Leon Russell Carny

Live from the Beacon Theater, NY, October 19, 2010.
The Fuse Satellite Broadcast.

Bruce Hornsby's active participation in Leon Russell's first recording in ten years is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because without Hornsby's encouragement, co-songwriting, production, and musical backing, the project would probably never have happened. A curse, because Hornsby imprints too much of his own personal style and mushy, middle-of-the-road keyboard washes on the sessions. Despite Russell's long layoff, the unique, drawling rasp that gave us "Tight Rope" and "Delta Lady" in the early-'70s is still intact. However, the cloying instrumental backings to such tracks as "Angel Ways" and "Faces of the Children" have Hornsby engraved all over them.

Dark Horse Records is proud to release LEON RUSSELL’s Signature Songs, a collection of intimate, stripped-down piano and vocal recordings, including takes on his timeless songs “A Song for You,” “Tight Rope,” “Stranger in a Strange Land” and “Hummingbird.” Originally released in 2001 and long out of print, it is being reissued on CD and pressed for the very first time on vinyl. Leon’s friendship with George Harrison is well documented, including his profound contribution to Concert for Bangladesh, so it’s only appropriate that his catalog has found a home with Harrison’s Dark Horse Records. Leon Russell was one of the most prolific and respected rock musicians of the 20th century. His nickname, The Master of Space and Time, may help explain how he managed to appear on over 400 albums during his storied 50-year career. Leon has been inducted to both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. Elton John has called him his “biggest influence as a piano player, a singer and a songwriter.” With such a wide-ranging, varied discography, Signature Songs provides the perfect entry point for curious listeners — but his unique takes on classic songs like “Delta Lady” and “This Masquerade” are sure to please longtime fans as well.