Leon Russell will tour Australia to perform at Bluesfest at Byron Bay in April.
Russell’s career was recently reactivated when he released the album ‘The Union’ with Elton John.
In his early days, Leon was the piano player with Joe Cocker’s ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen’. His solo hits included ‘Tightrope’ and the Dylan cover ‘A Hard Rains A Gonna Fall’. His own songs covered others include ‘A Song For You’ (The Carpenters) and ‘This Masquerade’ (George Benson).
Leon also appeared with George Harrison, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton on The Concert for Bangla Desh.
Bluesfest also announced George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic will also perform this year.
Also new, Luciano and Jah Messenjah Band; Imogen Heap; Buffy Sainte-Marie; Ernest Ranglin; Raul Malo; Michelle Shocked; Peter Rowan & The Blue Grass Band; Public Opinion Afro Orchestra; Eli Paperboy Reed; The Bamboos; The Mad Bastards; Warrior King and Bonnie Casey; The Hands; Bobby Alu; and Hussy Hicks.
Previously announced acts are:
Bob Dylan, B.B. King, Ben Harper & Relentless7, Elvis Costello & the Imposters, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Rodrigo y Gabriela, The Cat Empire, Blind Boys of Alabama featuring Aaron Neville, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Fistful of Mercy, Mavis Staples, Xavier Rudd, Trinity Roots, Kate Miller-Heidke, Washington, Little Bushman, Tony Joe White, Indigo Girls, Eric Bibb, Ash Grunwald, Ruthie Foster, C.W. Stoneking, Jeff Lang, Saltwater Band, and RocKwiz Live.
Grace Jones, Jethro Tull, ZZ Top, John Legend, Gurrumul (Bluesfest exclusive), Toots & the Maytals, Funky Meters, Irma Thomas, Booker T, Los Lobos, Kasey Chambers, Pete Murray, Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band, Tim Robbins & the Rogues Gallery Band, The Dingoes, Diesel, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, B.B. & the Blues Shack, Joe Louis Walker, Phil Jones & the Unknown Blues, The Snowdroppers, Ray Beadle, Nat Col & the Kings, and Barrence Whitfield.
Paul Kelly; Buffy Sainte-Marie; Tim Finn; Eli Paperboy Reed; and The Mad Bastards.
Bluesfest is on April 21 to 26 in Byron Bay.
VIDEO: Bluesfest, watch the Undercover video interview with Peter Noble from Bluesfest:
