Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Leon Russell died Sunday at his Nashville home, his family reports. He was 74 years old.
A skilled songwriter whose work defied the limitations of genre, Russell collaborated with a wide range of musicians over his long career, from B.B. King to Willie Nelson to Elton John. "He was my biggest influence as a piano player, a singer and a songwriter," John said. The Oklahoma native got his big break right out of high school when Jerry Lee Lewis invited his band on tour.
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