Chuck Leavell, keyboardist to the Stones and more stars, playing Baton Rouge on Saturday
Chuck Leavell’s keyboard career stretches from recording sessions in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, during his teens to playing in Dr. John’s band, joining the Allman Brothers Band at 20, forming Sea Level with Allmans drummer Jaimoe, touring with Eric Clapton and George Harrison and, since 1982, being musical director for the Rolling Stones.
Leavell’s solo appearance Saturday at the Manship Theatre will feature a 30-minute edit of the 2020 documentary, “Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man,” and a moderator asking questions that segue to selections from his 50-plus years in music.
“Always something to do out here,” Leavell said last week from Charlane Woodlands and Preserve, the tree farm that he and his wife, Rose Lane, operate near Macon, Georgia.
Although the Rolling Stones tease Leavell about his tree farm, they respect his conservation work and musical expertise. In “The Tree Man” documentary, Mick Jagger offers a triple compliment: “He is a great collaborator and a great piano player and a really good friend.”
Leavell’s recent non-Stones engagements include “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song.” Staged at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta on Sept. 17, the musical birthday celebration for former President Jimmy Carter also featured Eric Church, the B-52’s, India.Arie, Drive-By Truckers, Carlene Carter and the Atlanta Symphony Chamber Chorus.
“The wide range of music was beautiful because Carter loves all kinds of music,” Leavell said of the tribute and benefit for the Carter Center’s international programs.
Leavell has known the 39th U.S. president since the Allman Brothers Band performed fundraising concerts for his 1976 presidential campaign. At Carter’s 100th birthday celebration, Leavell performed solo renditions of the Allman Brothers’ “Jessica” and “Blue Sky,” backed Church for the Allmans’ “Midnight Rider” and “Ramblin’ Man” and Paul Simon’s “American Tune” and sat in with Drive-By Truckers and Carlene Carter.
‘My solo gigs are kind of a celebration of my career,’ Chuck Leavell says with no hint of pretentiousness.
“Jessica,” Leavell’s signature instrumental with the Allmans, is a staple of his solo dates. He plays many Rolling Stones songs, too, as well as songs he performed with Clapton, Harrison and Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour.
“My solo gigs are kind of a celebration of my career,” he said with no hint of pretentiousness.
In July, Leavell and the Rolling Stones wrapped the enduring British stars’ sold-out “Hackney Diamonds” tour.
“We had a great time on this latest tour,” he said. “We all felt that we represented the music in a top-notch fashion, and it was enjoyable for us and, I think, for the fans.”
Leavell’s four decades with the Rolling Stones include many highlights, one of which happened in May at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Irma Thomas, soul queen of New Orleans, joined the band at Jazz Fest for a performance of “Time Is on My Side.” Inspired by Thomas’ 1964 recording of the song, the Stones’ subsequent recording of it became their first Top 10 hit in the U.S.
In his musical director role for the Stones, Leavell rehearsed “Time Is on My Side” with Thomas and Jagger before they brought the song to the full band.
“When we have a special quest, we always go to Mick’s room and run through the material with just the three of us,” Leavell said. “It was cool to be there to witness their first meeting after decades and decades of them both doing a famous a song separately and now we get to do it together.”
“It was a blessing that I didn’t expect,” Thomas later said of her guest appearance with the Rolling Stones in front of 40,000 people.
Leavell records as well as performs with the Stones, a recent example being the group’s 2016 album of classic blues songs, “Blue & Lonesome.” Spontaneously recorded during three days of sessions, the album includes the Stones’ take on Baton Rouge blues artist Lightnin’ Slim’s “Hoo Doo Blues” and four songs by Marksville native “Little” Walter Jacobs.
“It’s a joy to be in a rehearsal with the guys,” Leavell said, “and all of a sudden Keith (Richards) kicks off something like ‘I’m a King Bee’ or a Muddy Waters or Lightnin’ Hopkins or Howlin’ Wolf tune. Mick knows the lyrics to all of those songs. Those are special times during rehearsal and sound checks.”
As for how long the Stones can carry on, Leavell said, “I don’t see it stopping — but it’s up to the principal members, the three guys (Jagger, Richards and Ron Wood), what may or may not happen going forward. It’s just remarkable that the Stones can still do it at this level. When people ask them why they do this, because they don’t need the money, Keith puts it very well: ‘This is like food to us. You nurture your body. This nurtures our souls.’ ”