Nicky Hopkins
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins (24 February 1944 – 6 September 1994) was an English
pianist
and organist
.
He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music
recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician
.
, North London
, England
. His musical talent emerged early and he began playing piano at age three. He was initially tutored by a local piano teacher and in his teens he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music
in London. He suffered from Crohn's disease
from his youth. Poor health and ongoing surgery
made it difficult for him to tour. This resulted in him working primarily as a studio player for most of his career.
with Screaming Lord Sutch
's Savages until, two years later, he and fellow Savages Bernie Watson, Rick Brown (Fenson) and Carlo Little, joined the renowned blues harmonica player Cyril Davies
, who had just left Blues Incorporated
, and became the Cyril Davies R&B All Stars. Hopkins played piano on their first single, Davies' much-admired theme tune "Country Line Special". However he was forced to leave the All Stars in May 1963 for a series of operations that almost cost him his life and was bed-ridden for nineteen months in his late 'teens. During his convalescence Davies died of leukaemia and The All Stars disbanded.
Hopkins' frail health led him to concentrate on a working as a session musician
instead of joining band such as The Rolling Stones
or Led Zeppelin
. He quickly became one of London's most in-demand session pianists and performed on many hit recordings from this period. He worked extensively for leading UK independent producers Shel Talmy
and Andrew Loog Oldham
and performed on albums and singles by The Kinks
, The Pretty Things
, The Move
and The Who
.
In 1967 he joined The Jeff Beck Group
, formed by former Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Beck
with vocalist Rod Stewart
, bassist Ronnie Wood and drummer Micky Waller
, playing on the LPs Truth and Beck-Ola
.
The same year Hopkins recorded Beggar's Banquet with The Rolling Stones
(he had first worked for them on Between the Buttons
). He also recorded for several San Franciscan groups, playing on albums by Jefferson Airplane
(with whom he performed at the Woodstock Festival
), The New Riders of the Purple Sage
and The Steve Miller Band
. He briefly joined Quicksilver Messenger Service
and also appeared with the Jerry Garcia Band
.
At this point he was one of Britain's best-known session players, recording with British acts of the Sixties, including The Rolling Stones
, The Beatles
and on the solo albums of all four members, on several Nilsson
albums in the early 70s, including Nilsson Schmilsson
and Son of Schmilsson
, and with Donovan
.
in 1967 through Emotional Rescue
in 1980 and Tattoo You
in 1981, including the prominent piano parts in "She's a Rainbow
" (1967), "Sympathy for the Devil
" (1968), "Loving Cup
" (1972) and "Waiting on a Friend
" (1981). During this period, Hopkins tended to be employed on the Stones' slower, ballad-type songs, with longtime Stones keyboardist Ian Stewart
playing on traditional rock numbers and Billy Preston
used on soul and funk-influenced tunes. Hopkins also played on Jamming With Edward
, an unofficial Stones release that was recorded during the Let It Bleed
sessions, while Mick Jagger
, Bill Wyman
and Charlie Watts
, of the Stones, with Hopkins and Ry Cooder
, were waiting for Keith Richards
. The "Edward" of the title was an alias
of Nicky Hopkins, derived from studio banter with Brian Jones
and later became a song title on his outstanding performance, "Edward, the Mad Shirt Grinder", a song from Quicksilver Messenger Service
's Shady Grove LP
. Hopkins' master piece with the Stones was Exille On main Street (1972), where he is prominent on most tracks.
Hopkins was added to the Rolling Stones live line-up on the 1971 Good-Bye Britain tour
, as well as the notorious 1972 North American Tour
and the early 1973 Winter Tour of Australia and New Zealand
. He started to form his own band around this time but decided against it after the Stones tour. He had planned on using Prairie Prince
on drums, and Pete Sears
on bass. Hopkins failed to make the Stones' 1973 tour of Europe due to ill health and, aside from a guest appearance in 1978, did not play again with the Stones live on stage. He did manage to go on tour with the Jerry Garcia Band
, from August 5 to December 31, 1975. He continued to record with the Stones through the sessions for 1980's Emotional Rescue
.
and performed on their album Shady Grove. His presence is apparent throughout the album, particularly on the closing instrumental track "Edward, the Mad Shirt Grinder".
Also in 1969, Hopkins was a member of the short-lived Sweet Thursday
line-up, a quintet made up of Hopkins, Alun Davies
(Cat Stevens
), Jon Mark, Harvey Burns and Brian Odgers. The band completed their eponymous debut album
, however the project was doomed from the start. Their American record label, Tetragrammaton Records
, abruptly declared bankruptcy
(by legend, the same day the album was released) with promotion and a possible tour never happening.
He released his second solo album in 1973 entitled The Tin Man Was a Dreamer. Other musicians appearing on the album include George Harrison
(credited as "George O'Hara"), Mick Taylor
of the Rolling Stones, and Prairie Prince
, who was later the drummer for the humor/novelty rock band The Tubes
. Re-released on Columbia in 2004, the album is a rare opportunity to hear Hopkins sing.
