I remember walking in to the hall during setup for this week’s taping. It was just like any other taping day. Audio guys were running mic cables across the stage, cases were being rolled to the back of the room, and others from the production staff were making their best versions of Turkey and Hummus sandwiches down in the green room. There was nothing special about it, except for the magnificently crazy looking white piano on the stage. There are very few living folks out there that could sit behind a piano like that and pull it off. I could probably count them on one hand – Elton John, Dr. John, Stevie Wonder, Jerry Lee Lewis – and LEON RUSSELL. That’s when Leon emerged from behind the curtain, sat down at the piano and started warming up. It was a surreal musical moment for me, having just been listening to Leon’s “Carney” album on my turntable a few days earlier, and fascinating myself with the back cover photography of him painted from head to toe and hanging out in a trailer in the middle of nowhere.
Leon is a living legend, and best of all, he can still sing and play like a master. In this week’s episode, you’’ll hear him cover lots of musical territory from his career, and the razor sharp wit he delivers during his interview with Nick is not to be missed. Wait legendary producer does he refer to as a “tiny murderer”? You’ll have to tune in or podcast to find out.
Also with us is singer/songwriter Caitlin Rose who brings her tasteful band and strong songs to the eTown stage for her first visit. It was the first time I had heard her, and she was really great!
You won’t want to miss this week’s eChievement Award story either. Got an hour? Tune or podcast this week! Check out the videos below for more behind-the-scenes action.
– Zack