 | Thisbiography of a living personneeds additionalcitations forverification. Please help by addingreliable sources.Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced orpoorly sourcedmust be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentiallylibelous. Find sources: "Chuck Leavell" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(December 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Chuck Leavell | |
|---|---|
 Leavell in 2009 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Charles Alfred Leavell |
| Born | (1952-04-28)April 28, 1952 (age 72) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 1966–present |
| Labels | Capricorn |
| Spouse | [1] |
| Website | chuckleavell |
Charles Alfred Leavell (born April 28, 1952) is an American musician. A member ofthe Allman Brothers Band throughout their commercial zenith in the 1970s, he subsequently became a founding member of the bandSea Level. He has served as the principal touring keyboardist and musical director[2] ofthe Rolling Stones since 1982. As asession musician, Leavell has performed on every Rolling Stones studio album released since 1983 with the exception ofBridges to Babylon (1997). He has also toured and recorded withEric Clapton,George Harrison,David Gilmour,Gov't Mule,Train, andJohn Mayer.[3]
Born inBirmingham, Alabama, Leavell is a mostly self-taught musician. He started on piano, learning some basics from his mother, Frances Leavell. The Leavell family moved from Birmingham toMontgomery, Alabama when he was five and then back to Birmingham for a few years before finally settling inTuscaloosa, Alabama in 1962. He learned to play guitar from his cousin, Winston Leavell, and played tuba in junior high for two years. He started his first band, The Misfitz, in 1966. The Misfitz played a steady gig at theYMCA every Friday night, and eventually were the band for a Saturday morning television show, Tuscaloosa Bandstand. After the breakup of the Misfitz, Leavell did session work, and found himself on his firstgold record, a single byFreddie North called "Don't Take Her She's All I've Got". Leavell also sought out other local musicians to play with and joined The South Camp in 1968. That band included his early mentor,Paul Hornsby, who had played inThe Hour Glass, a precursor to The Allman Brothers Band.
In 1969, Hornsby moved toMacon, Georgia to work forCapricorn Records as a studio musician and producer, eventually producing such artists asThe Charlie Daniels Band,The Marshall Tucker Band,Wet Willie and others. At Hornsby's suggestion, Leavell came to Macon and helped form Sundown, which recorded one record on theAmpex label in 1970. That band broke up shortly thereafter, and Leavell found himself doing session work at Capricorn and eventually was tapped to tour withAlex Taylor,James Taylor's elder brother. Leavell recorded one record with Taylor,Dinnertime, which was released in 1972. Leavell continued to tour with Taylor for a short time afterwards. When Taylor had a falling out with his manager and the founder of Capricorn,Phil Walden, and quit touring, Leavell found himself playing withDr. John. Leavell claims this was his "college education."
While playing with Dr. John, Leavell caught the attention ofGregg Allman, who tapped him to play on his first solo album, the Johnny Sandlin-producedLaid Back. Allman and Sandlin introduced the rest of the Allman Brothers Band to Leavell, and Leavell joined the band in September 1972, when they decided not to recreate their dual lead guitar sound after the death ofDuane Allman, who had died the previous October, but rather to use a different instrument as the second lead. Leavell's work was most prominent on the band's popular 1973 albumBrothers and Sisters, and in particular on the heavily played instrumental "Jessica." However, only one studio album, 1975'sWin, Lose or Draw, followed, again with Leavell's piano and keyboard work featured.
.jpg)
In 1973, Leavell married Rose Lane White, who was working as a staff member at Capricorn Records. The Allmans toured heavily behindBrothers and Sisters, playing stadiums and breaking records for attendance in many venues across the country. Leavell also appeared on a live record with the band,Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas during this era as well as subsequent compilations, live performances and re-releases in later years. During the mid-1970s Leavell also appeared onDickey Betts's first solo record,Highway Call. In addition during this time, he made multiple contributions on several other Capricorn artists' recordings likeBobby Whitlock,Bonnie Bramlett,The Marshall Tucker Band, Cowboy and more as well as recordings outside the Capricorn family withTim Weisberg,Charlie Daniels and others. The Allmans found themselves in turmoil in 1976, and broke up that year. Later the band re-formed, but without Leavell as he had moved on to form his own band, Sea Level in late 1976.
