Born in Lawton, Oklahoma, United States, Russell began playing piano at the age of four. He attended Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Also at Will Rogers High School were Anita Bryant, who was one year older, and in the same 1959 class, David Gates. Russell and Gates played and recorded together as the Fencement. Another student at Will Rogers during this time was Elvin Bishop, although he was a few years younger than the previously mentioned. During this time Russell was already performing at Tulsa nightclubs. After moving to Los Angeles in the late 1950s, he became a session musician, working as a pianist on the recordings of many notable 1960s musical artists. By the late 1960s, Russell diversified, becoming successful as an arranger and songwriter. By 1970, he had graduated to solo recording artist, although he never ended his previous roles within the music industry. After performing country music under the name Hank Wilson in the 1970s and 1980s, Russell had largely faded into obscurity. He re-emerged in 2010 when Elton John called on him to record an album that became The Union. The album brought renewed popularity to Russell who has since released a solo album and toured around the world.
Russell was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on March 14, 2011. In June, 2011, Leon Russell was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Known as a session musician and artist in his own right, Russell has played with artists as varied as Jerry Lee Lewis, Phil Spector and The Rolling Stones. With a solo career spanning the genres of rock, blues, and gospel, Russell began his musical career at 14, lying about his age to land a gig playing backup at a Tulsa nightclub to play with Ronnie Hawkins behind Jerry Lee Lewis. Two years later, after settling in Los Angeles, he studied guitar with James Burton, and worked sessions with Dorsey Burnette and Glen Campbell.
After becoming a part of Phil Spector's studio group, Russell played backup on many of the most popular hits of the 1960s, including The Byrds, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, and Herb Alpert. He also served as Snuff Garrett's assistant on numerous productions. Russell built his own recording studio in 1967, and recorded his first LP, Look Inside the Asylum Choir, in a collaboration with Marc Benno.
His first songwriting hit was Joe Cocker's 1970 cover of "Delta Lady", and Russell went on to organise Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour. Shortly thereafter, Russell released another solo album, Leon Russell, which included the original version of the popular "A Song for You". Also in 1970, Russell played piano on Dave Mason's album, Alone Together (notably, on the song "Sad and Deep as You").
During the 60's and 70's, Russell had a large mansion home in Tulsa near Woodward Park and was much an attraction for teenagers growing up in Tulsa. He also owned the infamous Church Recording Studio on 3rd street there, a meeting place for Russell and many friends. The Church Studio is now owned by Glen Mitchell and one-time Russell studio engineer Steve Ripley of the country band The Tractors. Russell still records there frequently.
Russell also owned a large home on Grand Lake, in northeast Oklahoma. It stills stands near Dripping Springs, remodeled now, but a fond reminder of the days gone by for the now-grown kids in Oklahoma. At one time, it stood to be one of the largest homes on the lake. The home is now owned by Tulsa chiropractor and Leon Russell enthusiast Dr. F.J. Huskey. The home still contains the famous dining room table and chairs made from church pews from his Church Studio. On the property stands a private recording studio that has seen many famous names, including members of The Beatles.
In 1971, Russell appeared at George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh (performing a memorable medley of the songs "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Young Blood"), after recording sessions with B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan, and went on to tour with the Rolling Stones. After focusing increasingly on his solo career, his album Carney reached #2 on the charts, although the two following albums were not received as well.
During the 70's, Russell continued to pop in occasionally and perform in Tulsa at the Paradise Club and other noted music spots around town. He surprised his fans one night performing with Flash Eddy and the Eclectics at the Paradise.
His 1975 album Will O'the Wisp was fairly commercially successful, as was its single "Lady Blue". Gailard Sartain, fondly remembered by Tulsans as Mezeppa Pompazoidi (a Saturday night movie host, joined many times by Gary Busey), did the artwork for Russell's Will 'O the Wisp LP cover.
Later that year, Russell married Mary McCreary, a former member of Sly & the Family Stone's background vocal group Little Sister. The two collaborated on The Wedding Album in 1976, and Russell penned "This Masquerade", which earned a Grammy Award for George Benson. In 1977, Russell and McCreary reunited for another album, and in 1979 Russell worked on a collaboration with Willie Nelson. He spent the next two years touring with the New Grass Revival, and released two more albums with Paradise before the label folded. For several years, he stayed largely out of the music spotlight, releasing Anything Can Happen in 1992, and then releasing two more albums in 1998 and 1999. Russell continues to tour at the age of 71. His bassist, Jack Wessel, has been with Russell close to 25 years. His son with McCreary, Teddy Jack (named after Gary Busey's character on Sartain's show), has also toured with his dad, as well as sisters, Tina Rose and Sugaree.
