It’s been a week since that orange POS felon won/stole/corrupted the presidential election in the United States, and we anticipate a sad and dark future for women with less rights and less autonomy over our own bodies.
I found this amazing work of art that (sadly) perfectly describes how we’re feeling:
“Watch out now, take care
Beware of greedy leaders
They take you where you should not go”
Beware of Darkness by George Harrison. In my opinion, Leon Russell’s version (as always) is the BEST.
I needed a brain cleanse from all the pictures and chatter about J.D. Vance* enjoying an intimate moment with his SOFA, so I had to share this cute little anecdote…
My son is/was a fairly good piano player. He started taking lessons when he was five years old because my mom thought he had talent along with some interest, so we brought home a pretty cool piano.
He was OK but not a prodigy. Even though family legend has been that we might be slightly related to a world renowned pianist, it didn’t seem to be his joy and after a few years, he quit playing except to entertain friends.
Now that there are Angel Kids, they seem to gravitate toward the piano when they visit. This last time, eight year old Angel Boy was pounding on it, driving me crazy.
I’d say, “Gentle, gentle, Use a gentle touch, PLEASE!” but he didn’t really understand what I meant.
Dad was off surfing (of course) so I couldn’t ask him to play something, as he could have demonstrated what I meant. Since I absolutely can’t play a note, I’m useless.
I had a brainstorm. Thinking that maybe he needed to SEE how the piano ought to be touched, we watched some of Leon Russell’s videos where AB could see the light, gentle touch used on the keys, and the beautiful sounds it would make.
We listened to a lot of Leon Russell’s magical music, I mean A LOT. Like I said, I’m obsessed, haha!
Since kids nowadays know more about the internet than we did at that age, he saw the sign of the red line under each video, to indicate that I had watched a LOT of Leon’s live performances.
“Grandma, did you really watch all of this?”
“I DID, I told you he is a musical genius, and I love to watch him sing and play piano.”
The next morning as I was making his fave buckwheat pancakes, I heard Angel Boy open the piano and start playing.
I could tell that he was trying to emulate the way he observed Leon’s hands glide across the keys-not pounding out sounds, but allowing each key to speak and tell a story and that’s when I knew my little buddy was hooked.
His performance was extemporaneously lyrical. Was I in heaven, or what?
When their visit was over and I was driving everyone to the airport, I paired my phone with the car and started to play (what else) Leon Russell.
From his car seat directly behind me, Angel Boy pleaded with me, “NO MORE LEON RUSSELL, GRANDMA! NO MORE!” He said he’d rather hear my favorite Swan Lake than hear ANOTHER song that he had been “forced” to listen to for DAYS. (However, he really liked “Tight Rope”, so I know he was actually listening.)
It was pretty funny, but I had done my job. Mission accomplished. Whether he knew it or not, my Angel Boy, representing a new generation, was already inspired by Leon Russell’s magical genius.
The legacy lives on. Now his parents need to get a piano and start lessons with a great teacher.
At the very least, he stopped pounding on the keys, so it was a win for me.
Leon’s mind blowing version of Over The Rainbow, always the master of space and time.
*J.D. Vance is the orange turd’s incredibly idiotic choice for vice president, not that it’ll matter ‘cos I predict that Kamala will WIN by a landslide.
Featured photo is Leon Russell as a child at the piano.
Lately, I’ve been acting like Sherlock Holmes in my quirky attempts to capture this elusive Monarch butterfly. It’s like she knowingly teases me–such a coquette–flitting all around but never staying in one place long enough to capture her beauty. “Here I am; oops, now I’m gone. Catch me if you can!”
Yesterday, my patience paid off!
Purely bewitching…
FYI…did you know that the brilliant Leon Russell was the pianist on Bob Lind’s recording of his song, Elusive Butterfly? It’s TRUE, Leon was everywhere with his musical genius.
Here’s she is, in all her glory on the flowering California native sumac, joined by a couple of friendly bees:
The money shot: symmetry, color, perfection…
Check out this older post with video of Bob Lind and Elusive Butterfly.
There was a recent WordPress writing prompt to describe what type of music you listen to — although I never follow a prompt, I did however, think about it and decided I didn’t give enough attention to Leon Russell.
(OK, I admit it, I’m still obsessed with Leon, especially since I had a light bulb moment as I watched a video of Leon and Willie Nelson in concert.)