His third solo album, entitled No More Changes (Mercury SRM 11028), was released in 1975. Appearing on the album are Hopkins (lead vocals and all keyboards), David Tedstone (guitars), Michael Kennedy (guitars), Rick Wills (bass), and Eric Dillon (drums and percussion), with back-up vocals from Kathi McDonald, Lea Santo-Robertie, Doug Duffey and Dolly.
A fourth album, Long Journey Home, has remained unreleased. He also released three soundtrack albums
in Japan between 1992 and 1993, The Fugitive, Patio, and Namiki Family (Toshiba EMI TOCT-6640, TOCT-6841, and TOCT-6914).
from any of his recording sessions, because of his status at the time as merely a "hired hand", as opposed to pop star
s with agents. Only Quicksilver Messenger Service
through its manager Ron Polte and its members gave Hopkins an ownership stake. Towards the end of his life he worked as a composer
and orchestra
tor of film score
s, with considerable success in Japan.
As a session player, Hopkins was a quick study. The Kinks
' song "Session Man" from Face to Face
is said to be dedicated to (and features) Hopkins. Ray Davies
wrote a memorial piece that appeared in the New York Times after Hopkins' death.
, of complications from intestinal surgery, presumably related to Hopkins' Crohn's Disease
. At the time of his death, he was working on his autobiography
with Ray Coleman
. He is survived by his wife, Moira.
Songwriter and musician Julian Dawson
collaborated with Hopkins on one recording, the pianist's last, in spring 1994, a few months before his death in September. After Ray Coleman's death, the connection led to Dawson working on a definitive biography
of Nicky Hopkins, first published by Random House, Inc. in German
in 2010, followed in 2011 by the English language
version with the title And On Piano...Nicky Hopkins (a hardback in the UK via Desert Hearts, and a paperback in North America via Backstage Books/Plus One Press).
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
.
He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
.
Early life
Hopkins was born in PerivalePerivale
Perivale is a small suburb in the London Borough of Ealing, west of Charing Cross, central London. Landmarks in the suburb include the A40, a large road that connects Central London with the M40 motorway, and the large Art Deco Hoover Building, as well as St Mary's Church , the River Brent and...
, North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. His musical talent emerged early and he began playing piano at age three. He was initially tutored by a local piano teacher and in his teens he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
in London. He suffered from Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease, also known as regional enteritis, is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, causing a wide variety of symptoms...
from his youth. Poor health and ongoing surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
made it difficult for him to tour. This resulted in him working primarily as a studio player for most of his career.
Early groups and as a session musician
Hopkins' studies were interrupted in 1960 when he left school at 16 to became the pianistPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
with Screaming Lord Sutch
Screaming Lord Sutch
David Edward Sutch , also known as "Screaming Lord Sutch, 3rd Earl of Harrow", or simply "Screaming Lord Sutch", was a musician from the United Kingdom...
's Savages until, two years later, he and fellow Savages Bernie Watson, Rick Brown (Fenson) and Carlo Little, joined the renowned blues harmonica player Cyril Davies
Cyril Davies
Cyril Davies was one of the first British blues harmonica players and blues musician.-Biography:Born at St Mildred's, 15 Hawthorn Drive, Willowbank, Denham, Buckinghamshire, near London, he was the son of William Albert Davies, a labourer, and his wife Margaret Mary...
, who had just left Blues Incorporated
Blues Incorporated
Blues Incorporated were a British R&B band in the early 1960s, led by Alexis Korner and featuring at various times Jack Bruce, Charlie Watts, Terry Cox, Ginger Baker, Long John Baldry, Ronnie Jones, Danny Thompson, Graham Bond, Cyril Davies, Malcolm Cecil and Dick Heckstall-Smith.-History:Korner ...
, and became the Cyril Davies R&B All Stars. Hopkins played piano on their first single, Davies' much-admired theme tune "Country Line Special". However he was forced to leave the All Stars in May 1963 for a series of operations that almost cost him his life and was bed-ridden for nineteen months in his late 'teens. During his convalescence Davies died of leukaemia and The All Stars disbanded.
Hopkins' frail health led him to concentrate on a working as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
instead of joining band such as The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
or Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
. He quickly became one of London's most in-demand session pianists and performed on many hit recordings from this period. He worked extensively for leading UK independent producers Shel Talmy
Shel Talmy
Shel Talmy is an American record producer, songwriter, arranger best known for his work in London with The Who and The Kinks in the 1960s, with a role in many other English bands including Cat Stevens and Pentangle...
and Andrew Loog Oldham
Andrew Loog Oldham
Andrew Loog Oldham is an English producer, talent manager, impresario and author. He was manager and producer of The Rolling Stones from 1963, and was noted for his flamboyant style.-Biography:...
and performed on albums and singles by The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
, The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things are an English rock and roll band from London, who originally formed in 1963. They took their name from Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Pretty Thing" and, in their early days, were dubbed by the British press the "uglier cousins of the Rolling Stones". Their most commercially successful...
