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
The Ballad Of Mad Dogs And Englishmen
Leon Russell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kids, planes, runway strikes
Flashy things sounds real nice
spotted dogs and blood shot eyes
Our space captain laughs and tries
To undetstand,the scheme of things,
the bus is here, bring the beer,
sure mans rains changed me
movie makers,booby shakers,
and sexy airplane ticket takers,
union members, lean on fenders, pride and joy,
electric toys
teachers, learners, insense burners,
religous leaders, chronic feaders,
thiefs n pirates, all around,
it's a hippy commune, bonified
A life of time, wo I left dreamers
rock pop corrispondence fever
the Oakies, Limies, curtian climbers,
stoners and future diamond mo's
know which way the wind blows,
stolen cola no one knows,
the shadow dude,
but it's still a shady clue
cause I love her, and she loves you,
just myself for a friend,
in the name of copping out
out here on, no love game
with mad dogs and Englishman
The Ballad of Mad Dogs and Englishmen is a song that conveys the hippie culture of the 60s that was mostly associated with drug-fueled events. The lyrics cover a lot of subjects, including some that are strange to outsiders but make perfect sense to members of this peculiar culture. The song's intro mentions a few words like runway strikes, bloodshot eyes, and spotted dogs, but they don't follow a specific narrative, and the meaning may not be evident. The verse then introduces some characters in the form of a space captain and underscores the changes happening in the surrounding environment to the point of confusion.
The later verses of the song list more characters - teachers, learners, religious leaders, and hippies living in communes. These characters are indicative of the diversity one would find during an outdoor concert of the era. The song continues to borrow from this culture and references thieves, pirates, and all sorts of miscreants. At some point, the singer declares to love "her," but it's not clear whom they are referring to or the motive behind the love. Still, the singer confesses to having no friends apart from himself and the mad dogs and Englishmen. Overall, the lyrics to Mad Dogs and Englishmen reflect the diversity and complexity of the hippie culture of the time, with its nuances and oddities.
Line by Line Meaning
Kids, planes, runway strikes
Children, airplanes, and strikes of airports.
Flashy things sounds real nice
Attractive objects seem appealing.
spotted dogs and blood shot eyes
Dalmatians and tired eyes that look red and bloodshot.
Our space captain laughs and tries
The leader of our space mission is making an effort to succeed.
To undetstand,the scheme of things,
To comprehend the plan of things.
just in time the scene has changed,
Unexpectedly, the situation has altered.
the bus is here, bring the beer,
The bus is arriving, bring some beers.
sure mans rains changed me
The changes that happen to adulthoods are significant.
movie makers,booby shakers,
Filmmakers and breast-shaking women.
and sexy airplane ticket takers,
Airline employees who are attractive.
union members, lean on fenders, pride and joy,
Members of a union resting on car fenders, feeling happy and proud.
electric toys
Battery-powered playthings.
teachers, learners, insense burners,
Instructors, pupils, and people burning incense.
religous leaders, chronic feaders,
Spiritual guides and frequent consumers of drugs such as marijuana.
thiefs n pirates, all around,
Criminals around every corner.
it's a hippy commune, bonified
It's a legitimate hippie community.
A life of time, wo I left dreamers
I used to be a homeless man who was wandering and dreaming.
rock pop corrispondence fever
An intense eagerness for rock and pop music.
the Oakies, Limies, curtian climbers,
Oklahoma residents, English people, and aspiring homeowners.
stoners and future diamond mo's
People addicted to marijuana and those who might become rich in the future.
know which way the wind blows,
Be aware of how things are going.
stolen cola no one knows,
Soda that has been taken without permission, and nobody knows about it yet.
the shadow dude,
A mysterious person lurking in the shadows.
but it's still a shady clue
Despite being an unclear hint, there is some truth in it.
cause I love her, and she loves you,
Because I love her, and she loves you.
just myself for a friend,
I have no friends apart from myself.
in the name of copping out
As a means of avoiding responsibility.
out here on, no love game
Out here, nobody is playing any love games.
with mad dogs and Englishman
With insane and reckless people.
Contributed by Taylor B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mark Hayes
on Roll Away The Stone
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
on Roll Away The Stone
The lyric is "She was my woman and HE was my friend". That is, he's talking about two different people.