that one. Denaley Bramlett got his start as an LA session man as well.

[thenifeelnothing]

NEVER knew that and have been a HUGE fan going back to 1975.....

he still rocks.........a living legend

[bedacket]

you are so right--loved him then and love him now-Wish him good health and happiness always!

[cindiloohoo]

I'm wearing my "witch hat" upon my head RIGHT NOW!

Holy Moly - the things you can find on YouTube!

[cindiloohoo]

Yeah, I know he says "wig hat" but...

My husband and I had a huge laugh out of this. "You better wear your boxin' gloves in case some fool might start a fight," was SO true! (We used to be full-time musician/entertainers) and "wear your witch had on your head," was an inside joke.  I'm much calmer now.

[reefprayer]

I first became aware of Leon in the late 60's, early 70's when he was playing for Joe Cocker, and he had the long silver hair and beard..this video is only 5 or so years before that !!!!!!! He looks so much younger here!

[FIRECRACKER392]

I was 9 days old when this was made !!! YEA !

[themermaids]

absolutely priceless

[Roystothecoolkid]

yeah he is doin the jll style

[DumDumDodo]

Wow! A little monster!

[libmike123]

man i never have seen him beardless yes he sdounds exactly the same . .wow kewl kinda trying the j l lewis thing there

[salthut]

Those girls dancing on the piano 1:06! That is so cool.

[218bees]

Unbelievable how his singing style has never changed.He`s got that true country sound no matter what,and it`s about the coolest thing iv`e ever heard. Thanks!

[glimmer2158]

Does anyone know what TV show this is from and what year it was broadcast?

[missantropica]

Me of course this was,,,,,,,

Shindig! show on ABC TV, first season; episode 11, the exact date, uhh, let me recall

october 28 1964

even remember it like it was yesterday

[glimmer2158]

Thanks

[duckman531]

@missantropica Were you a fan of Leon back then?

[davidallenrost]

Looks like Billy Bob Thornton.

[lquisp]

A whole side of Leon I never knew.

[Termite58]

This Is Great Really enjoyed it!!!

[OriginalUncledirty]

His talent is huge even early! Great pre-curser for things to come.

[HS22181]

So Leon was a greaser before becoming a hippie.

[1978kiss]

Hmm I reckon my style did backflips when I was a kid too..

[tulsaboyz2000]

I love Leon but I now know where Eddie Munster got his hair styled