Leon Russell, Edgar Winter to Perform Here Saturday
BY Libby Jenkins World Staff Writer
Apr 17, 1987
1/16/13 at 2:22 AM
Tulsan Leon Russell, a long-time favorite with area audiences, will perform Saturday in the first in a series of outdoor concerts at Reynolds amphitheater.
Russell was born in Lawton and grew up in Tulsa. At 14, he formed his own band and began playing local nightclubs.
In 1959, after touring briefly with Jerry Lee Lewis, he moved to Los Angeles. There, he learned guitar and became a session musician, playing on most of Phil Spector’s hit productions through 1966. While session work was plentiful and his services much in demand, Russell left the scene to concentrate on the next phase of his career – performing solo.
In 1970, Russell and English producer Denny Cordell formed Shelter Records and released Russell’s first solo album, “Leon Russell.” The album went gold and produced a hit single, “Roll Away the Stone.”
Russell went on to record numerous other albums, both solo and with other artists. His accomplishments include “Leon Russell and the Shelter People,” “Asylum Choir II,” “Carney,” “Leon Live” and others. He has performed on albums with Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Bob Dylan, Jose Feliciano, The Gap Band, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and many more.
Currently on tour with Russell is singer/songwriter Edgar Winter. In the late ‘60s, Winter journeyed to New York City for a short stint with his brother Johnny’s group.
His version of “Tobacco Road” on those tours became a standout and resulted in a contract with Epic Records.
Winter’s debut release was “Entrance, a total concept album sparked by his jazz influences, and was a critical triumph. Winter next teamed with several of his favorite Southern musicians to form Edgar Winter’s White Trash, a concert favorite in the early ‘70s.
After the break-up of White Trash, Winter formed Edgar Winter Group and within a week recorded “They Only Come Out at Night.” The single “Hanging Around” was released but the B side song, “Frankenstein” became the hit.
Edgar Winter Group recorded several more albums and the band broke up in the mid ‘70s. Beginning in 1980, Winter was involved in co-writing and recording projects with artists John Oates, Michael McDonald and David Lee Roth.
Concert: Leon Russell with Edgar Winter. Special guest will be Public Defenders
Where: Reynolds Amphitheater and floating stage on the west bank of the Arkansas River.
Tickets: Reserved seats and general admission are $13.50, plus Carson’s handling charge, and $14.50 at the gate.
Restrictions: No cans, coolers, pets or lawn chairs will be permitted on the grounds.
