The Rockologist On Leon Russell Vs Elton John

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Songs from the much-anticipated forthcoming album from Elton John and Leon Russell have begun hitting the web. Two tracks, “If It Wasn’t for the Bad” (the disc’s first single) and “I Should Have Sent Roses” are now available for listening, via The Elton John Corporation.

As previously reported, the collaborative album, titled The Union, was produced by T-Bone Burnett. It was recorded live in the studio and touches on multiple genres, including pop, soul, country, and gospel. John, who first met Russell in 1970, has cited the legendary Tulsa, Oklahoma-based artist as a prime influence.

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“In the late '60s and early '70s, the one piano player and vocalist who influenced me more than anybody else was Leon Russell," John said, in a statement. "He was my idol."

Russell and John are scheduled to perform together on November 3, at the Hollywood Palladium. The Union will be released on October 19.

So I have to honest here. The first time I ever heard of Leon Russell was as a pre-teen kid cruising my way through the pages of Circus Magazine, where I came across an an ad for Leon's debut solo album, which was at the time still called Can A Blue Man Sing The Whites?.

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Cool title, I thought.

The album was of course eventually released as Leon Russell's 1970 self-titled debut solo album by Shelter Records (not sure whatever happened to that original title), and upon the first time I heard it, I was instantly enthralled.

But to be completely honest here, the first side of this album did absolutely nothing for me at the time. It was the second side that I really liked.

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I liked Leon's weathered, sand-papery voice well enough, and the production of the record, populated as it was by the then very much in vogue Muscle Shoals sound of people like Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, by way of British pop stars like Eric Clapton also went down very easy.

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But to me, the songs were still kind of lacking.

The second side however? Well, that was something else entirely.

Kicking off with "Delta Lady," and proceeding from there to scream through an entire side of New Orleans delta funk like "Pisces Apple Lady" and "Roll Away The Stone," this damn thing didn't let up for a second. I was instantly hooked. Anchoring it all was Leon's world weary rasp, set against some of the funkiest, Nawlins' honky tonk piano you will ever hear in this lifetime.

From this auspicious debut as an amazing solo artist who was clearly (at least to my pre-teen ears) one to be reckoned with, Leon went down hill fast, at least for my money he did. Latter albums yielding hits like "Tightrope," as well as ill-advised experiments like the country tinged "Hank Wilson Is Back" albums, just never completely recaptured the spark of that initial, brilliant debut album for me.

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