First published 2023
Bill Janovitz traces the remarkable journey of Leon Russell, a musician whose influence shaped modern music yet remained largely in the shadows. Russell began touring as a teenager with Jerry Lee Lewis in the 1950s before becoming a sought-after session pianist for Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, and countless others. He organized pivotal events like Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour and George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh, while his record label Shelter Records launched careers of Tom Petty, the Gap Band, and J.J. Cale. Elton John called Russell his idol and inducted him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Russell transformed Willie Nelson's image and filled stadiums during his peak years. Yet behind the musical genius lay personal struggles with substance abuse, depression, and debilitating stage fright that often drove him toward self-imposed obscurity. Janovitz reveals how Russell's career intersected with rock history's biggest names while exploring the contradictions of an artist who challenged musical boundaries but battled inner demons.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, american, non-fiction, music, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: biography, rise-and-fall
Period: 1950s, 20th-century, 21st-century
582 pages · Hardcover · Da Capo
Content warnings: addiction, depression, substance-abuse