Capitol/EMI have announced a April 5th release date for The Best Of Leon Russell, a collection of Leon Russell's top 1970s classics gathered for a new CD and digital release. In addition to the 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee's major chart hits and album standouts, the 16-track collection features "If It Wasn't For Bad," the lead single from The Union, Russell's 2010 collaborative album with Elton John, and his live performance of "Jumpin' Jack Flash/Youngblood" from 1971's Album of the Year GRAMMY winner, The Concert for Bangladesh.
In addition to "If It Wasn't For Bad" and "Jumpin' Jack Flash/Youngblood," The Best Of Leon Russell features a broad sampling of Russell's album singles and popular songs, including "A Song For You," "Shoot Out On The Plantation," "Delta Lady," and "Hummingbird" from his acclaimed 1970 self-titled album, which peaked at #60 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart, "Stranger In A Strange Land" and "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" from 1971's Leon Russell and The Shelter People, which reached #17 on the Top 200 Albums chart, "Tryin' To Stay 'Live" from 1971's Asylum Choir II, which peaked at #70 on the Top 200 Albums chart, "This Masquerade," "Out In The Woods," and Billboard Hot 100 single "Tight Rope," from 1972's Carney, which hit #2 on the Top 200 Albums chart, Billboard Hot 100 single "If I Were A Carpenter" from 1974's Stop All That Jazz, which reached #34 on the Top 200 Albums chart, Billboard Hot 100 singles "Lady Blue" and "Back To The Island" from 1976's Will O' The Wisp, which peaked at #30 on the Top 200 Albums chart, and his #1 Billboard Country chart single "Heartbreak Hotel" with Willie Nelson, from 1979's Willie & Leon: One For The Road, which hit #3 on Billboard's Country Albums chart and #25 on the Top 200 Albums chart.
On March 14, Leon Russell's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Award for Recording Excellence will be introduced by Elton John. The ceremony will be televised exclusively by FUSE on Sunday, March 20 at 9pm ET/PT, 8pm CT. On April 2, Russell and John will perform on NBC's "Saturday Night Live."
On June 16, Russell will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at a ceremony in New York City.
Leon Russell is currently on tour and will perform at Stagecoach in Indio, CA on May 1. Additional tour dates will be announced.
The Best Of Leon Russell [CD, digital]
1. Tryin' To Stay 'Live
2. Shoot Out On The Plantation
3. If It Wasn't For Bad (Elton John & Leon Russell) [from The Union]
4. A Song For You
5. Hummingbird
6. Tight Rope
7. Delta Lady
8. Stranger In A Strange Land
9. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
10. This Masquerade
11. Out In The Woods
12. If I Were A Carpenter
13. Heartbreak Hotel (with Willie Nelson) [from Willie & Leon: One For The Road]
14. Lady Blue
15. Back To The Island
16. Jumpin' Jack Flash / Youngblood (Medley) (Live) [from The Concert For Bangladesh]
