Beginning back in 1963, for the first six years of their touring career, the Rolling Stones didn’t have a dedicated touring keyboardist. Founding member and keyboardist, Ian Stewart, was relegated to road manager because he didn’t ‘look the part’. For these early tours, Rolling Stones’ founder and guitarist, Brian Jones, sat in on the piano when the song called for it. After Jones’s accidental drowning in 1969, Ian Stewart was brought back onto the stage to play the rockers- such as “Honky Tonk Women” and “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll”. But Stewart refused to play ballads or any songs in minor keys. He was a blues rock and boogie woogie purist. From 1971 through 1973, English pianist extraordinaire, Nicky Hopkins, toured with the Stones to fill in on the songs that Stewart turned down. But …
Chuck Leavell
Calling all Music Teachers – Online Music Lessons
IROCKU is extending our online music lessons to include rock, jazz, pop and blues instruction for piano, guitar, bass, drums, voice, and sax. If you are a music teacher or if you know of a music teacher who is interested in connecting with new students via Chuck Leavell’s website, www.irocku.com, for online music lessons please let us know. Please fill out our music teacher registration form or send us an email to onlinelessons@irocku.com. For our live online lessons, we encourage teachers to follow a methodology that works best for them. We don’t require teachers to follow our irocku methodology for the live online music lessons. Teachers can choose to use lesson content of their own or the irocku lesson content. We prefer that instructors teach in a manner that is best suited for …
[Read more...] about Calling all Music Teachers – Online Music Lessons
The Anatomy of a Piano Bassline: “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out”
“Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” has been covered by dozens of artists ranging from Bessie Smith to Janis Joplin. Each artist has created his/her own interpretation of this traditional blues song. Musically, it's not that complicated a song. The chord progression is a modified 8-bar blues progression, which admittedly can take some time to learn, but the rhythm is a basic slow blues shuffle. On the piano, though, the bassline can make all the difference. "Nobody Knows You When..." piano lesson For the irocku “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” Advanced Level 7 piano lesson we opted for a traditional stride bassline which is quite challenging to play. In this lesson, the left hand mimics the bass and drum lines on Eric Clapton’s version from the “Unplugged” …
[Read more...] about The Anatomy of a Piano Bassline: “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out”
Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out – Piano Lesson and Sheet Music
Eric Clapton first recorded “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” in 1970 on the Derek and the Dominos debut album, ‘Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs’. With Clapton on lead guitar and Duane Allman filling in on slide guitar there wasn’t much space for Bobby Whitlock to cut loose on the keys. That all changed 22 years later when Clapton recorded an acoustic version of the song with Chuck Leavell on the piano. This week’s piano lesson combines some old style stride blues piano with right-hand rock and blues licks that read like an encyclopedia of modern rock piano. "Nobody Knows You..." piano lesson In 1992, Clapton recorded yet one more version of “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” on his Grammy winning ‘Unplugged’ album. And in doing so, he called up another …
[Read more...] about Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out – Piano Lesson and Sheet Music
A moment in rock history- how the Dixie Dregs were discovered
Here's an esoteric piece of music history we just stumbled upon. Rod Morgenstein of the Dixie Dregs talks about how in 1976 Chuck Leavell, who was keyboardist with the Allman Brothers at the time, saw them playing in a Nashville bar. Capricorn Records signed them right up! The Dixie Dregs are an instrumental band that fuses hard rock, southern rock, progressive metal, and even some classical. Could this have been the inspiration for Chuck's rock/jazz fusion band "Sea Level"? Learn how to play rock and blues piano from one of rock’s greatest. Chuck Leavell, legendary keyboardist for The Rolling Stones, The Allman Bros, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and more. Join Now and SAVE!!! …
[Read more...] about A moment in rock history- how the Dixie Dregs were discovered