Pixies vocalist Black Francis credits Russell with influencing his vocal style: "I realize there's a certain kind of vocalizing I do that takes its cue from Leon Russell. He sang in a southern accent but it was very blown-out and exaggerated, very free and loose."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Russell
Roll Away The Stone
Leon Russell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She was my woman and she was my friend
But I was wrong again.]
Such a strange changes that you put me through
What can this poor boy do?
Roll away the stone
Don’t leave me here alone
Resurrect me and protect me
Don’t leave me laying here
What will they do in two thousand years?
It’s such a strange time that we’re passing through
I thought you’d tell me when your time was due
I guess you thought I knew
Strange way to keep avoiding me
Why did you lie how could I help but be
Oh won’t you help me be?
Chorus (once, then repeat “roll away” – ad lib)
“Roll Away the Stone” by Leon Russell is a song about loss, heartbreak, and confusion. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The songwriter is acknowledging the strange world they are living in due to the emotions and events surrounding their relationship. The second line reveals that the woman the songwriter was once in love with was also a friend, adding to the complexity of the feelings being expressed. However, the next line, “But I was wrong again,” indicates that something went wrong, leading to the end of the relationship.
The chorus kicks in with a plea for help, perhaps in the form of resurrection or protection. The songwriter does not want to be left alone, laid to rest, or forgotten. The final line of the chorus, “What will they do in two thousand years?” suggests a yearning for immortality or remembrance. The second verse continues this theme, with the songwriter declaring the current time as a strange period that they are passing through. The line “I thought you’d tell me when your time was due” suggests that someone close to the songwriter has died, and they were not expecting it. The songwriter struggles to understand why they were avoided and lied to, further adding to their confusion.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it’s such a strange world that I’m living in
I am living in a world that is entirely unfamiliar to me and it is quite perplexing.
She was my woman and she was my friend
The woman I was with had always acted as both a romantic partner and a friend to me.
But I was wrong again.
Despite my best intentions, I had made a mistake in my pursuit of love and connection.
Such a strange changes that you put me through
I went through such profound changes because of my romantic relationship, which left me feeling bewildered.
But like a fool I fell in love with you
I was foolish to fall in love with this person, but I did so anyway.
What can this poor boy do?
As a young, inexperienced person, I didn't know what else to do in this difficult situation.
Roll away the stone
Please remove the obstacles in my life and help me find a way forward.
Don’t leave me here alone
Please don't abandon me in this difficult situation; I need your support.
Resurrect me and protect me
Reinvigorate me and keep me safe from harm.
Don’t leave me laying here
I don't want to be left behind or forgotten in this tumultuous time.
What will they do in two thousand years?
I wonder what the future holds, and how people will look back on the choices I've made and the life I've lived.
It’s such a strange time that we’re passing through
The era in which we are living feels foreign and unsettling, with many challenges and uncertainties.
I thought you’d tell me when your time was due
I had assumed my romantic partner would be honest and forthcoming about their intentions and desires, but they remained opaque.
I guess you thought I knew
My partner must have assumed that I understood what was going on, despite their lack of communication and transparency.
Strange way to keep avoiding me
It was odd and frustrating that my partner refused to talk to me, despite our close relationship.
Why did you lie how could I help but be
I couldn't help but feel betrayed by my partner's dishonesty and lack of trust in me.
Oh won’t you help me be?
I need help navigating this difficult time and making sense of my feelings and experiences.
Contributed by Riley K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mark Hayes
I think the meaning is very different to that posted above.
The author is Jesus.
The strange time is the period of his crucifixion and death.
She was my women (Mary Magdalene) and he was my friend (his erstwhile friend Judas).
But he was wrong about both.
He's talking to God who is putting him through this strange time and despite that he still loves God.
"Roll away the stone". He's in the cave. He's begging God to open the cave, protecting him and resurrect him for the good of those who'll be around in 2000 years ie us.
He thought God would have filled him in as to when the end of times would occur but he hasn't ("I guess you thought I knew")
He then accuses God of just trying to avoid him (Jesus) but still asks for protect and resurrection.
Mark Hayes
The lyric is "She was my woman and HE was my friend". That is, he's talking about two different people.