Solid State (Leon Russell album)

Solid State is an album by singer and songwriter Leon Russell. The album was first released as a vinyl LP in 1984. The album was recorded in Leon's facility, Paradise Studios in Burbank, California. The album Solid State was re-released on CD in: 2011. Album was by produced by Leon Russell.[1][2] Most of the songs were written by Leon and Douglas A. Snider. Douglas A. Snider in 1981 released his own single called Don't Let Our Dreams Die Young.[3] Douglas A. Snider later would write songs for Tom Jones (From the Vaults, Love Is on the Radio, and Don't Let Our Dreams Die Young) and B.J. Thomas (Back Against the Wall).[4][5]

Solid State
Studio album by
Leon Russell
Released1984
Recorded1984
StudioParadise Studios
GenreCountry music (country blues)
Length43:26
LabelParadise
ProducerLeon Russell
Leon Russell chronology
Hank Wilson, Vol. II
(1984)		 Solid State
(1984)		 Anything Can Happen
(1994)

The song Rescue My Heart and Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues on the Solid State album were release as a singles in 1884.[6]

Jack Wessel played Bass and did backing vocals for Solid State. Jack Wessel would continue and be in Leon's band for 35 years.[7]

Billboard on Dec 22, 1984 reported on one of the songs on Leon's Solid State, the song Rescue My Heart. Rescue My Heart was release as music video in 1984. The video was directed by Bob Macken and Ed T. Eberi. The Music Video was shot at Paradise Studios.[8][9]

Leon took this Solid State album on a US tour in 1984.[10]

On Jun 19, 1984 Leon sang live the song Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues from his Solid State album on the Late Night with David Letterman. He also sang Roll Over Beethoven a Chuck Berry song from 1956. The David Letterman's show was broadcast live from New York City. [11][12][13]

People magazine reviewed Leon's Solid State album on November 19, 1984. People magazine wrote of the album: There’s also a nicely mournful version of the Danny O'Keefe country standard Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues. Russell’s delivery is honest and plaintive. This is an ideal LP for a slow, dreamy fall evening." [14]

Track listing

All songs written by Leon Russell and Douglas A. Snider, excluding A6 Side one

  1. "The Rock 'N' Roll Part of My Heart" 2:58
  2. "Lost Love" 4:57
  3. "All The Love Is On The Radio" 3:55
  4. "Deeper" 4:20
  5. "There's No Understanding The Heart" 3:42
  6. "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues" (Danny O'Keefer) 3:19

Side two

  1. "Rescue My Heart" 7:09
  2. "To See You Again" 4:58
  3. "A New Kind of Fire" 3:22
  4. "Like a Thief in the Night" 5:05
  5. "If You Go Away" 4:01

Personnel
  • Vocals, Guitar – Leon Russell
  • Backing Vocals – Trudy Fair
  • Bass, Backing Vocals – Jack Wessel
  • Cello – Byron Bach
  • Guitar – Bob Britt
  • Percussion – Ambrose Campbell (tracks: B1, B4), Shamsi Sarumi (tracks: B4)
  • Saxophone – Billy Puett (tracks: A3, A6, B1, B3)
  • Vibraphone – Kirby Shelstad (tracks: B3)
  • Viola – Claude O'Donnell
  • Violin – Alan Umstead, Byron Groner, Joann Cuthirds, Paul Tobias
  • Arranged By – Bill Dekle (tracks: A4, B2, B5)

References
  1. All Music, Solid State
  2. discogs.com Solid State
  3. discogs.com, Douglas A. Snider
  4. Allmusic, Douglas A. Snider
  5. last.fm, Solid State
  6. discographer, Year 1984 Leon Russell – Solid State – Album and singles
  7. Indy Week, Rearranging Leon, Russell returns to Carrboro, by Grant Britt, Feb. 22, 2006
  8. Billboard Dec 22, 1984, page 38
  9. Billboard Dec 15, 1984, page 48
  10. Fayetteville Northwest Arkansas Times Newspaper Archives, Sunday, September 23, 1984 - Page 29
  11. 1984 Leon Russell - Roll Over Beethoven & Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues
  12. Late Night With David Letterman, New York, NY, United States, Jun 19, 1984
  13. imdb.com, Late Night With David Letterman, Jun 19, 1984
  14. People magazine, Picks and Pans Review: Solid State, People Staff, November 19, 1984
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