Leon Russell

Leon Russell already had an idiosyncratic career when he lit out for solo territory. He\'d made a name as a mid-\'60s session keyboardist for the likes of Gary Lewis and the Playboys (not to mention as a member of the Shindogs house band on TV\'s *Shindig!*). Then he grew his hair very long, wrote a few modern standards (\"A Song for You,\" \"Hummingbird\"), and devised a hybrid of rock, R&B and singer-songwriter material. After a stint as Joe Cocker\'s bandleader, he issued this self-titled album. His antic approach to genre lines resulted in a style that resonated with many but ultimately proved hard to copy. There are echoes of Elton John and Southern rock here, but Russell undeniably put things together his own way.