Leon Russell is a music legend

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I took this off my websites section, "Music Insight"

Leon Russell is a music legend and perhaps the  most accomplished and versatile musician in the history of rock 'n roll. In his distinguished and unique 50 year career, he has played on, arranged, written and/or produced some of the   best records in popular music.
                 
Leon has played on pop, rock, blues, country, bluegrass,   standards, gospel, and surf     records.  As a session musician, arranger, producer, singer,   songwriter, pianist,             guitarist, record company owner, bandleader, and touring musician,   he has collaborated with hundreds of artists, including Glen Campbell, Joe Cocker,   Willie Nelson, Edgar Winter, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Ringo   Starr,  John Lennon, J.J. Cale, David Gates, Bruce Hornsby, Hal Blaine, Tommy Tedesco,  Bobby "Boris" Pickett, B.B. King, Freddie King, Bill Wyman, Steve Cropper, Carl Radle,  Chuck Blackwell, Don Preston, Jesse Ed Davis, Rita Coolidge, Gram Parsons, Barbra   Streisand, Ike & Tina Turner, Ricky Nelson,  Herb Alpert, Frank Sinatra,   Aretha Franklin,               Ann-Margret, Dean Martin, Marvin Gaye, Dave Mason, Steve Winwood, and groups such  as Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, The Monkees, The Astronauts, The Accents, The Fencemen, The Ventures, The Beach Boys, The Byrds,  Jan &   Dean, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Paul Revere & The Raiders, The   Rolling Stones, The Ronettes, The Crystals, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Everly   Brothers, The Righteous Brothers, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Tractors   and on and on and on...   

Born in southwest Oklahoma in 1942, Leon began piano   lessons at age 4.             He was playing in Tulsa nightclubs at the age of 14.  After   graduating from high school,       Leon's band, The Starlighters, went on the road with Jerry Lee Lewis   for almost two months. Leon left Tulsa at the age of 17 for Los Angeles where he began   playing in the L.A. clubs and eventually became one of the best session musicians in Hollywood.   He worked with the best Hollywood producers and top musicians in the business.   

Leon became part of an elite group of studio musicians called the   Wrecking Crew and  played on hundreds of hit records in the 1960's.  He was part of   studio groups such as The Routers and The Super Stocks.  The Routers recorded the huge hit   "Let's Go" and The Super Stocks recorded surf and hot rod tunes.  In 1964, Leon was a member   of the the house band on the Shindig! show on ABC television which showcased the top pop acts.   
Leon built a recording studio in his home in 1967 where   he and Marc Benno            recorded songs which were released on two critically acclaimed   records as the            'Asylum Choir'. Leon co-produced, arranged, and played piano, organ, and   guitar on Joe Cocker's second album, 'Joe Cocker!' in 1969.  He also recorded and toured   with      'Delaney & Bonnie & Friends'. Leon founded Shelter Records with partner Denny Cordell and   released Leon's first solo album, "Leon Russell" in May, 1970.  It included Beatles George Harrison and  Ringo Starr, Rolling Stones Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts, Steve   Winwood, Eric Clapton, and Klaus Voorman.    The album contained classic Leon songs,  'A   Song For You', along with 'Hummingbird', and 'Delta Lady'.                   
Shelter Records was home for not only Leon but many other   artists such as Freddie King, Don Nix, J.J. Cale, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Gap Band,   Dwight Twilley and     Phoebe Snow.   Leon played on and produced three Shelter albums for   blues guitarist Freddie King.
As a songwriter, Leon's songs have hit the charts across   all genres and have been       covered by a diverse range of artists.  Ray Charles recorded 'A Song   For You', B.B. King had a hit with 'Hummingbird', The Carpenters with 'Superstar' and Joe   Cocker with 'Delta Lady'. The Carpenter's cover of "Superstar", written by Leon and Bonnie   Bramlett, went to #2 on the pop music charts.  George Benson won the "Record of the Year" Grammy in   1976 for his cover of Leon's song, "This Masquerade", and it became the first song in   music history to hit #1 on the jazz, pop and R&b charts.
                 Leon organized and led the band behind Joe Cocker for the   famous                 "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" tour of the U.S. in March-May,   1970. The huge 11 member band included 3 drummers and a 10 member   choir which played 65 shows in 48 cities. The tour was filmed for the   movie "Mad Dogs & Englishmen". The live double-LP album on   A&M Records  reached #2 on the U.S. album charts and sold over a  million copies.               
On August 1st, 1971, Leon joined George Harrison and   friends for two performances of the Concert For Bangladesh at Madison   Square Garden in New York to raise money for refugees. His   "Jumpin' Jack Flash/Youngblood" medley was considered the highlight of   the show by some. The album earned a Grammy Award for Album of the   Year.               
Leon's first solo album to earn a Gold record was   "Leon Russell and The Shelter People" (1971). The "Carney" album,   released in 1972, would be his best seller and included the single,   "Tight Rope" which reached #11 on the pop music charts. By 1972, Leon   was a major concert attraction. Billboard Magazine named Leon the top   concert  attraction for 1973. His concert at Long Beach, CA on   August 28,1972 was recorded and released on the triple-LP album   'Leon Live' which rose to #9 on the pop charts. Leon released the   second Asylum Choir album, 'Asylum Choir II", in 1972 from songs   recorded yearsearlier. The single "Slippin' Into Christmas" rose to # 4   on the                 pop charts in 1972.
At the height of his popularity as a rock star, Leon released   a country music album, "Hank Wilson's Back" under the name Hank   Wilson on August 31st,1973. His last Shelter Records studio album,   "Will O' The Wisp" (1975), included the hit single "Lady Blue" (#14   on the charts) and went Gold. "The Best Of Leon" was released in   1976 and earned a 6th Gold Record. Leon founded Paradise Records a   Warner                 Bros. label and released albums from 1976-84 such as "The   Wedding Album", "Make Love To The Music", "Americana", "Life And   Love", "Solid State" and "Hank Wilson Vol. II".
Leon co-hosted with Willie Nelson, the first of Willie's 4th of July picnics. Leon has continued to be a regular performer at Willie's  picnics through the years. Leon joined Willie on tour and   they teamed  in 1979 for the country album, "One For The Road", which   earned a Gold record and was honored by the Country Music   Association with   a nomination for "Album Of The Year". The album included   the song               "Heartbreak Hotel" that was nominated for a Grammy Award   in 1980 for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.