I thought to myself, OMG, I was only ONE DEGREE from Leon Russell! It’s true.
In 2006, Willie came to San Diego to promote his own brand of biofuel– BioWillie. In a strange set of circumstances, I attended the Sustainable Biodiesel Summit where he talked about alternative fuels. I believe he was accompanied by Darryl Hannah but I can’t be sure…actually, I’m 100% sure but my laser focus was only on Willie.
(I’m an unlikely country music aficionado, but only for certain musicians and only at certain times. I like the old hillbilly stuff, too, like Hank Williams.)
Here’s what I know about myself: I have no fear when it comes to talking to anybody whether it’s a celebrity or a high ranking politician. Or His Holiness the Dalai Lama. No fear, none at all. It’s like my brain goes into a different space (and time haha) and I become hyper-focused on the interaction and I simply do it without thinking of anything, really. It’s a very strange feeling, but not unpleasant…
I can’t recollect the exact reason why, but I remember walking on the stage to introduce myself to Willie and he gave me a big, lovely bear hug in front of a roomful of people. Why did I do that? I have NO idea.
It was so random, so unexpected, and soso COOL.
And then, literally just this minute, it dawned on me that I was THAT CLOSE to Leon Russell and how it was a total and absolute missed opportunity.
After the first time I saw Leon Russell in concert in the 70s, he performed in San Diego at the Belly Up at least half a dozen times, the last time a few months before he died. I never saw him again. It’s one of my biggest life regrets.
I was ONE DEGREE AWAY FROM LEON RUSSELL!
I would have most definitely been brazen enough to introduce myself to him and recount my previous interaction with Willie. In the story I tell myself, after that encounter, we’d forge a lasting friendship. At least that’s how it plays out in the little fantasy world in my crazy head.
This is Part Two of my Leon Russell obsession –the master of space and time. I’ve travelled down a rabbit hole to learn all about who he was.
What is even more remarkable about his extraordinary talent is that he was born with cerebral palsy, causing some paralysis to his right side which resulted in a limp. It made him the target of bullies while growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1950s. Also because of this, he had to teach himself new ways to play the piano (and guitar).
I find him even more fascinating because I possess ZERO musical talent in any and every way. I can’t sing (you wouldn’t want me to), I can’t play an instrument, and I can barely keep the right count when I dance.
However, Leon Russell’s talents are forever; as a classically trained pianist, arranger, band leader, and songwriter.
Here’s Willie and Leon together:
Did you know that Leon played piano on many Beach Boys recordings?
Leon Russell and Glen Campbell were part of a group called the Wrecking Crew, first call session musicians in Los Angeles for Phil Spector. I can’t post it here, but look on YouTube for In Session – Glen Campbell & Leon Russell – 1983 https://youtu.be/TXHR_L6LeVo?si=thP93HlKfv1qrcy1
This a a compilation of many of Leon’s live concerts:
Herb Alpert had this to say about Leon Russell, “Leon was a wonderful musician and had a major effect on all of my recordings. His touch can be heard on many Tijuana Brass records, including “Whipped Cream” and “A Taste of Honey.” To top it off, Leon was a true gentleman with a special talent and he was a person that I had a great feeling for.”
In the early 1960s, before Leon became the long haired, very sexy blue-eyed pianist/songwriter/producer, he was the house pianist for the band on the Shindig TV show.
Here he is playing Roll Over, Beethoven.
Shindig again with Glen Campbell on banjo.
THIS! Delta Lady, one of my all-time faves. Leon wrote it for Joe Cocker (I never liked him) but does it so much better himself…some say it was written for Rita Coolidge.
To answer that expired prompt, right now it’s obvious that I listen to a lot of Leon Russell. Here’s a list of my recently downloaded playlist on my iphone:
One More Love Song
Magic Mirror
This Masquerade
It’s a Hard Rain’s a Gonna Fall
Tight Rope
Delta Lady
Stranger in a Strange Land
and of course, A Song For You
I really hope I’ve inspired you to re-acquaint yourself with Leon Russell’s vast body of work and if you have never listened to him before, please do!
He will always be the master of space and time; a musical genius.
“I love you in a place where there’s no space or time…”
As I drove around town last week, I heard A Song for You by Leon Russell on the radio. I haven’t heard that song in years and years and it grabbed my heart just like it did decades ago. Others have covered this song, but no one does it like Leon.
