Free Christmas MP3's

Free contemporary Christmas songs in MP3 format. They are free and legal. Left click to listen. Right click and "save link as" to download.

FREE CHRISTMAS MUSIC

Amazon.com is also offering "25 Days of Christmas" Free Christmas Music by known artists. You'll have to download the Amazon.com downloader program.

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Congratulations, Leon! It's way over due.

A slower version of this song is on another video that has beautiful Christmassy pictures HERE

Leon on CBS

Set your DVR for 9:00 a.m., Sunday December 12th - Then watch after church!

LEON RUSSELL ROAD (Well, it's about time!)


Leon Russell, the world renowned musician, owned a recording studio in the 1970's in the Tulsa Pearl called Church Studio, a former castle-like Church in The Pearl District. Tons of music history went down there, including recording the likes of Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, J.J. Cale, The Gap Band, and more.


To honor him during the revival of the recording studio, The Pearl District Neighborhood Association is placing honorary street... signs (LEON RUSSELL ROAD) outside the studio on 3rd Street between Utica and Peoria on November 6, 2010.


The section of the street that will be renamed is Third Street from Peoria Avenue to South Utica Avenue. To celebrate the dedication, the Pearl District Association and city of Tulsa will officially unveil the new Leon Russell Road signs at 7 p.m. Nov. 6.


Read more here


Leon Trivia - What was the name of Leon's old band?
The Starlighters: (with JJ Cayle)

Gregg Allmann

The other day, as I was watching YouTube videos of Leon and Elton. I saw a video with them and Gregg Allman. I was shocked at Gregg's appearance. I don't know that I would have recognized him had his name not been in print.



If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I try to keep up with some of the old bands, like the Allman Brothers Band, posting about them from time-to-time. The news of Gregg didn't get to me somehow until I saw this video of Gregg singing with Leon Russell and Elton John at the Speaking Clock Revue. I was terribly concerned about how he looked in comparison to the most recent video I had seen of him.

Apparently, he underwent a liver transplant in June! Here's an excerpt from the statement on his website.

The transplant comes as a result of the artist’s previous battle with Hepatitis C, a liver disease. In late 2007, Allman began a series of treatments for his Hepatitis C, but chronic damage of his liver led to doctors recommending a transplant. “I changed my ways years ago,” Allman says, “but we can’t turn back time. Every day is a gift, and I can’t wait to get back on the road making music with my friends.” Read more at his website HERE

I'm very happy for him. I hope he lives a healthier life now and hangs around making more music for a very long time.

Leon and Elton's "The Union" Album Review

I pre-ordered my "The Union" CD so, of course, I got it later than the release day. I, personally, think the album is great. As you've heard me say before, I am not a big Elton fan but I LOVE LEON!


I'm very irritated at some of the reviews... saying things like they had weak, wishing for the glory days voices. Some of the junk that's written in some of the reviews is more than just a low blow, it's downright hateful! Both Leon and Elton are older now and their music reflects that! Things change with age. Nothing remains the same. What did you expect?


Leon's voice has changed, but he still sounds great. He's a great musician and song writer and when his voice is strong (as it is on the album) it's very good! He's not a "has been" -- he's a "still is". He may not be just like he used to be but he's just as good, if not better, than many of the old rockers who've either tried a come back or who has recently made spotlight performances... or have had a "Reunion Tour". It's not like he's gotten rusty. He's been performing both here and abroad all these years. People just stopped paying attention. Also, those "comebackers" play the same music they always played. Leon and Elton released and "all new material" album. Leon has been putting out his own albums and still writing new material for years. I know he has health issues but I hope he's around singing and writing for many more years to come.


The older musicians who've set the pace and the standard deserve more respect that those reviews have given. Well, except maybe for Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones. There comes a time when maybe it just ain't a good idea to get on a stage and "shake your thang" after a certain age...not that his performance was ever respectable by "social" or "moral" standards.


The first song on "The Union" album, "If It Wasn't For Bad" was written by Leon. I think it will be a part of his legacy. I think it's got a chance to become another Leon Russell classic. It's a song that just sticks with you and stays in your head. One you look foward to hearing again.


As I was looking through YouTube at the videos of Leon and Elton regarding their new album. I saw that they were on GMA and I didn't know about it, so I missed it. I was glad, however, that someone was kind enough to post some of the their performance on GMA at the Beacon Theater so we could see them.


Here is the link for part 1 and the video of part 2


Part 1 HERE







Here's an interesting quote from Elton. “All I wanted for Leon,” John said, “is to have, in his later life, the accolades that seem to have been missing for him in the last 35 years. I want his name written in stone. I want him in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I want his name to be on everybody’s lips again." AMEN, Elton! Don't we all! No. I'm not a Leon Lifer but I guess I should be.