, The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
and The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
.
In 1967 he joined The Jeff Beck Group
The Jeff Beck Group
The Jeff Beck Group were an English rock band formed in London in January 1967 by former Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Beck. Their innovative approach to heavy sounding blues and R&B was a major influence on popular music.- The first Jeff Beck Group :...
, formed by former Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
with vocalist Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, bassist Ronnie Wood and drummer Micky Waller
Micky Waller
Micky Waller was an English drummer, who played with many of the biggest names on the UK rock and blues scene, after he became a professional musician in 1960...
, playing on the LPs Truth and Beck-Ola
Beck-Ola
- Side two :- 2006 reissue bonus tracks :- Personnel :* Jeff Beck — guitars* Rod Stewart — vocals* Nicky Hopkins — piano and organ* Ronnie Wood — bass* Tony Newman — drums- Additional personnel :* Micky Waller — drums on "Sweet Little Angel"...
.
The same year Hopkins recorded Beggar's Banquet with The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
(he had first worked for them on Between the Buttons
Between the Buttons
- American release:In the US, the album was released by London Records on February 11, 1967 . "Let's Spend the Night Together" and "Ruby Tuesday" were slotted onto the album while "Back Street Girl" and "Please Go Home" were removed ...
). He also recorded for several San Franciscan groups, playing on albums by Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
(with whom he performed at the Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969...
), The New Riders of the Purple Sage
New Riders of the Purple Sage
New Riders of the Purple Sage is an American country rock band. The group emerged from the psychedelic rock scene in San Francisco, California in 1969, and its original lineup included several members of the Grateful Dead. Their best known song is "Panama Red"...
and The Steve Miller Band
Steve Miller Band
The Steve Miller Band is an American rock band formed in 1967 in San Francisco, California. The band is managed by Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals, and is known for a string of mid-1970s hit singles that are staples of the classic rock radio format.-History:In 1965, Steve Miller and...
. He briefly joined Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965 in San Francisco.-Introduction:Quicksilver Messenger Service gained wide popularity in the Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe and several of their albums ranked...
and also appeared with the Jerry Garcia Band
Jerry Garcia Band
The Jerry Garcia Band was a San Francisco Bay Area rock band led by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. Garcia founded the band in 1975; it remained the most important of his various side-projects until his death in 1995...
.
At this point he was one of Britain's best-known session players, recording with British acts of the Sixties, including The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and on the solo albums of all four members, on several Nilsson
Nilsson
Nilsson is a Swedish surname and the fourth most common surname in Sweden. The name is a patronymic meaning "Nils's son". Nils was a very common name, especially in 19th century Sweden.Some people named Nilsson:...
albums in the early 70s, including Nilsson Schmilsson
Nilsson Schmilsson
-Personnel:* Harry Nilsson – piano on 1 5 8 10, vocals, Mellotrons on 2 4, organ on 3, harmonica on 8, electric piano on 9* Jim Gordon – drums on 1 2 5 8 9, percussion on 7 9* Klaus Voormann – bass on 1 5 6 8, rhythm guitar on 2 9, acoustic guitar on 4...
and Son of Schmilsson
Son of Schmilsson
Son of Schmilsson is the eighth album by Harry Nilsson. Nilsson was being pressured to produce a follow-up album similar to his 1971 breakthrough, Nilsson Schmilsson, but, instead, he cut a more eccentric album....
, and with Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
.
With the Rolling Stones
Hopkins played with The Rolling Stones on their studio albums from Between the ButtonsBetween the Buttons
- American release:In the US, the album was released by London Records on February 11, 1967 . "Let's Spend the Night Together" and "Ruby Tuesday" were slotted onto the album while "Back Street Girl" and "Please Go Home" were removed ...
in 1967 through Emotional Rescue
Emotional Rescue
Emotional Rescue is the 15th British and 17th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1980. Upon release, the album topped the charts in both the US and UK.-History:...
in 1980 and Tattoo You
Tattoo You
Tattoo You is the 16th British and 18th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1981. The follow-up to Emotional Rescue, it proved to be a big critical and commercial success...
in 1981, including the prominent piano parts in "She's a Rainbow
She's A Rainbow
"She's a Rainbow" is a song by the English rock 'n roll band The Rolling Stones and was featured on their 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request.Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, "She's a Rainbow" was recorded on 18 May 1967...
" (1967), "Sympathy for the Devil
Sympathy for the Devil
"Sympathy for the Devil" is a song by The Rolling Stones which first appeared as the opening track on the band's 1968 album Beggars Banquet. It was written by Mick Jagger credited to Jagger/Richards...
" (1968), "Loving Cup
Loving Cup
"Loving Cup" is a song by The Rolling Stones featured on their 1972 album Exile on Main St.An early version of this song, with a completely different piano intro, was recorded between April and July 1969 at Olympic Sound Studios in London, during the Let It Bleed sessions...
" (1972) and "Waiting on a Friend
Waiting On A Friend
"Waiting on a Friend" is a song by The Rolling Stones from their 1981 album Tattoo You. Released as the album's second single, it reached #13 on the US singles chart.-History:...