I later found out that he passed away in 2016. I had no recollection of that and I’m so sorry that I didn’t know because I always loved his music, That was the same year that we lost David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Prince, Leonard Cohen, and George Michael! Can you imagine the loss of all that talent? Crazy.
In fact, I sort of recalled seeing him in concert –-once upon a time — and texted my friend that I used to go to concerts with (she’s the one who reminded me of the time I jumped on the stage to see Jim Morrison) and she totally remembered that we HAD seen him perform.
Back then — before smart phones — no one regularly documented each and every moment of their life, so I have to rely on my memory (or hers).
I’ve been listening to him on repeat for days; his voice was mesmerizing (he was gorgeous, too, with those beautiful eyes), and the story of how he lived and died nearly in obscurity because of poor life choices and poor health — is tragic.
In 2011, thanks to his good friend Elton John, he was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Even before he became famous, Russell had a career as a first call session pianist, performing with everyone from Frank Sinatra, Dylan, Streisand, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys.
“Russell was music’s North Star, pioneering a distinctly American sound that changed the career paths of stars, including Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Elton John. He created a band that became one of music’s most legendary live acts; made Mad Dogs & Englishmen, for Joe Cocker; stole the show from a white hot lineup of artists at the Concert for Bangladesh; became a star in his own right with solo albums that featured songs that became standards, including Song for You and This Masquerade; and inspired the icon Willie Nelson to create his enduring outlaw country persona.” https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/mar/05/he-was-central-to-music-history-the-forgotten-legacy-of-leon-russell
Featured image photo credit to The Daily Beast via Pinterest
I spent the day in the gardens, front and back. Neighbors dropped by to chat and comment on our beautiful weather in anticipation of much needed rain.
One neighbor recently got a sweet Golden Retriever that spent too many years at a disgusting Amish puppy mill and is now living her best life. A few minutes later, a young couple walked by with a newborn, their first. Kids rode by on their bikes and e-bikes on their way to play tennis at the park.
It was a wonderful, happy, Southern California kind of day, and I got a lot of work done, filling up three yard waste cans.
Even the butterflies seemed to be more active than usual, perhaps trying to sip as much nectar as possible before the rain or a southerly migration. I tried to snap some pics but they absolutely wouldn’t stay still long enough!
It made me think of that really old song, Elusive Butterfly. It’s beautiful, sad, poignant, even melancholy, but there I was, chasing that elusive butterfly — I could so relate.
Imagine how happy I was to learn that my fave Leon Russell played piano on this song, along with Henry Diltz (Banjo), Carol Kaye (Bass), and Hal Blaine (Drums). I had no idea!
Here’s previous butterfly photos, and these guys knew how to properly model.
I’m still obsessed with the lyrics of Elusive Butterfly
You might wake up some mornin’
To the sound of something moving past your window in the wind
And if you’re quick enough to rise
You’ll catch a fleeting glimpse of someone’s fading shadow
Out on the new horizon
You may see the floating motion of a distant pair of wings
And if the sleep has left your ears
You might hear footsteps running through an open meadow
Don’t be concerned, it will not harm you
It’s only me pursuing somethin’ I’m not sure of
Across my dreams with nets of wonder
I chase the bright elusive butterfly of love
You might have heard my footsteps
Echo softly in the distance through the canyons of your mind
I might have even called your name
As I ran searching after something to believe in
You might have seen me runnin’
Through the long-abandoned ruins of the dreams you left behind
If you remember something there
That glided past you followed close by heavy breathin’
Don’t be concerned, it will not harm you
It’s only me pursuing somethin’ I’m not sure of
Across my dreams with nets of wonder
I chase the bright elusive butterfly of love
Across my dreams with nets of wonder
I chase the bright elusive butterfly of love
After yet another too real lucid dream about my kitty Bandit, I’ve been thinking about all of my children, from Misty to Tawny to Sabrina, Yenta, and Stella Rondo (named for a character in a short story by Eudora Welty) to Victor, Blackie, darling Ban — cats and dogs, mostly Border Collies, but also my rescued wolf hybrid Beowulf (of course) and crazy Tovah, my neurotic black German Shepherd.
I can’t wait to meet my babies again; happy and healthy. It’s going to be HEAVENly.
This post seems like a perfect place to share a little Leon Russell, Over The Rainbow…
Art by Susan Alison
Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 