Now you know what happens when I get started...I write a "rant" book.

Leon and Elton

I can't believe tomorrow is October 1st. Wow! This year is going so fast! One thing I'm looking forward to this month is the release of Leon Russell and Elton John's "The Union" album the on 19th. Check out the somewhat emotional promo video. Although, I'm not much of an Elton fan, I love Leon and I'm very excited about this album.



You can pre-order it from Amazon HERE


The videos are slowing down my blog, but here's a link to the video of my favorite song on the album (so far). It sounds just like a song that Leon would do...then and now. It suits his voice very well. HERE

Gloves and Grammys and Leon Russell

Before the grammys, my granddaughter and I made some gloves!

We used an old pink flannel pajama top of hers. First we drew an outline of her hand onto paper to make the pattern. We cut it out just a little bigger than the print.

We pinned the pattern to the pajama top and cut out the fabric hand print. I didn't have any yarn to decoratively sew it together, so we used super glue to create seams instead. Then we folded the tops into cuffs. Just a fun thing to do on a Sunday afternoon.

You know, when I was a kid, we wore socks on our hands. I used to take my skirts and lay them on cloth and cut out a pattern and put it to the sewing machine and make new skirts and put elastic in the waste. I can't believe I never thought of this. We could have had gloves!

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The Grammy Awards 2010

 I thought this year's show was great! Michael Jackson's children receiving his Lifetime Achievement Award was heart breaking.

However, it was so good to see Leon Russell on stage. And what about Jeff Beck on his Les Paul. Definitely good stuff.

Quote from NJ.com: "The Zac Brown Band, which won the New Artist award, joined forces with Leon Russell, who recently underwent surgery for a brain fluid leak, for a rootsy medley of “America the Beautiful,” Russell’s “Dixie Lullaby” and the Brown band’s “Chicken Fried.”

Full article here

ALSO

USA today has an article about Leon performing at the Neil Young Tribute at the 20th MusiCares show. Here's an excerpt.

 

"LOS ANGELES — Friends and disciples led Neil Young on a journey through the past, singing his songs and his praises at the 20th annual MusiCares gala Friday night.

Steven Stills returned for Crosby, Stills & Nash's Human Highway, and Sheryl Crow reappeared for one of the evening's high points, a rendition of Helpless with Elton John, Leon Russell and Neko Case."

With this show on Friday and the Grammys on Sunday, I'm thinking Leon must have spent the weekend in Los Angeles. Good for him! He should be center stage. He's an incredible artist who just seems to be under appreciated time and time again!

You can read the full USA Today article here

Leon working on a new album? DetroitAtHome.com has a Classic Rock News item that reads:

"Leon Russell is reportedly in "good condition" following brain surgery on Monday. A message was posted on the singer-songwriter's official website this week describing his current health. The message read, quote, "Leon is recovering after successful surgery on Monday to relieve a chronic condition. He is doing fine and resting in the hospital in good condition. Russell is expected to be released from the hospital in a few days." The Oklahoma-born musician still plans to work with Sir Elton John, lyricist Bernie Taupin, and producer T-Bone Burnett on a new album. Russell's site confirmed that the collaboration remains a "go" with studio recording sessions planned for the last half of January through February. Russell and his band are also scheduled to get back on the road in March."

Interesting Grammy Trivia

# The first Grammy awards were held on May 4, 1959 in the Grand Ballroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel

# The Grammys were originally launched to ward off the threat of the rock 'n roll explosion. The Best Rock and Roll Recording category wasn't added until 1962.

Read the rest of the history of the Grammys here

Do You Remember Leon Russell?

In the 80's my oldest daughter came to us and said, "Mom, Dad, who is Bob Dylan"? We looked at each other in astonishment! In a home where classic rock was part of our everyday lives, it never occurred to us that there was someone missing from our music collection. Since he was more of a folk singer, we didn't buy his music, but we just took it for granted that our daughter knew who he was. The making of "We are the World" brought him back into the public limelight.

I am just as surprised to find that so many young people don't know who Leon Russell is. I guess, once again, I just took it for granted. To me he is a legend! He recorded some of Dylan's music too. We should keep our children knowledgeable about the great classic artists of our time! Leon is still around! He still performs. Check him out on youtube. Keep the music alive!

Leon in the early years



Leon in the latter years



Did you know that Leon was the piano playing crypt kicker on "Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett and Crypt Kickers 5?

If you have never heard the "Out of the Deep Freeze" video story, you can get it here:
Deep Freeze Video

You can visit Leon's website here:
Leon Russell

Don't forget to sign the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Petition here:
Hall of Fame Petition