Life Journey

Life Journey is an album by singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Leon Russell. Produced by Tommy LiPuma, the album was released on April 1, 2014, Leon's 37th album. Elton John was the Executive Producer of the Life Journey album. The album was recorded in 2013 and 2014. In Leon's Life Journey Leon renewed his song writing after his 2010 collaboration album with Elton John, The Union. Leon has two original songs on the album Big Lips and Down in Dixieland. Rock critic Nick DeRiso wrote: "Nothing quite matches Russell interpreting Russell, as heard on Big Lips — which also features Chris Simmons on slide, Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums and Willie Weeks on bass." [1][2] AllMusic Reviewer, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, wrote about the album: "This small list suggests how Life Journey touches upon much of the music Russell has sung over the years -- it's heavy on R&B, blues, jazz, and swing, but strangely lacking in much country." AllMusic rated the Life Journey album as one of the Best of 2014.[3][4][5][6][7][8] Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra played on Georgia On My Mind, I Got It Bad & That Ain’t Good, and New York State Of Mind.[9]

Life Journey
Studio album by
Leon Russell
ReleasedApril 1, 2014
Recorded2013-2014
StudioCapitol Studios
GenreRock, Blues rock
Length48:13
LabelUniversal Records
ProducerTommy LiPuma with Elton John - Executive Producer
Leon Russell chronology
The Union
(2010)		 Life Journey
(2014)		 On a Distant Shore
(2017)
Professional ratings
Allmusic Best of 2014
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic

Tommy LiPuma was also the producer of George Benson's version of Russell's song This Masquerade. George Benson's version of the song reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Record of the Year at the 1977 Grammy Awards.[10]

Leon Russell took this ‘Life Journey’ on tour in 2014 and 2015. Touring with him was multi-instrumentalist Beau Charron, longtime bassist Jackie Wessel and drummer Brandon Holder.[11][12][13][14]

Life Journey is Leon's next to last album, as his death was on November 2016. On a Distant Shore recorded in 2016 and released on September 22, 2017 was Leon's last album.[15][16][17][18]

Track listing

Personnel

References
  1. somethingelsereviews.com, SOMETHING ELSE!, Leon Russell, “Big Lips” from Life Journey (2014): One Track Mind, originally featured on 2008’s In Your Dreams, April 15, 2014 by Nick DeRiso
  2. ultimateclassicrock.com, About Nick DeRiso
  3. Allmusic, Life Journey, by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
  4. rollingstone.com, Album Reviews, Life Journey, by Barry Walters April 1, 2014
  5. rootsworld.com, Leon Russell, Life Journey, 2014
  6. lonestarmusicmagazine.com, Leon Russell: “Life Journey” by Rob Patterson, May 1, 2014
  7. vintagevinylnews.com, Preview: Life Journey - Leon Russell, February 20, 2014
  8. rollingstone.com, Leon Russell Covers Billy Joel, Brings in Big Bands for ‘Life Journey’, Patrick Doyle
  9. cheekymonkeysarnia.ca, Life Journey, April 8, 2014
  10. "Music Search, Recommendations, Videos and Reviews". AllMusic. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  11. billboard.com, Leon Russell Tours ‘Life Journey’ in Hawaii
  12. Seattle Times, Fabled side man Leon Russell takes center stage, by Gene Stout, April 17, 2015
  13. billboard.com, Leon Russell, 'Fever': Exclusive Song Premiere, by Gary Graf, 3/25/2014
  14. aarp.org, Catching Up With Leon Russell, With his career rejuvenated by admirer Elton John, the father of the Tulsa Sound shares his thoughts, by Alanna Nash
  15. allmusic.com, On a Distant Shore, by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
  16. billboard.com, Leon Russell
  17. billboard.com, Leon Russell Passed Away in His Sleep at Home, Wife Says, by Ashley Iasimon, 11/13/2016
  18. artofthesong.org, Leon Russell Interview Transcript, 2014
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