" (1981). During this period, Hopkins tended to be employed on the Stones' slower, ballad-type songs, with longtime Stones keyboardist Ian Stewart
Ian Stewart (musician)
Ian Andrew Robert Stewart was a Scottish keyboardist, co-founder of The Rolling Stones and inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
playing on traditional rock numbers and Billy Preston
Billy Preston
William Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from...
used on soul and funk-influenced tunes. Hopkins also played on Jamming With Edward
Jamming with Edward
Jamming with the Edward! is an album recorded by three members of The Rolling Stones with Nicky Hopkins and Ry Cooder at London's Olympic Studio during the Let It Bleed sessions of 1969, and released on Rolling Stones Records in 1972...
, an unofficial Stones release that was recorded during the Let It Bleed
Let It Bleed
Let It Bleed is the eighth British and tenth American album by English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in December 1969 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom and London Records in the United States...
sessions, while Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
and Charlie Watts
Charlie Watts
Charles Robert "Charlie" Watts is an English drummer, best known as a member of The Rolling Stones. He is also the leader of a jazz band, a record producer, commercial artist, and horse breeder.-Early life:...
, of the Stones, with Hopkins and Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder
Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
, were waiting for Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
. The "Edward" of the title was an alias
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Nicky Hopkins, derived from studio banter with Brian Jones
Brian Jones
Lewis Brian Hopkins Jones , known as Brian Jones, was an English musician and a founding member of the Rolling Stones....
and later became a song title on his outstanding performance, "Edward, the Mad Shirt Grinder", a song from Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965 in San Francisco.-Introduction:Quicksilver Messenger Service gained wide popularity in the Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe and several of their albums ranked...
's Shady Grove LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
. Hopkins' master piece with the Stones was Exille On main Street (1972), where he is prominent on most tracks.
Hopkins was added to the Rolling Stones live line-up on the 1971 Good-Bye Britain tour
The Rolling Stones UK Tour 1971
The Rolling Stones' 1971 UK Tour was a brief concert tour of England and Scotland that took place over two weeks in March 1971.-History:The Stones had not staged a tour proper in their homeland since autumn 1966...
, as well as the notorious 1972 North American Tour
The Rolling Stones American Tour 1972
The Rolling Stones American Tour 1972, often referred to as the S.T.P. Tour , was a much-publicized and much-written-about concert tour of The United States and Canada in June and July 1972 by The Rolling Stones...
and the early 1973 Winter Tour of Australia and New Zealand
The Rolling Stones Pacific Tour 1973
The Rolling Stones Pacific Tour 1973 was a concert tour of countries bordering the Pacific Ocean in January and February 1973 by The Rolling Stones. The tour is sometimes referred to as the Winter Tour 1973...
. He started to form his own band around this time but decided against it after the Stones tour. He had planned on using Prairie Prince
Prairie Prince
Prairie Prince is a rock drummer. He was a member of The Tubes and a founding member of Journey...
on drums, and Pete Sears
Pete Sears
Peter 'Pete' Sears is an English rock musician. In a career spanning more than four decades he has been a member of many bands and has moved through a variety of musical genres, from early R&B, psychedelic improvisational rock of the 1960s, folk, country music, arena rock in the 1970s, and blues...
on bass. Hopkins failed to make the Stones' 1973 tour of Europe due to ill health and, aside from a guest appearance in 1978, did not play again with the Stones live on stage. He did manage to go on tour with the Jerry Garcia Band
Jerry Garcia Band
The Jerry Garcia Band was a San Francisco Bay Area rock band led by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. Garcia founded the band in 1975; it remained the most important of his various side-projects until his death in 1995...
, from August 5 to December 31, 1975. He continued to record with the Stones through the sessions for 1980's Emotional Rescue
Emotional Rescue
Emotional Rescue is the 15th British and 17th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1980. Upon release, the album topped the charts in both the US and UK.-History:...
.
Other groups and solo albums
In 1969, Nicky Hopkins joined Quicksilver Messenger ServiceQuicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965 in San Francisco.-Introduction:Quicksilver Messenger Service gained wide popularity in the Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe and several of their albums ranked...
and performed on their album Shady Grove. His presence is apparent throughout the album, particularly on the closing instrumental track "Edward, the Mad Shirt Grinder".
Also in 1969, Hopkins was a member of the short-lived Sweet Thursday
Sweet Thursday (band)
Sweet Thursday was a short-lived late-1960s English rock band.The group included famed session keyboard player Nicky Hopkins, who had worked with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, and many others; folk guitarist, singer, and past session man Alun Davies ; and singer, guitarist, composer...
line-up, a quintet made up of Hopkins, Alun Davies
Alun Davies (guitarist)
Alun Davies is a Welsh guitarist, studio musician, recording artist, and composer who rose to fame primarily with his supporting guitar work and backing vocals as accompanist for English musician Cat Stevens, from early 1970 to 1977...
(Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
), Jon Mark, Harvey Burns and Brian Odgers. The band completed their eponymous debut album
Sweet Thursday (album)
Sweet Thursday is the self-titled debut, and only, album by the late 1960s British rock band Sweet Thursday. Its chance of success was cut short by the almost-immediate failure of the record label.-History:...
, however the project was doomed from the start. Their American record label, Tetragrammaton Records
Tetragrammaton Records
Tetragrammaton Records was an American record label, founded by artist manager Roy Silver, Bruce Post Campbell, Marvin Deane, and comedian Bill Cosby in the late 1960s. The name references a term for the un-nameable name of God....
, abruptly declared bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
(by legend, the same day the album was released) with promotion and a possible tour never happening.
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
(credited as "George O'Hara"), Mick Taylor
Mick Taylor
Michael Kevin "Mick" Taylor is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones...
of the Rolling Stones, and Prairie Prince
Prairie Prince
Prairie Prince is a rock drummer. He was a member of The Tubes and a founding member of Journey...
, who was later the drummer for the humor/novelty rock band The Tubes
The Tubes
The Tubes are a San Francisco-based rock band, whose 1975 debut album included the hit single, "White Punks on Dope". During its first fifteen years or so, the band's live performances combined quasi-pornography with wild satires of media, consumerism, and politics...
. Re-released on Columbia in 2004, the album is a rare opportunity to hear Hopkins sing.
His third solo album, entitled No More Changes (Mercury SRM 11028), was released in 1975. Appearing on the album are Hopkins (lead vocals and all keyboards), David Tedstone (guitars), Michael Kennedy (guitars), Rick Wills (bass), and Eric Dillon (drums and percussion), with back-up vocals from Kathi McDonald, Lea Santo-Robertie, Doug Duffey and Dolly.
A fourth album, Long Journey Home, has remained unreleased. He also released three soundtrack albums
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
in Japan between 1992 and 1993, The Fugitive, Patio, and Namiki Family (Toshiba EMI TOCT-6640, TOCT-6841, and TOCT-6914).
Later life
Hopkins lived in Mill Valley, California, for several years. During this time he worked with several local bands and continued to record in San Francisco. One of his complaints throughout his career was that he did not receive royaltiesRoyalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
from any of his recording sessions, because of his status at the time as merely a "hired hand", as opposed to pop star
Pop Star
"Pop Star" is a 2005 single from Japanese singer Ken Hirai. The single went on to top the 2005 Oricon Charts and is known for its remarkable music video, featuring Ken in seven different personas, including a raccoon and his own manager. The Video also helped Ken break into the US and Canadian...
s with agents. Only Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965 in San Francisco.-Introduction:Quicksilver Messenger Service gained wide popularity in the Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe and several of their albums ranked...
through its manager Ron Polte and its members gave Hopkins an ownership stake. Towards the end of his life he worked as a composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
tor of film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
s, with considerable success in Japan.
As a session player, Hopkins was a quick study. The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
' song "Session Man" from Face to Face
Face to Face (The Kinks album)
Face to Face, released in 1966 on Pye Records in the United Kingdom and on Reprise Records in the United States, is the fourth UK studio album by The Kinks. A major artistic breakthrough for Kinks' songwriter Ray Davies, the LP represents the first full flowering of Davies' use of narrative,...
is said to be dedicated to (and features) Hopkins. Ray Davies
Ray Davies
Ray Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
wrote a memorial piece that appeared in the New York Times after Hopkins' death.
Death
Hopkins died aged 50, in Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, of complications from intestinal surgery, presumably related to Hopkins' Crohn's Disease
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease, also known as regional enteritis, is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, causing a wide variety of symptoms...
. At the time of his death, he was working on his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
with Ray Coleman
Ray Coleman
Ray Coleman was a British author and former Editor-in-chief of Melody Maker known for biographies of The Beatles. Besides Melody Maker, Coleman was a participant with music magazines including Disc, Black Music, and Musicians Only, and a contributor to magazines such as Billboard...
. He is survived by his wife, Moira.
Songwriter and musician Julian Dawson
Julian Dawson
Julian Dawson is a British singer–songwriter, guitarist and author. His style has been compared to Wilco and Ron Sexsmith. He is fluent in German and French...
collaborated with Hopkins on one recording, the pianist's last, in spring 1994, a few months before his death in September. After Ray Coleman's death, the connection led to Dawson working on a definitive biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
of Nicky Hopkins, first published by Random House, Inc. in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
in 2010, followed in 2011 by the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
version with the title And On Piano...Nicky Hopkins (a hardback in the UK via Desert Hearts, and a paperback in North America via Backstage Books/Plus One Press).
Selected performances
- The KinksThe KinksThe Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
, The Kink KontroversyThe Kink KontroversyThe Kink Kontroversy is the third studio album by the English band The Kinks, released in 1965. It is a transitional work, with elements of both the earlier Kinks' styles and early indications of the future direction of Ray Davies songwriting...
