Leon died on 13th November 2016. His "Hank Wilson's Back Vol 1" made me take more of an interest in traditional country and bluegrass music in 1973. Up to that point, I had been not only snobbishly anti-traditional country but prejudiced as well. Long-haired country rock was great, but traditional country was the antithesis of what it was hip to like. Oh, the follies of youth.
Hank Wilson’s Back, Vol. 1 was a big one for me back in the early to mid-70s as well thanks to one of my older siblings. It was right in there with Waylon’s Honky Tonk Heroes, The Earl Scruggs Revue - Live! From Austin City Limits, Old & In the Way, etc. that turned my head as a kid deeply into Kiss, Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, Zeppelin, Sabbath, etc.
Bedroom rising from an old growth tree
Bringing out the sawmill, cutting the 12 inch beams
Building a pattern, the reservoir to fill with dreams
Rings like Saturn telling their old story…
Big Thief “Red Moon”
If you’ve not already come across it I can highly recommend Bill Janovitz book on Leon Russell entitled “ The Master Of Space And Time’s Journey Through Rock & Roll History. It’s an excellent read.
Leon also features in Tedeschi Trucks band doc of their 2015 Lockn show revisiting Mad Dogs & Englishmen. Watched it on my TV via their YouTube channel the other night. Grippiing stuff with lots of the old hands in evidence. Not sure if it is still there.
@joe-nathan Yes Joe, a very influential album that also still sounds great.
@richardparkinson For anyone who is interested the concert is now available on assorted media. I suspect Derek and Susan had one of the best times of their lives doing this.