The Rolling Stones No Filter European Tour Begins May 17
The Rolling Stones "No Filter Tour" begins Thursday May 17. Please let us know if you will be making it to any of the shows. 17 MAY DUBLIN, IR CROKE PARK WITH SPECIAL GUESTS THE ACADEMIC. 22 MAY LONDON, UK LONDON STADIUM WITH SPECIAL GUEST LIAM GALLAGHER. 25 MAY LONDON, UK LONDON STADIUM WITH SPECIAL GUEST FLORENCE + THE MACHINE. 29 MAY SOUTHAMPTON, UK ST MARY'S STADIUM WITH SPECIAL GUESTS THE VACCINES. 2 JUNE COVENTRY, UK RICOH STADIUM SPECIAL GUESTS THE SPECIALS. 5 JUNE MANCHESTER, UK OLD TRAFFORD FOOTBALL STADIUM SPECIAL GUEST RICHARD ASHCROFT. 9 JUNE EDINBURGH, UK BT MURRAYFIELD STADIUM WITH SPECIAL GUEST RICHARD ASHCROFT. 15 JUNE CARDIFF, UK PRINCIPALITY STADIUM SPECIAL GUESTS ELBOW. 19 JUNE LONDON, UK TWICKENHAM WITH SPECIAL GUEST JAMES BAY. 22 …
[Read more...] about The Rolling Stones No Filter European Tour Begins May 17
New IROCKU Essentials Series!!! – “Chuck Leavell’s Stride Blues”
"Chuck Leavell's Stride Blues" piano lesson This multi-part video series covers both right and left hand piano techniques that Chuck has used throughout his career. If you want to learn the fundamentals behind Chuck’s epic performances ranging from “Jessica” ( Allman Brothers) to “Honky Tonk Women” ( The Rolling Stones”) and everything in between, this series is the place to begin. The series covers left-hand stride and walking bass lines, and right-hand scales, chords and patterns based on blues, minor, major and pentatonic scales. All are fundamental elements of Chuck’s legendary style. The series begins with an overview of the 8- bar blues form used in the recording, “The Blues is All Wrong”. The first half of the series teaches left-hand stride techniques and introduces elements …
[Read more...] about New IROCKU Essentials Series!!! – “Chuck Leavell’s Stride Blues”
The Rolling Stones UK, IRE and EU No Filter Tour Announced
The Rolling Stones are bringing the No Filter tour to the UK and Ireland this summer, with some additional European shows! Click here for more info. Learn how to play rock and blues piano from one of rock’s greatest. Chuck Leavell, legendary keyboardist for The Rolling Stones, The Allman Bros, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and more. Join Now and SAVE!!! …
[Read more...] about The Rolling Stones UK, IRE and EU No Filter Tour Announced
Volunteer Jam XX: A Tribute to Charlie Daniels
This year's Volunteer Jam on Wednesday, March 7th, 2018 / Bridgestone Arena, Nashville TN is a tribute to music legend Charlie Daniels. Since 1974, Volunteer Jam has brought together some of music’s greatest performers. Now, 43 years later, friends, fans, and an extraordinary lineup of musicians will come together for a very special night honoring music legend Charlie Daniels. Included in the lineup are two IROCKU musicians- ours truly Chuck Leavell and Peter Keys, keyboardist with the Lynyrd Skynryd band. This unforgettable concert event will feature performances by Charlie Daniels and The Charlie Daniels Band, ALABAMA, Alison Krauss, Billy F Gibbons of ZZ Top, Blackberry Smoke, Bobby Bare, Chris Janson, Chris Young, Chuck Leavell, Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, …
[Read more...] about Volunteer Jam XX: A Tribute to Charlie Daniels
IROCKU Featured Piano Lesson- “Jessica” by the Allman Brothers
The irocku featured piano lesson is "Jessica" by The Allman Brothers. "Jessica" Piano Lesson If you check out the videos of "Jessica" live you'll see that during the solo Chuck comps using the A and D chords in his left hand. The irocku lesson uses a left hand baseline similar to what the bass is playing so the lesson is actually more difficult to play. If you want to simplify the solo, you can play chords in the left hand similar to how Chuck is playing it. Click here to check out the Jessica videos in the sidebar. In our ongoing survey of Top Rock piano Songs and Performances, “Jessica” is currently ranked number two after “Great Balls of Fire” by Jerry Lee Lewis. Given that so many of the irocku members are also Chuck’s fans we’re sure that there is some bias in our poll. But …
[Read more...] about IROCKU Featured Piano Lesson- “Jessica” by the Allman Brothers
Black Friday Special – Online Piano Lessons
Want to learn rock piano? Here's a 35% discount off an Annual Membership to our online rock piano lessons. Use coupon code "BlackFriday2017". Start Rockin! Learn how to play rock and blues piano from one of rock’s greatest. Chuck Leavell, legendary keyboardist for The Rolling Stones, The Allman Bros, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and more. Join Now and SAVE!!! …
[Read more...] about Black Friday Special – Online Piano Lessons