(1965), Sunny AfternoonSunny Afternoon"Sunny Afternoon" is a song by The Kinks, written by chief songwriter Ray Davies. Like its contemporary "Taxman" by The Beatles, the song references the high levels of progressive tax taken by the British Labour government of Harold Wilson. The track later featured on the Face to Face album as well...
(1966), Face to FaceFace to Face (The Kinks album)Face to Face, released in 1966 on Pye Records in the United Kingdom and on Reprise Records in the United States, is the fourth UK studio album by The Kinks. A major artistic breakthrough for Kinks' songwriter Ray Davies, the LP represents the first full flowering of Davies' use of narrative,...
(1966), "Mister PleasantMister Pleasant"Mister Pleasant" is a song recorded by British rock group The Kinks in 1967, written by Ray Davies. It was released as a single in the US and mainland Europe but not in the UK. It was released in the UK six months later as the B-side to "Autumn Almanac"...
" (1967), "The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation SocietyThe Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation SocietyThe Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society is the sixth studio album by the English rock group The Kinks, released in November 1968. It was the last album by the original quartet, as bassist Pete Quaife left the group in early 1969...
" (1968) - The WhoThe WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, "Anyway, Anyhow, AnywhereAnyway, Anyhow, Anywhere"Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" was a single released by The Who in 1965. It features call-and-response lyrics and some of the first ever recorded guitar feedback. The song was composed by guitarist Pete Townshend and vocalist Roger Daltrey, the only time they wrote together...
" (1965), My GenerationMy GenerationMy Generation is the debut album by the English rock band The Who, released by Brunswick Records in the United Kingdom in December 1965. In the United States it was released by Decca Records as The Who Sings My Generation in April 1966, with a different cover and a slightly altered track...
album (1965), "The Song Is Over" (1971), "Getting In Tune" (1971), "We're Not Gonna Take It [movie remix]" (1975), "They Are All in Love" (1975), "Slip Kid" (1975), "How Many Friends" (1975) - Jeff BeckJeff BeckGeoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, "Blues De Luxe", "Morning DewMorning Dew"Morning Dew", also known as " Morning Dew", is a post-apocalyptic folk-rock song written by Canadian singer Bonnie Dobson in 1962.According to Dobson in a 1993 interview, "Morning Dew" was inspired by the film On the Beach....
" (1967), Truth (1967), and Hokpkins' own self-penned "Girl From Mill Valley", on Beck-OlaBeck-Ola- Side two :- 2006 reissue bonus tracks :- Personnel :* Jeff Beck — guitars* Rod Stewart — vocals* Nicky Hopkins — piano and organ* Ronnie Wood — bass* Tony Newman — drums- Additional personnel :* Micky Waller — drums on "Sweet Little Angel"...
. (1969) - Cat StevensCat StevensYusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
, "Matthew and SonMatthew and Son- American LP release :- Personnel :* Cat Stevens: guitars, Piano, Hammond organ, vocals.* John Paul Jones, Bass guitar * All instruments arranged by Alan Tew.* Mike Hurst: Producer, engineer, liner notes....
" (1967), Matthew and Son (1967) - Marc BolanMarc BolanMarc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
, "Jasper C. Debussy" (1966-7, released 1974) - The Rolling StonesThe Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, "In Another LandIn Another Land"In Another Land" is a song by Bill Wyman, and the third track on The Rolling Stones album Their Satanic Majesties Request. It was released as a single a week before the album....
" (1967), "We Love You" (1967) She's a RainbowShe's A Rainbow"She's a Rainbow" is a song by the English rock 'n roll band The Rolling Stones and was featured on their 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request.Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, "She's a Rainbow" was recorded on 18 May 1967...
" (1967), "Sympathy for the DevilSympathy for the Devil"Sympathy for the Devil" is a song by The Rolling Stones which first appeared as the opening track on the band's 1968 album Beggars Banquet. It was written by Mick Jagger credited to Jagger/Richards...
" (1968), "Street Fighting ManStreet Fighting Man"Street Fighting Man" is a song by English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones featured on their 1968 album Beggars Banquet. Called the band's "most political song", Rolling Stone ranked the song #295 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.-Inspiration:Originally titled and recorded...
" (1968), "Gimme ShelterGimme Shelter"Gimme Shelter" is a song by English rock band The Rolling Stones. It first appeared as the opening track on the band's 1969 album Let It Bleed. Although the first word was spelled "Gimmie" on that album, subsequent recordings by the band and other musicians have made "Gimme" the customary spelling...
" (1969), "Monkey Man" (1969), "SwaySway (The Rolling Stones song)"Sway" is a song by the English rock 'n roll band The Rolling Stones from their 1971 album Sticky Fingers. It was also released as the b-side of the "Wild Horses" single in June 1971. This single was released in the US only...
" (1971), "Tumbling DiceTumbling Dice"Tumbling Dice" is a rock song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards for The Rolling Stones' 1972 double album Exile on Main St., and was the album's first single. The single peaked at #7 on the US charts and #5 in the UK....
