# RIP: Leon Russell **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 13, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814 "2016-11-13T14:39:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/1 "2016-11-13T14:39:11Z")
2016 sucks! ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/2 "2016-11-13T14:41:19Z")
[A couple of numbers from Leon…](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICr9lfWq3yY) ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/3 "2016-11-13T14:43:29Z")
[A Song For You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37dw2r45Xzg) ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/4 "2016-11-13T14:56:24Z")
from Reuters: [Leon Russell dead at 74](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-leonrussell-idUSKBN1380JM) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/5 "2016-11-13T15:31:03Z")
My gosh. One of the great piano players. Member of LA’s famed Wrecking Crew and one of the few who made it as an artist themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/6 "2016-11-13T15:49:21Z")
Aw, shit. One of about 6 piano players I really liked. The man was a monster behind the keyboards, truly the master of space and time. RIP Mr. Russell. Thank you for all you gave us. This is my favorite part of the Reuters story that **lomghair75** linked: > [@](#): > > Russell’s period of stardom as a performer was relatively brief but Elton John, who had once been Russell’s opening act, engineered a comeback for him in 2010 when they collaborated on an album titled “The Union.” > [@](#): > > Although he continued recording and touring, Russell was far from the spotlight in the 1990s and 2000s until he and John recorded “The Union” and went on a short joint tour. John said he was inspired to collaborate when he was moved to tears upon rehearing Russell’s song “Back to the Island.” > > Russell, who had to have surgery because of leaking brain fluid a week before going into the studio, said it was the first time he had heard from John in 35 years. > > “If Leon can get the accolades he deserves and be financially OK for the rest of his life, I will have done something decent with my music,” John told the New York Times. Mr. John, you totally fucking rock. ---
**Author:** ![CatandMouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@CatandMouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatandMouse)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/7 "2016-11-13T16:13:36Z")
What sad news! And what a awful week this has been. First Leonard Cohen dies, then we elect an internet troll to be our Prez, and now Leon Russell dies. I’m going back to bed. lol ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/8 "2016-11-13T16:17:48Z")
I’m linking to his [Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Russell) because he did so many different things - writing, playing, producing, touring - for so many different artists that nobody probably knows how huge his career was. The man was made of music. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/9 "2016-11-13T16:23:31Z")
He played here in a small venue in August of 2004. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/10 "2016-11-13T16:32:23Z")
Goddammit. Somebody get Waits and Dylan into protective custody now. I said NOW! ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/11 "2016-11-13T16:39:16Z")
Grab up Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson too! ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/12 "2016-11-13T16:51:00Z")
I would say that “This Masquerade” easily makes the top 10 of pop/rock compositions. Here is the Carpenters version: [link](https://youtu.be/5GChYjK8rIk) ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/13 "2016-11-13T17:00:17Z")
Leon often wrote in a wistful, minor key that suited Karen Carpenter’s voice very well [A Song For You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PMgmgDq2Fo) [Superstar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZb5t4tEPA8) ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/14 "2016-11-13T17:22:52Z")
Jesus, this year! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/15 "2016-11-13T17:25:20Z")
Why not, it’s 2016. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/16 "2016-11-13T17:58:41Z")
When I realized Leon was coming to a 400-seat venue in Ann Arbor soon, I immediately made plans with family members to attend the show. They were not familiar with him so I spoke for several minutes about Leon’s history and his talent. They were interested and eager to go. This happened about 15 hours ago. RIP Leon mmm ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/17 "2016-11-13T18:01:19Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Aw, shit. One of about 6 piano players I really liked. The man was a monster behind the keyboards, truly the master of space and time. > > RIP Mr. Russell. Thank you for all you gave us. > > This is my favorite part of the Reuters story that **lomghair75** linked:Mr. John, you totally fucking rock. The \*Union \*album with Elton enabled Leon to buy a fully decked out customized Prevost bus, so he could tour in style and comfort. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/18 "2016-11-13T19:52:18Z")
Saw him last year in Santa Cruz, at a venue with maybe 200 people in it. Great, _great_ show. His band was fantastic, absolutely _sizzled_. Very surprised he’s gone so soon after. You’ll be missed, Leon. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/19 "2016-11-13T20:05:07Z")
Was that a long run for a guy with CP? That was the reason for the cane, right? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814/20 "2016-11-13T20:47:58Z")
I really enjoyed _Wedding Album_ with Mary. Great stuff! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-leon-russell/771814.md?page=2)