While opening shows for The Allman Brothers Band with The Allman Brothers' bass guitaristLamar Williams and drummerJaimoe, Leavell stepped up as a frontman for the first time in his career. After The Allman Brothers Band disbanded in May 1976, the trio added guitaristJimmy Nalls and set about touring behind the monikerSea Level, derived from Leavell's first initial and last name. The group lasted five years and released as many albums, each featuring a different configuration of the group.
From 1982 to 1984, he was part of the groupBetts, Hall, Leavell and Trucks, which had been organized by Betts. Although the group received good critical notices, and is viewed positively in retrospect by Leavell, it was unable to garner a recording contract.[4]
Leavell's first encounters withThe Rolling Stones were auditions onLong View Farm for the spot of piano player alongsideIan Stewart for the Rolling Stones 1981 United States tour. Even thoughIan McLagan was chosen, Leavell guested at the Rolling Stones' Atlanta gig on October 26, 1981. For the1982 European Tour Leavell landed the position of keyboardist alongsideIan Stewart. Leavell continued to record with the Stones on their next two albums, during a time when the band was not touring. After Stewart's death in 1985, Leavell occupied the role of the group's keyboardist by himself, with the exception of the addition of Matt Clifford on theSteel Wheels record andtour. He has continued to tour and record with The Rolling Stones ever since, as well as recording with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards on solo projects. He continued to go on tour with The Rolling Stones, as of 2006, as part of their record-grossingA Bigger Bang Tour.[5] He served as the unofficial "musical director" for the band and devised each night'sset list withMick Jagger.[6] "It's my job to keep Mick, Keith, Charlie and Ronnie all happy", Leavell stated on his web page. He began keeping notes on the songs during rehearsals, which eventually led to his role with the band.[7]
In addition to his work with The Rolling Stones, Leavell has worked withGeorge Harrison,Eric Clapton,Gov't Mule,Train,Tinsley Ellis,The Black Crowes,The Fabulous Thunderbirds,Montgomery Gentry,John Mayer,Miranda Lambert,Blues Traveller amongst many others in the studio and on the road, in addition to recording five solo albums.
In 2003, Leavell participated in the annual improvisational musical experiment known asZambiland Orchestra in Atlanta.
Leavell was inducted into theGeorgia Music Hall of Fame in 2004. He is also a member of theAlabama Music Hall of Fame. In an April 2007 radio interview onWOR-AM, Leavell said his favorite contributions to songs in his career were "Jessica" with The Allman Brothers Band, "Old Love" onEric Clapton'sUnplugged,Out of Tears on The Rolling Stones'Voodoo Lounge, andDrops of Jupiter byTrain.
In 2011, Leavell played on John Mayer's albumBorn and Raised which was released in May 2012, reaching Number One on theBillboard Chart. He also worked with David Gilmour, who reached to him out of the blue years after meeting on a session with Eric Clapton in the early 1990s.[8]
In February 2012, he and the other existing members of the Allman Brothers Band received aGrammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to his time in the band from 1972 to 1976, Leavell performed two shows with the reunited Allman Brothers Band in 1986. Since 2001, he has performed as a guest pianist at more than a dozen Allman Brothers Band concerts, including multiple shows at theBeacon Theatre in New York City.
Leavell enjoys "giving back" to the community of his birth. In 1992, he played on a record titled"Mr. President", which was produced by noted Birmingham jazz keyboardist and vocalistRay Reach for the purpose of raising money for the homeless in the Birmingham area. Leavell and several other well-known Alabama musicians (includingWayne Perkins,Chuck Tilley,Charlie Hayward, andKelley O'Neal) donated their time for this project.
On March 20, 2008, Leavell was given a BAMA Award (Birmingham Area Music Award) for his contributions to the Birmingham, Alabama musical heritage. The 2008 BAMA Awards ceremony was held at theAlabama Jazz Hall of Fame (in the historicCarver Theatre in theBirmingham Civil Rights District). Leavell performed at this ceremony accompanied by theAlabama Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars directed byRay Reach. Also, at the same ceremony, a BAMA Award was bestowed upon keyboardist/producerPeter Wolf.
