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Well More Sad News - Leon is gone - 74 years old (1 Viewer)

It's amazing that he was struggling financially in these last few years - his song list is so impressive

Here is another superhit - the Rita version

Superstar

 
"A Song For You", covered by so many different people, is probably his most famous and best song.

But my personal favorite is "Hummingbird", best version by BB King.

 
"A Song For You", covered by so many different people, is probably his most famous and best song.

But my personal favorite is "Hummingbird", best version by BB King.
I'd probably say his most famous songs are  "Superstar" , then "A Song for you" - i agree his best, then it's "This Masquerade"

Those 3 right there should have earned him billions in songwriting credits 

 
I'd probably say his most famous songs are  "Superstar" , then "A Song for you" - i agree his best, then it's "This Masquerade"

Those 3 right there should have earned him billions in songwriting credits 
Tight rope was also a big one. I remember my dad playing that on his reel to reel tape player. We also had the record he made with Willie. That is some great music. 

 
Aw man. I haven't listened to anything by him in so long. Saw him live at an outdoor concert and think I had one of his CDs going in my car for months afterwards.

 
Awwww, man - this hurts. The Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour was the only one i ever chased city2city. Leon was Cocker's bandleader for this tour and assembled maybe the best session band ever put together and just plain kicked the #### out of my ears with his playing, charts and other magic. It left me just screaming to myself with the most violent joy how much i loved this ####in music!!!! Me & a pal who pretty much felt the same way just hitched to their next three gigs in a rock&roll stupor. It was sosososo gooood.

Had the pleasure to meet him backstage at a gig in the old upholstered cesspool that was the original Schaefer Stadium. True gentleman and a giant who this recent film will show you has felt the music to his toes his whole damn life. Much love - play in peace.

 
CletiusMaximus said:
The YouTube rabbit hole goes deep with this guy. Almost two hours for me last night and hardly scratched the surface. 
Here's a best-example for y'all. Playing on virtually every American pop record of the 60s - from Strangers in the Night to Help Me Rhonda - made him more than a piano player. His song-framing was the equivalent of a hype man - kept re-inviting & re-exciting listeners about the song @ play. Extraordinary. Also connects a 40-year loop of my earlier link to the film Cameron Crowe made of Leon & Elton John recording The Union, because Elton comes out for the encore 3 days after recording his own landmark 11-17-70 live album. Linkmania - enjoy.

 
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Here's a best-example for y'all. Playing on virtually every American pop record of the 60s - from Strangers in the Night to Help Me Rhonda - made him more than a piano player. His song-framing was the equivalent of a hype man - kept re-inviting & re-exciting listeners about the song @ play. Extraordinary. Also connects a 40-year loop of my earlier link to the film Cameron Crowe made of Leon & Elton John recording The Union, because Elton comes out for the encore 3 days after recording his own landmark 11-17-70 live album. Linkmania - enjoy.
One of the little trivia tidbits I was reminded of on the youtube journey yesterday - Leon played an afternoon set at George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh in Central Park, then played (Klaus Voorman's) bass during Bob Dylan's set afterward. Dylan hadn't toured for a while, and no one knew whether he would show, but it ended up being a great set.

 
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Tagging on the Leon Russell thread to mark the passing of another Southern piano player, the great Mose Allison who died yesterday at 89.

Mose was mentioned in a 2015 interview with Russell who described his music perfectly " The thing about Mose … the songs he sang were blues songs, but his piano playing was jazz, like Art Tatum or something. Very strange. I could never figure it out. All the songs he sang were blues and all the stuff he played was not."  Allison's songs were widely covered by Russell ("Smashed"), The Clash ("Look Here") and The Who ("Young Man's Blues").

His thinnish, hipster, white boy tenor voice was the furthest thing possible from a Delta blues growler but his wit and phrasing made him a true original.  His most popular stuff are short blues tunes released on Atlantic in the 60s but he was still able to say a lot in his relatively brief solo turns on piano.

 
Tagging on the Leon Russell thread to mark the passing of another Southern piano player, the great Mose Allison who died yesterday at 89.

Mose was mentioned in a 2015 interview with Russell who described his music perfectly " The thing about Mose … the songs he sang were blues songs, but his piano playing was jazz, like Art Tatum or something. Very strange. I could never figure it out. All the songs he sang were blues and all the stuff he played was not."  Allison's songs were widely covered by Russell ("Smashed"), The Clash ("Look Here") and The Who ("Young Man's Blues").

His thinnish, hipster, white boy tenor voice was the furthest thing possible from a Delta blues growler but his wit and phrasing made him a true original.  His most popular stuff are short blues tunes released on Atlantic in the 60s but he was still able to say a lot in his relatively brief solo turns on piano.
You're sitting there yakkin' right in my face
I guess I'm gonna have to put you in your place
Y'know if silence was golden
You couldn't raise a dime
Because your mind is on vacation and your mouth is
Working overtime

You're quoting figures, you're dropping names
You're telling stories about the dames
You're always laughin' when things ain't funny
You try to sound like you're big money
If talk was criminal, you'd lead a life of crime
Because your mind is on vacation and your mouth is
Working overtime

You know that life is short and talk is cheap
Don't be making promises that you can't keep
If you don't like the song I'm singing, just grin and
Bear it
All I can say is if the shoe fits wear it
If you must keep talking please try to make it rhyme
'Cause your mind is on vacation and your mouth is working
Overtime

Mose loved green hills in summertime. Adirondacks, Catskills, Green & White mountains - he'd spend his summers at one, another or all and play piano anywhere his name would get him in. As a result, i met and bought him a drink several times - sweet man, class act, hiiiilarious, laidback duke of a man. RIP -

 
Neighbor is his drummer and will be a pallbearer.   I know that he was looking forward to touring again this upcoming year.  Sad day. 

 
Tagging on the Leon Russell thread to mark the passing of another Southern piano player, the great Mose Allison who died yesterday at 89.

Mose was mentioned in a 2015 interview with Russell who described his music perfectly " The thing about Mose … the songs he sang were blues songs, but his piano playing was jazz, like Art Tatum or something. Very strange. I could never figure it out. All the songs he sang were blues and all the stuff he played was not."  Allison's songs were widely covered by Russell ("Smashed"), The Clash ("Look Here") and The Who ("Young Man's Blues").

His thinnish, hipster, white boy tenor voice was the furthest thing possible from a Delta blues growler but his wit and phrasing made him a true original.  His most popular stuff are short blues tunes released on Atlantic in the 60s but he was still able to say a lot in his relatively brief solo turns on piano.
Whoa! Liking Mose

Mose Allison is one of those names I know, but don't know, if you know what I mean.

Dropped a link on my favorites bar for later.

 
Tagging on the Leon Russell thread to mark the passing of another Southern piano player, the great Mose Allison who died yesterday at 89.

Mose was mentioned in a 2015 interview with Russell who described his music perfectly " The thing about Mose … the songs he sang were blues songs, but his piano playing was jazz, like Art Tatum or something. Very strange. I could never figure it out. All the songs he sang were blues and all the stuff he played was not."  Allison's songs were widely covered by Russell ("Smashed"), The Clash ("Look Here") and The Who ("Young Man's Blues").

His thinnish, hipster, white boy tenor voice was the furthest thing possible from a Delta blues growler but his wit and phrasing made him a true original.  His most popular stuff are short blues tunes released on Atlantic in the 60s but he was still able to say a lot in his relatively brief solo turns on piano.
Crap!  I had not heard this until reading it here.  #### #### ####!

 

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