" and many others on the Exile on Main St.Exile on Main St.Exile on Main St. is the tenth British and 12th American studio album by English rock band The Rolling Stones. Released as a double LP in May 1972, it draws on many genres including rock and roll, blues, soul, R&B, gospel and country. The release of Exile on Main St. met with mixed reviews, but is...
album (1972), "Angie" (1973), "Time Waits for No OneTime Waits for No One (song)"Time Waits for No One" is a song by British rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from its 1974 album It's Only Rock 'n' Roll. It was the first song recorded for the album....
" (1974), "Fool to CryFool to Cry"Fool to Cry" is a song by English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones from their 1976 album Black and Blue.Recorded in December 1974, the song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. It is a slow-paced ballad. Mick Taylor had just left the band and the rest of the Stones were left without...
" (1976), "Waiting on a FriendWaiting On A Friend"Waiting on a Friend" is a song by The Rolling Stones from their 1981 album Tattoo You. Released as the album's second single, it reached #13 on the US singles chart.-History:...
" (recorded 1972, released 1981) - Jackie LomaxJackie LomaxJohn Richard 'Jackie' Lomax is a British guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his association with George Harrison and Eric Clapton...
, "Sour Milk SeaSour Milk Sea"Sour Milk Sea" is a song written by George Harrison that surfaced during the sessions for The Beatles . The song was recorded professionally by Jackie Lomax on The Beatles' Apple Records label and released as a single in 1968.-Recording:The Beatles recorded a demo at George Harrison's Esher home...
" (1968) - The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, "RevolutionRevolution (song)"Revolution" is a song by The Beatles written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The Beatles released two distinct arrangements of the song in 1968: a hard rock version as the B-side of the single "Hey Jude", and a slower version titled "Revolution 1" on the eponymous album The Beatles...
" (single version) (1968) - The MoveThe MoveThe Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
, "Hey Grandma", "Mist on a Monday Morning", "Wild Tiger Woman" (all 1968) - DonovanDonovanDonovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
, "Barabajagal" (1969) - Jamming With EdwardJamming with EdwardJamming with the Edward! is an album recorded by three members of The Rolling Stones with Nicky Hopkins and Ry Cooder at London's Olympic Studio during the Let It Bleed sessions of 1969, and released on Rolling Stones Records in 1972...
(jam session with Ry CooderRy CooderRyland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
and some members of The Rolling StonesThe Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
(recorded 1969, released 1972) - Quicksilver Messenger ServiceQuicksilver Messenger ServiceQuicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965 in San Francisco.-Introduction:Quicksilver Messenger Service gained wide popularity in the Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe and several of their albums ranked...
, "Shady Grove", "Edward, the Mad Shirt Grinder", "Spindrifter" - Jefferson AirplaneJefferson AirplaneJefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
, "VolunteersVolunteers (Jefferson Airplane album)-Personnel:*Grace Slick – vocals, piano on "The Farm", "Hey Fredrick", "Eskimo Blue Day", and "Volunteers", organ on "Meadowlands", recorder on "Eskimo Blue Day"*Paul Kantner – vocals, rhythm guitar*Marty Balin – vocals, percussion...
" (1969), "Wooden ShipsWooden Ships"Wooden Ships" is a rock song written and composed by David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Paul Kantner in the late 1960s. The song was written and composed in Florida on Crosby's boat...
" (1969), "Eskimo Blue Day" (1969), "Hey Fredrick" (1969), whole Woodstock set - Steve Miller BandSteve Miller BandThe Steve Miller Band is an American rock band formed in 1967 in San Francisco, California. The band is managed by Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals, and is known for a string of mid-1970s hit singles that are staples of the classic rock radio format.-History:In 1965, Steve Miller and...
"Kow KowBrave New World (Steve Miller Band album)Brave New World is the third album by American rock band The Steve Miller Band, released in 1969. The tracks "Celebration Song" and "My Dark Hour" featured Paul McCartney on backing vocals, drums and bass guitar credited as Paul Ramon....
", "Baby's HouseYour Saving GraceYour Saving Grace is the fourth album by American rock band The Steve Miller Band, released in November 1969.-Track listing:#"Little Girl" – 3:25#"Just a Passin' Fancy in a Midnite Dream" – 3:41...
(which Hopkins co-wrote with MillerSteve MillerSteve or Steven Miller may refer to:*Steve Miller , President and CEO of the Professional Bowlers Association*Steve Miller , CEO of Delphi Corporation*Steven L...
)". - John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, "Jealous GuyJealous Guy"Jealous Guy" is a song written and performed by John Lennon which first appeared on his 1971 album Imagine. It is one of the most commonly covered Lennon songs, with at least ninety-two recorded cover versions, the most notable being Roxy Music's version, which reached number one in several...
" (1971), "How Do You Sleep?" (1971), "Oh My LoveOh My Love"Oh My Love" is a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono that appeared on Lennon's Imagine album in 1971. George Harrison contributed guitar on this and several other songs for the album.-Information:...
