My favorite rock keyboardists
 

I typed them as I thought of them, so whatever order they're in, you can take that as "something", I guess. But, they may not exactly be in a specific "favorite" order.

Gregg Allman
Chuck Leavell (Allman Brothers Band, Sea Level, Eric Clapton, Rolling Stones)
Billy Preston (Beatles, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, solo)
Chris Stainton (Leon Russell, Joe Cocker's Grease Band, Eric Clapton)
Billy Payne (Little Feat, Doobie Brothers, Bonnie Raitt)
Leon Russell
Steve Winwood
Bobby Whitlock (Delaney & Bonnie, Derek & The Dominoes)
Benmont Tench (The Heartbreakers)
Christine McVie
Reese Wynans (SRV's Double Trouble)
Booker T. Jones (The MGs)
Bruce Hornsby
Roy Bittan (The E Street Band)
David Sancious (The E Street Band, Sting, Eric Clapton)
Elton John
Wix (Paul McCartney)
Keith Godchaux (Grateful Dead)
Brent Mydland (Grateful Dead)
Keith Emerson (ELP, The Nice)
Rick Wakeman (Yes, The Strawbs)
Tony Kaye (Yes, Flash)
Tony Banks (Genesis)


Tell me yours!!

Those not included on your list:

John "Rabbit" Bundrick (Free, Pete Townshend, The Who)

Ian Stewart (The Rolling Stones)

Joe Jackson

Richard Manuel (The Band)

Al Kooper (Bob Dylan + far too many sessions to mention!)

Jerry Lee Lewis

Johnnie Johnson (Chuck Berry)

Otis Spann (Chuck Berry - I know it is a bit of a stretch to call him a "rock" keyboardist, but I just had to get him in :laugh: )

Most of the ones you mentioned, plus:

- Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads) I know he was mainly the rythm guitarist (and an awesome one at that), but he was also the primary keyboardist in the early days, and continued to be once the band expanded.

- John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) Again, another multi-talented man. ;)

For good measure I want to mention Brandon Flowers. :lol:

I can't have a great rock keyboardists list that doesn't include:

1. Steve Nieve -- Elvis Costello & the Attractions. Listen to Steve's work on "The Loved Ones" on "Imperial Bedroom" & you will hear a keyboardist who is not only creative in & of himself but who has a profound understanding of his fellow players.

2. Stevie Wonder -- Natch.

3. Roger Powell -- Todd Rundgren's keyboardist for many years. A great pop player.

4. John Evan -- Jethro Tull. Listen to Evan's work on the cocktail piano intro to "Locomotive Breath."

5. Kenny Kirkland -- The late, great Kirkland played for Sting on his first solo album & tour, & it was one of the great matings of jazz & pop in the history of 20th century popular culture. I saw Sting on that first solo tour at Pacific Amphitheatre, & Kirkland was a roaring, fickle, arcane Yahweh of the Old Testament.

6. Bernie Worrell -- Talking Heads, Funkadelic. One of the best of the synth texturizers. Vastly influential.

7. Mike Garson -- David Bowie. Piano on "Aladdin Sane"? Natch. I mean, what European sensibilities! what Lester Youngish cafe, boulevard style! what tripping, free-for-all musical mind!

Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Jon Lord, Tony Banks, Dennis De Young ... they all utterly bore me.

tori Amos

:thumbsup:

I know THAT'S right. This guy f*cking kicks ass.

Hey, where's Nick Rhodes from Duran Duran? :laugh:

Yup :nod:. Misty Mountain Hop is nothing without JPJ's organ! Nothing I say!

He re-introduced a whole new audience to the wonders of the Vox Continental organ. :thumbsup:

Hell, yes! Do you have that intro written out somewhere, David? My band plays "Locomotive Breath" and we have rearranged that intro due to us not having keyboards on the song. If you have it written out, then I could get them to play it "like the record". I saw John with Tull in concert during the War Child tour at the Forum...awesome performer!!! Thanks for reminding me about him.

Being that he's such a "jazzer", I didn't think of Kenny...but, yep, I saw that first incarnation band that Sting had at the Amnesty International marathon show at the Forum. Plus, I've watched the Bring On The Night film a hundred times or more. Do you have Kenny's solo album, David?

They did me, too, for a very long time, but I'm starting to have a new appreciation for KE, RW, TB & Wakeman.

(Still can't stand DeYoung or Styx)

Also, whichever Minnear brother played keyboards in Gentle Giant...those early GG albums were pretty fine, as well. (Maybe we're in for another revival of that '70's progressive rock sound here soon...I'm starting to revisit those bands again and they don't sound as pretentious to me as they have the past 20 years)

Good one!

ACK!!! Yes! And I also inadvertantly left out Ian MacLagan, too (Small Faces, Faces, New Barbarian, Bonnie Raitt Band)

Might as well mention Garth Hudson, too. :lol:

Well, Otis is as "rock & roll" as Muddy Waters is..."The blues had a baby and they called it rock and roll!" :thumbsup:

Not to mention being the FOUNDER of "Blood, Sweat & Tears".

Here are some other somewhat influential keyboard players:

Little Richard
Allan Price - The Animals
Rick Wright - Pink Floyd
Sly Stone - Sly and The Family Stone
Tom Scholz - Boston
Garth Hudson - The Band
Fats Domino
Felix Cavaliere - The Rascals
Nick Simpen - Deep Purple
Warren Zevon
Billy Joel
Ray Charles

Two more:

Ike Turner (a tabloid caricature now :distress: , but listen to his early session work for people like Howlin' Wolf doing their first sessions at Sun Studios - amazing work - and the man could play guitar too!)

Mark Naftalin - jam band organ players could all take a lesson from Mr. Naftalin's work with the Butterfield Blues Band - check out any live recording of "East-West"

How about Dr. John?

Or Jools Holland? (A bit pompous, but he sure can play!)

Bob Andrews - Check out his Hammond solo on Sam Brown's "Stop"

Not only is she talented, she's sexy when she plays live - practically fukcs the piano. Hot. :nod:

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/6493/greghawkes4xk.jpg
I am waiting for this album by Greg Hawkes to be mailed to me. He was in The Cars, and made his only solo album in 1983. I don't even have anything by The Cars, but I was reading about the band and all its members, and thought a keyboardist's album might be cool. I like the cover; hopefully I will like the music too.

What about Greg Hawkes from the Cars?

Another underrated (but famous in a different way) keyboardist is Freddie Mercury. The man can sing, but was also Queens kayboardist on all of their albums, also on their tours until 1982, when they hired a keyboard player so he could be more active on stage.

But ya. I really like Keith Emerson and Tom Scholz (Boston).