Nicky Hopkins

Nicky Hopkins (February 24, 1944 ? September 6, 1994) was a British musician who featured on scores of the most important British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s and 1970s, playing piano and organ. He is regarded as one of the most important session musicians in rock history, playing on countless hit recordings by leading British and American acts.

Related Topics:
February 24 - 1944 - September 6 - 1994 - Musician - Popular music - 1960s - 1970s - Rock

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Nicky Hopkins started his musical career in the early 1960s as the pianist with Screaming Lord Sutch's Savages, which also included Jimmy Page (another session legend and founder of Led Zeppelin). He then joined The Cyril Davies All Stars, one of the first British rhythm & blues bands and played piano on their Country Line Special LP.

Related Topics:
Screaming Lord Sutch - Jimmy Page - Led Zeppelin - Cyril Davies - Rhythm & blues

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He began his career as a session musician in London in the early Sixties and quickly became one of the most in-demand players on the thriving session scene there, contributing his fluid and dexterous boogie-woogie influenced piano style to many hit recordings. He worked extensively as a session pianist for leading UK independent producers Shel Talmy and Mickie Most and performed on albums and singles by The Kinks, Donovan and especially The Rolling Stones, for whom he gave some of his most memorable performances, notably on their classic late-Sixties albums Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed.

Related Topics:
Boogie-woogie - Shel Talmy - Mickie Most - The Kinks - Donovan - The Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet - Let It Bleed

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In 1965, he played piano on The Who's debut LP, The Who Sings My Generation. He recorded with most of the top British acts of the Sixties including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who and The Kinks, and on solo albums by John Lennon, Jeff Beck, and others. He also helped define the "San Francisco sound", playing on Jefferson Airplane and Steve Miller Band albums, briefly joined Quicksilver Messenger Service and performed with Jefferson Airplane at the Woodstock Festival.

Related Topics:
The Who - The Who Sings My Generation - The Beatles - The Rolling Stones - The Kinks - John Lennon - Jeff Beck - Jefferson Airplane - Steve Miller Band - Quicksilver Messenger Service - Woodstock

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In 1967 he joined The Jeff Beck Group, formed by former Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Beck, with vocalist Rod Stewart, bassist Ron Wood and drummer Micky Waller and he played on their influential LPs Truth and Beck-Ola.

Related Topics:
The Jeff Beck Group - Yardbirds - Jeff Beck - Rod Stewart - Ron Wood - Micky Waller

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Hopkins released a solo album in 1973 entitled The Tin Man Was a Dreamer. Other musicians who appeared on the album include George Harrison (credited as George O'Hara), Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones and Prairie Prince who would go on to drum for subversive punks The Tubes. The album is a rare opportunity to hear Hopkins sing and was rereleased on Columbia in 2004.

Related Topics:
George Harrison - Mick Taylor - Rolling Stones - Prairie Prince - The Tubes

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As a session player, Hopkins was renowned for his effortless ability to give accomplished performances with little or no rehearsal, and was well-known around the studio scene for his perennial habit of reading comic books at recording sessions.

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As well as the above-mentioned acts, Hopkins' huge list of session credits over four decades includes The Creation (group), Joe Cocker, Donovan, The Easybeats, Randy Newman, Jackie Lomax, George Harrison, Harry Nilsson, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Duncan Browne, Jack Bruce, Pamela Polland, Belinda Carlisle, Cheech & Chong, Family (group), Climax Blues Band, The Dingoes, Lonnie Donegan, Donovan, Peter Frampton, Jerry Garcia, Art Garfunkel, Lowell George, Roy Harper, Julio Iglesias, Alexis Korner, Nils Lofgren, Paul McCartney, Meatloaf, Gary Moore, Yoko Ono, Graham Parker & The Rumour, The Pretty Things, The Pointer Sisters, Leo Sayer, Carly Simon, Spinal Tap, Rick Springfield, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, The Strawbs, Matthew Sweet, Joe Walsh, Jennifer Warnes, Carl Wilson, Ron Wood and Bill Wyman.

Related Topics:
The Creation (group) - Joe Cocker - Donovan - The Easybeats - Randy Newman - Jackie Lomax - George Harrison - Harry Nilsson - Marc Bolan - David Bowie - Duncan Browne - Jack Bruce - Pamela Polland - Belinda Carlisle - Cheech & Chong - Family (group) - Climax Blues Band - The Dingoes - Lonnie Donegan - Peter Frampton - Jerry Garcia - Art Garfunkel - Lowell George - Roy Harper - Julio Iglesias - Alexis Korner - Nils Lofgren - Paul McCartney - Meatloaf - Gary Moore - Yoko Ono - Graham Parker & The Rumour - The Pretty Things - The Pointer Sisters - Leo Sayer - Carly Simon - Spinal Tap - Rick Springfield - Ringo Starr - Rod Stewart - The Strawbs - Matthew Sweet - Joe Walsh - Jennifer Warnes - Carl Wilson - Ron Wood - Bill Wyman

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