" (1971), "Oh Yoko!Oh Yoko!"Oh Yoko!" is a 1971 song, written and performed by John Lennon, that can be found on his album Imagine and the greatest hits compilation Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon....
" (1971), "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"Happy Xmas " is a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir....
" (1971), Walls and BridgesWalls and BridgesWalls and Bridges is the fifth album by John Lennon; it was issued on 26 September 1974 in the United States and on 4 October in the United Kingdom. Written, recorded and released during his 18-month separation from Yoko Ono , the album captures Lennon in the midst of The Lost Weekend...
album (1974) - Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, "That Day is Done" from Flowers in the DirtFlowers in the Dirt-Additional tracks:-Special Package :Following tracks are included on bonus disc.#"Message" - 0:28#* A environmental message from Paul to the Japanese fans.#"The Long and Winding Road" - 3:51...
(1989) - Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
, "PhotographPhotograph (Ringo Starr song)"Photograph" is a song written by Ringo Starr and George Harrison. It was released by Starr as a single on 5 October 1973, reaching number eight in the UK and number one in the U.S. singles charts...
" (1973), "You're SixteenYou're Sixteen"You're Sixteen" is a song written by the Sherman Brothers . It was first performed by American rockabilly singer Johnny Burnette, whose version peaked at number eight on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in December 1960....
" (1973), "Step Lightly" (1973), "You and Me (Babe)" (1973), "No No SongNo No SongRingo Starr's cover of Hoyt Axton and David Jackson's "The No No Song" was included on his 1974 album Goodnight Vienna. It was a number-one hit in Canada and a number-three hit in the US. The song describes progressive attempts to sell Colombian marijuana, Spanish cocaine and Tennessean moonshine...
" (1974) - George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
, "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)"Give Me Love " is a song by George Harrison and is the lead track on his 1973 album Living in the Material World. The song was released as a single in May 1973, hitting number one in the US Billboard Hot 100 at the end of June and number eight on the UK Singles Chart...
" (1973), Living in the Material WorldLiving in the Material WorldLiving in the Material World is a studio album by George Harrison, released in 1973.-Background:As a follow-up to 1970's greatly received All Things Must Pass and his mammoth charity project, The Concert for Bangladesh, Living in the Material World was among the most highly anticipated releases of...
album (1973) - Peter FramptonPeter FramptonPeter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
, "Waterfall" and "Sail Away" (1974) - Joe CockerJoe CockerJohn Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
, "You Are So BeautifulYou Are So Beautiful"You Are So Beautiful" is a song written by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher and Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys. It was first recorded by Preston and made popular in a version by Joe Cocker....
" (1974) - Jerry Garcia BandJerry Garcia BandThe Jerry Garcia Band was a San Francisco Bay Area rock band led by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. Garcia founded the band in 1975; it remained the most important of his various side-projects until his death in 1995...
, Let It Rock: The Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 2Let It Rock: The Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 2Let It Rock: The Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 2 is an album by the Jerry Garcia Band. It was recorded live at the Keystone in Berkeley, California, on November 17 and 18, 1975. It was released by Rhino Records as a two-disc CD on November 10, 2009....
(1975) - L. Ron HubbardL. Ron HubbardLafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
, "The Mining Song" (1982), "The Banker" (1982) - Dogs D'AmourDogs D'AmourThe Dogs D'Amour were a rock and roll band formed in 1983 in London, England. Over the years the band has had various line-ups, the only constant being vocalist Tyla....
, "Hurricane", "Trail of Tears", and "Princes Valium" from the Errol Flynn/King Of The Thieves album (1989) - The Jayhawks, "Two Angels" and "Martin's Song" on the Hollywood Town HallHollywood Town HallHollywood Town Hall is a 1992 album by country rock revivalists The Jayhawks. It peaked at #11 on the Billboard Heatseekers and #192 on the Billboard 200...
album (1992) - Joe WalshJoe WalshJoseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles, and has experienced notable success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B...
, "Guilty of the Crime" from the A Future To This Life album (1994), the soundtrack from the RobocopRoboCopRoboCop is a 1987 American science fiction-action film directed by Paul Verhoeven. Set in a crime-ridden Detroit, Michigan in the near future, RoboCop centers on a police officer who is brutally murdered and subsequently re-created as a super-human cyborg known as "RoboCop"...
television series - Gene Clark (various recordings)
- Brewer & ShipleyBrewer & ShipleyBrewer & Shipley were an American folk rock music duo of the late 1960s through 1970s, consisting of singer-songwriters Mike Brewer and Tom Shipley. They were known for their intricate guitar work, vocal harmonies and socially conscious lyrics. Their greatest success was the song "One Toke Over the...
- P.J. Proby, Reflections of Your Face (Amory Kane) from "Three Week HeroThree Week HeroThree Week Hero is an album released by rock singer P.J. Proby on April 8, 1969 by Liberty Records. The album contains a mixture of dramatic pop, blues, rock, and country style songs. While it did not succeed commercially, it is best remembered today as the first time all four members of Led...
" (1969) - Additional Amory Kane works