               
In 1980-81, Leon toured with the New Grass Revival and   released the 'Live Album' from their performances.  In 1984 Leon   released his second country album under the Hank Wilson name, "Hank   Wilson Vol. II".      Leon and Edgar Winter toured together in the late 1980's.  In 1992, he   teamed up with Bruce Hornsby (producer) for the album "Anything Can   Happen" released on Virgin Records.  Edgar Winter also played on the   album.  In 1998 "Hank Wilson Vol. 3: Legend In My Time" and 1999's "Face   In The Crowd".  In 2001, Russell played with Earl Scruggs and Friends   on "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" which earned a Grammy for Best Country   Instrumental Performance.
       
                     
Leon joined a number of artists in honoring Willie  Nelson on his 70th birthday celebration at the Beacon Theatre in New   York city in April, 2003.   Leon performed his classic 'A Song For You'   with Willie and Ray Charles and also sang "Jumpin' Jack Flash".  The   show was filmed for the special "Willie Nelson: Live and Kickin'".   
In April 2006, Leon was awarded a lifetime achievement award by   the Bare Bones International Film Festival.  In October 2006, he was   inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.               
Leon's latest records from his own record label, Leon   Russell Records,                 include "Signature Songs", a collection of acoustic piano/vocal   recordings of Leon Russell classics; "Guitar Blues";   "Moonlight & Love Songs", a collection of standards; "Face In The   Crowd"; "Crazy Love"; "Hymns Of Christmas"; "Rhythm & Bluegrass: Hank   Wilson vol. 4", a collection of songs recorded in the 1980's with the   New Grass           Revival; "A Mighty Flood", an album of inspirational   songs; "Angel In Disguise"; and his latest release "Best Of Hank   Wilson".
Leon continues to write songs, record, and thrill   audiences on his non-stop tour across the U.S. In November 2005 and May   2008, he also toured Japan. Leon's son Teddy Jack and daughters   Sugaree and Tina Rose have all been in his band and toured with   him. His bass player, Jack Wessel, has been in his band for 28   years. Leon's         musical style is still resonating with his lifelong fans   and is  inspiring younger listeners who are discovering his music   from either  the 'Mad Dogs & Englishmen' or 'Concert For   Bangladesh' DVDs.
Current members of Leon's band include: Jackie Wessel, Bassist/Backing                 Vocals;  Chris Simmons, Guitarist/Backing Vocals;  Brian  Lee, Keyboards/Backing Vocals; and Brandon Holder, Drums.
Stranger in a Strange Land - Leon Russell

Visit His website here> Leon Russel

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Anyone who's truly into music would recognize his name as songwriter for countless songs even before recognizing his singing.