Tag Archives: Review

Generational Talent: Amy Lee Nelson and Tina Rose Bridges

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Amy Lee Nelson and Tina Rose Bridges, the daughters of Willie Nelson and Leon Russell, have officially joined forces to create a brand new duo, ALeeN ROSE.

Their debut single, “They’re There” features music icon Willie Nelson. According to PEOPLE, he wrote the song’s bridge, played guitar, and lent his unmistakable vocals. “Now it’s a full-on family song, as it should be,” Amy said.

The song is a loving tribute to Amy’s late brother Billy Nelson who died in 1991 and Tina Rose’s father, Leon Russell. Leon died in 2016.

“In my dreams, my daddy tells me stories / Of all the things I can do and who I could be / He takes my hand / says understand you’re still beside me/ I’m not gone/ We are waltzing inside this dream,” Tina Rose sings on her verse.

This is a sweet and beautiful song that honors their spirits and the memories that continue to guide them through life.

“Tina Rose called me one evening during lockdown and we spoke about the feelings of loss surrounding the death of her dad,” Amy Lee Nelson recalls, “I told her how I’ve found myself often saying ‘they’re there’ when speaking of loved ones who have passed. I shared with her a song that I had begun writing after having dream visions of my brother, Billy.”

She continues, “I asked her to write the second verse as a healing outlet for her pain and grief. I was blown away by the verse she brought back to me. But it still wasn’t finished and we weren’t sure where to take it. We asked my dad for help, and so he wrote the bridge. Now it is a full-on family song, as it should be.”

Willie Nelson and Leon Russell are two of the best and most individual songwriters and vocalists in any musical genre. Leon Russell was a musician, songwriter, and arranger who had been a first-call session man and producer even longer than he had been known as an individual performer.

In 1979, Willie Nelson and Leon Russell released their chart-topping double album, One for the Road. Although One for the Road is their only joint album, the two continued to perform together on stage over the years.

News of ALeeN ROSE’s “They’re There” release comes soon after Willie Nelson’s son, Lukas Nelson, performed a cover of Leon Russell’s “A Song for You” at Cain’s Ballroom in Oklahoma. The track’s release also coincides with what would have been Billy Nelson’s 68th birthday.

As you listen to “They’re There”, the respect and love is truly inspirational.

It oozes with generational talent. Their ability to translate feelings into a musical format is genuine and authentic. What an amazing way to carry on the legacy of two musical giants. I just know that Leon Russell would be so proud of Tina Rose.

Some content curated from internet sources.

It’s Always “Time For Love” AND All Roads Still Lead to Leon Russell

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Crazy random connection time…I read something on Facebook about Oak Park High School where I briefly attended before moving to California.

The post shared information about a former classmate who became a famous singer/songwriter; Marcy Levy/Marcella Detroit.

Because I’m obsessed and have a one-track-mind, I messaged her and asked if she had ever known Leon Russell because I knew he spent a lot of time in Detroit around the early ’70s.

Her response blew me away! Not only did she know Leon, she toured with him before going on tour with Eric Clapton and co-wrote some of Clapton’s songs, including my favorite, “Lay Down Sally.”

ERIC CLAPTON, OMG.

I’m not at all embarrassed to tell you that I asked her if Leon’s eyes were as amazing as everyone has reported, and her exact quote was, “Oh yes his eyes were incredible.” I have so many more questions. So many. I can be SO annoying.

As a teenager, Marcy had posters of Russell on her walls. She later achieved her goal of singing with him, joining his touring band as a featured female vocalist for the Stop All That Jazz album (which also featured The Gap Band).

Leon Russell wrote the song “Time for Love” for her. The two developed a personal and professional connection in the early 1970s, during which time they dated for approximately nine months. 

Detroit has reflected on their relationship in interviews, noting that Russell was a childhood idol. She viewed him as an incredibly gifted songwriter, musician, and arranger. She specifically recalled him creating an amazing live arrangement of “Unchained Melody” for her to sing on tour.

We’re fortunate to see Marcy as a background singer with Ann Bell on the Midnight Special with Leon, too. It’s an amazing video:

One more brick in the path that leads to Leon. One more step.

Another mind blowing fact I learned is that one of Marcy Levy’s earliest gigs was opening for David Bowie! DAVID BOWIE!!!

She was also a member of the ground breaking award winning band “Shakespear’s Sister”. Their song “Stay” is the longest running number one hit for a female band in UK history remaining at number ONE for eight weeks, and Marcy recently appeared on THE MASKED SINGER UK. https://marcelladetroit.com/

At the time, I would have had no idea there was such talent lurking at OPHS. I certainly never accomplished anything that rises to Marcy’s level. Sigh. #failure

The Magical Legacy of Leon Russell: Part Three

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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.