Chuck Leavell
| Chuck Leavell | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Charles Alfred Leavell |
| Born |
April 28, 1952 Birmingham, Alabama United States |
| Genres | Blues rock, Jazz rock, Jazz fusion, Southern rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, Singer, Songwriter, Author, Speaker |
| Instruments | Keyboards, vocals |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Labels | Capricorn Records |
| Associated acts |
The Allman Brothers Band The Rolling Stones David Gilmour John Mayer The Black Crowes Sea Level Eric Clapton Gov't Mule Aquarium Rescue Unit The Roots |
| Website | ChuckLeavell.com, MNN.com, Charlane.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| Piano, Hohner Clavinet | |
Charles Alfred "Chuck" Leavell (born April 28, 1952) is an American musician, who was a member of the Allman Brothers Band during the height of their 1970s popularity, a founding member of the jazz-rock combo Sea Level, a frequently employed session musician, and long-time touring member of The Rolling Stones. Leavell has also toured and recorded with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Gov't Mule and John Mayer.
Born in Birmingham, 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 to Montgomery, Alabama when he was five, then back to Birmingham for a few years, finally settling in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 1962. He learned to play guitar from his cousin, Winston Leavell, and played tuba in junior high for 2 years. He started his first band, The Misfitz, in 1966. The Misfitz played a steady gig at the YMCA 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 first gold record, a single by Freddie 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 in The Hour Glass, a precursor to The Allman Brothers Band.
In 1969, Hornsby moved to Macon, Georgia. to work for Capricorn Records as a studio musician and producer, eventually producing such artists as The 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 the Ampex label in 1970. That band broke up shortly thereafter, and Leavell found himself doing some session work at Capricorn and eventually was tapped to tour with Alex 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 with Dr. John. Leavell claims this was his "college education." However, it wasn't long before he caught the attention of Gregg Allman, and was tapped to play on Allman's first solo record, Laid Back, with Johnny Sandlin producing. 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 of Duane 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 album Brothers and Sisters, and in particular on the heavily-played instrumental "Jessica." However, only one studio album, 1975's Win, Lose or Draw, followed, again with Leavell's ebullient piano and keyboard work featured, but with the band in chaos, and on the brink of destruction.
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