Quotes from Leon Russell

I started writing rather late in the game. I was fascinated about the story about how Bob Dylan, for 'Nashville Skyline,' wrote between takes. So I'd try to sing new songs off the top of my head. I had rather less than spectacular success on that. But a lot of my songs were done that way.

I played on a few Frank Sinatra sessions.

I was with my band at a karaoke bar in Japan when it was very big there, and they got up and made fools of themselves without practicing properly. I didn't understand why they were doing that. It was like they were making fun of the genre by performing badly. But I didn't get up and sing, so I don't know what it feels like.

Karen Carpenter was just a singularly amazing singer. There was just not anybody like her.

My whole family's been involved with music, and it's been so since the minstrel days.

I was on the road with Jerry Lee Lewis when I was 15 - I can't imagine not doing it. That's what I do.

For years and years, I would sit in my studio, and I wouldn't have any inspiration. I'd write one or two songs a year.

The Pentecostals had horns, drums, guitars, huge choirs, and screaming and dancing and all kinds of stuff. That was for me.

For a couple of years, I'd work from 6 to 11 P.M., then 1 to 5 A.M., and then got up and tried to go to school. That was pretty rough, but I got a lot of experience playing music.

I'm not as aware of categories in music as some people are. To me it's just music. I'm interested in all kinds of music.

I don't think there's any danger of me playing Indian music. However, I did a song of George Harrison's 'Beware of Darkness' that was kind of like that. That was an illusion. I was playing that on a thumbtack piano, and Jim Gordon was playing tablas. He's an amazing player. That was as close to India as I ever got.

Words have been the most difficult thing for me. Melodies have been the easiest for me; I have more than enough melodies to go around.

My first job in a country band was after I moved to California.

I think probably my main advice to new artists is if you want to be in the music business, you need to be dang serious about it because it's a rough business.

I've grown up on Bob Dylan and all that, but there was a certain standard set up by people before 1955.

There was a period in my life when I was trying to write standards: songs that everybody recorded. I did a pretty good run of it.

I was always trying to write standards, songs that anybody can sing. I figured that's where the money was.

I am happy with what comes, I don't have expectations of any stature.

I'm not so much of a person for causes, unless I specifically - for instance, if it's my cause, or some poor people's, I'll try to help. But you won't find me playing for any peace candidates - or any candidates.

I like the Beatles very much, and there are certain things about the Stones that I like.

Actually, I didn't listen to country music very much in Oklahoma. I listened to blues and rock n' roll.

I started playing in nightclubs when I was about 14 in Oklahoma.

I used to play on Phil Spector's records, and he liked to use three pianists.

If everybody'd agree to quit using money, I'd be happy to play for free every day for awhile. But I don't play benefits or any kind of fund-raisers. I prefer to play at hospitals, for people who otherwise can't see us. But I can't see playing for causes, whatever the cause may be.