R.I.P. Leon Russell, dead at 74

Legendary musician and longtime collaborator of Elton John, Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones, died on November 13, in his Nashville home. He was 74 and in the process of recovering from “heart bypass surgery in July” - one of his representatives told NPR. 

The news was broken via Russell's official website, in which a statement reads:

Leon Russell died on Nov. 13, 2016 in Nashville at the age of 74. His wife said that he passed away in his sleep. The Master Of Space And Time was a legendary musician and songwriter originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma who performed his gospel-infused southern boogie piano rock, blues, and country music for over 50 years.

Russell was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011. His long career saw him collaborating with the likes of Elton John, Willie Nelson, Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan, B.B. King, and more. But he first met success with the Wrecking Crew, a group of studio musicians who were integral in the work of Phil Spector, the Beach Boys, and the Monkees.

In the 1970s he was the bandleader in Joe Cocker’s 1970 Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour, appeared in George Harrison’s 1971 Concert for Bangladesh, and helped release albums from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Freddie King, and Russell Cale via his Shelter Records imprint. 

His songs were recorded and performed by many musicians - including Ray Charles, Andy Williams, the Carpenters, the Temptations, Herbie Hancock, Whitney Houston, George Benson, and more.