Leavell makes time to involve himself with other causes, and in 2008 performed with a supergroup which opened forChuck Berry in Boston. The concert raised money for artists struggling with addiction. Leavell also serves on the Georgia Commission for Hearing Impaired and Deaf Persons.[9]
In 2013, Leavell was nominated for aBlues Music Award in the 'Pinetop Perkins Piano Player' category.[10] Leavell is the celebrity spokesperson forSealevel Systems, Inc.[11]
A documentary of Chuck Leavell's career and life outside of music,Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man,[12] directed by Allen Farst,[13] premiered at Dayton, Ohio's "The Neon" theatre on November 6, 2020. The film, featured in a number of film festivals in 2020, won theSedona Film Festival's People's Choice Award.
The film, featuringMick Jagger,Keith Richards,Charlie Watts,Ronnie Wood,David Gilmour,Dickey Betts,Warren Haynes,John Mayer,Julian Lennon,Billy Bob Thornton,Charlie Daniels,Bonnie Raitt,Bruce Hornsby,Chris Robinson,Miranda Lambert,Eric Church,Mike Mills,Pat Monahan,John Popper, andLee Ann Womack among others will be available for streaming beginning December 1, 2020.[14]
In addition to his musical career, Leavell is atree farmer inTwiggs County outsideMacon, Georgia, an occupation that began when his wife, Rose Lane Leavell, inherited land in the early 1980s. Together they created Charlane Plantation, now a 2500-acre award-winning Tree Farm and hunting preserve. The Leavells are two-time Georgia Tree Farmers of the Year, and were selected as National Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year in 1999. They are staunch supporters ofsustainable forestry, conservation and environmental protection. Chuck Leavell wrote his first book,Forever Green: The History and Hope of The American Forest in 2000. His autobiography,Between Rock and a Home Place was published in 2005, and is acclaimed as one of the best rock autobiographies ever published. In 2006, Leavell wrote a children's book,The Tree Farmer. His most recent book isGrowing A Better America: Smart, Strong, Sustainable (2011, with J. Marshall Craig), the theme of which is "smart" growth. It has been called one of the best "common senseenvironmental books of all time".
Leavell was appointed by formerGeorgia GovernorSonny Perdue to theGeorgia Land Conservation Council in 2008. He has also served on the Boards of The American Forest Foundation, TheUnited States Endowment for Forestry and Communities and other influential non-profits and makes frequent trips to Washington, D.C. to discuss forestry and environmental policy matters with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. In February 2012, the same month he received the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award, he was given an HonoraryForest Ranger award from theUnited States Forest Service. He has stated that he reveres both of these honors equally.
Leavell andJoel Babbit are the co-founders ofThe Mother Nature Network, an environmental news and information website that launched in January 2009. The site has grown to be the most visited independent environmental website in the world.[citation needed] Leavell serves as Director of Environmental Affairs, and sits on the board of directors for the company. He hosts two video series on mnn.com: "Love of the Land," in which he discusses sustainability and conservation issues, and "In The Green Room," a series in which he interviews fellow celebrities about the environment and their philanthropic work.[15]
Leavell hosts the public television seriesAmerica's Forests with Chuck Leavell.[16]
In 2022, Leavell was recognized as an honorary lifetime member of theSociety of American Foresters in recognition of his “commitment to understanding forest management practices, engaging policymakers to support our nation’s forests, and using his platform to communicate the critical benefits and pressing challenges of our forests”.[17]
In response to requests from fans and teachers alike, Leavell and Howard Citron co-founded IROCKU, a rock and blues piano instructional website that launched in June 2011.[18] The website includes classic rock and blues piano arrangements, video lessons, and also offers live lessons with stage and session musicians. In August 2017, Leavell and Citron received a United States Patent entitled “ Apparatus, System and Method for Teaching Music and Other Art Forms” related to IROCKU's web-based teaching methodology.[19]
Solo albums
Alex Taylor
Sailcat
Gregg Allman
The Allman Brothers Band
Chuck Berry
Dickey Betts
Aretha Franklin
Sea Level
Duke Jupiter
The Rolling Stones
The Black Crowes
Eric Clapton
Gov't Mule
Train
John Mayer
David Gilmour
George Harrison
Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit
