Bootleg Friday: Leon Russell, 1970

You didn’t think I’d leave you hanging on Bootleg Friday, did you?

Yeah, I didn’t post much this week at all. I got stuck. It happens sometimes – either there’s no inspiration, or everything I begin to write seems, well, stupid to me. When that happens, what I should do is just press on, but this week, I didn’t. I apologize. Next week I promise to be far more active on the blog.

Ok – so on to Bootleg Friday. It’s from a transcendent Leon Russell show, taped at the Fillmore East in New York on November 21, 1970 on a double bill with Elton John (!). Elton opened, and Leon blew the doors out with a tremendous set of his 50’s tinged dixie rock n’ roll.

Leon Russell is one of those figures who is far less well known than he should be. Prodigiously talented, he’s played with legends – Dylan, Lennon, Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis (who he toured with when he was in his teens), Clapton, Willie Nelson and literally hundreds of others, made great albums, had his own record company and produced for countless artists. He’s also written songs that became hits for others: “Delta Lady” for Joe Cocker, “Hummingbird” for B.B. King and “Superstar” for the Carpenters are just a few among many.

Here he is leading the all star band at George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh:



The songs I'm putting up are just a small taste of his talent and soul. I can't recommend his music highly enough.

Buy Leon Russell at Amazon

Download: "Girl From The North Country" 11/21/70, New York, NY
Download: "A Song For You" 11/21/70, New York, NY
Download: "Dixie Lullaby" 11/21/70, New York, NY
Download: "It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry" 11/21/70, New York, NY
Download: "Prince Of Peace" 11/21/70, New York, NY
Download: "Delta Lady" 11/21/70, New York, NY