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The Wrecking Crew: Tribute to Leon Russell, The Master of Space and Time
Outtake from the film "The Wrecking Crew" Documentary, Directed by Denny Tedesco. Featuring Tommy Tedesco, Hal Blaine, Don Randi, Glen Campbell, Earl Palmer, Plas Johnson, Dick Clark, Brian Wilson, Cher, Al Casey, Herb Alpert, Joe Osborn, Jimmy Webb, Nancy Sinatra, Micky Dolenz, and many more.
Claude Russell Bridges, known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music. Born in Lawton, Oklahoma, April 2, 1942. He began playing piano at the age of four. Russell attended Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At this time he was already performing at Tulsa nightclubs. After moving to Los Angeles, he became a session musician, working as a pianist on the recordings of many notable musical artists since the 1960s. By the late 1960s, Russell diversified, becoming successful as an arranger and wrote/co-wrote songs. As a musician, he worked his way from gigs as a sideman to well known performers. By 1970 he had graduated to solo recording artist, although he never ended all his previous roles within the music industry. Russell was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Monday, March 14, 2011, at a black-tie dinner at The Waldorf-Astoria hotel in Manhattan. Russell began his musical career at the age of 14 in the nightclubs of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He and his group The Starlighters, which included J.J. Cale, Leo Feathers, Chuck Blackwell and Johnny Williams, were instrumental in creating the style of music known as the Tulsa Sound. After settling in Los Angeles, he studied guitar with James Burton. Known mostly as a session musician early in his career, as a solo artist he has crossed genres to include rock and roll, blues, and gospel music, playing with artists as varied as Gary Lewis, George Harrison, Delaney Bramlett, Ringo Starr, Doris Day, Elton John, Eric Clapton, The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Willie Nelson, Badfinger, Tijuana Brass, Frank Sinatra, The Band, Bob Dylan, Glen Campbell, and The Rolling Stones. As a member of Phil Spector's studio group, Russell played on many of the most popular songs of the 1960s, including some by The Byrds, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Bobby "Boris" Pickett, and Herb Alpert. He can be seen in 1964's "The T.A.M.I. Show", playing piano with "The Wrecking Crew" (an informal name for the top L.A. session musicians of the 1960s), sporting short, dark, slicked-back hair, in contrast to his later look. Soon after, he was hired as Snuff Garrett's assistant/creative developer, playing on numerous #1 singles, including "This Diamond Ring" by Gary Lewis and the Playboys. He wrote or co-wrote two hit songs for Gary Lewis and Playboys: "Everybody Loves a Clown" (which hit the Billboard Top 40 on October 9, 1965, remaining on the chart for 8 weeks and rising to number 4) and "She's Just My Style" (which hit Billboard's Top 40 on December 18, 1965 and rose to number 3). He played xylophone and bells on the 1966 single "The Joker Went Wild", sung by Brian Hyland and penned by Bobby Russell (no relation to Leon). He also worked sessions with Dorsey Burnette and Glen Campbell on Campbell's 1967 album Gentle on My Mind, where he was credited as "Russell Bridges" on piano. Russell's first commercial success as a songwriter came when Joe Cocker recorded the song "Delta Lady" for his 1969 album, Joe Cocker! The album, produced and arranged by Russell, reached #11 on the Billboard 200. Russell went on to organize and perform in the tour supporting Cocker's album, Mad Dogs and Englishmen. "Superstar", co-written by Delaney Bramlett and Bonnie Bramlett, was sung by Rita Coolidge on that tour and later proved a success for The Carpenters, Luther Vandross, Sonic Youth and other performers.
Leon is still rockin' ... During November 2009, he wrote many songs with Elton John and Bernie Taupin for "The Union" produced by T-Bone Burnett. Leon and Elton embarked on The Union Tour. Leon's current band line up includes long time bass player Jackie Wessel, Brandon Holder on drums, Chris Simmons on guitar, and Beau Charron.
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The Wrecking Crew film soundtrack includes music made popular by Sonny and Cher, Glen Campbell, The 5th dimension, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, The Mamas and the Papas, Dean Martin, Nancy and Frank Sinatra, The Carpenters, Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke, The Byrds, Jan and Dean, The Beach Boys, Ike and Tina Turner, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Henry Mancini, Ricky Nelson, The Monkees, The Righteous Brothers, The Chipmunks, Captain and Tennille, Simon and Garfunkel, Ronnie and Phil Spector, The Ronnettes, Wayne Newton, Tommy Roe, Johnny Rivers, The Partridge Family, Elvis Presley, The Crystals and much more!
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The Wrecking Crew: Micky Dolenz ... Hey Hey! We're Not The Monkees! (Film Outtake)by WreckingCrewMovie2,877 views
I've always liked Leon Russell - both his music and his personal style. Thanks so much for this!
TheShado1953 1 week ago
Cher <3
vrus85 3 weeks ago