Leon Russell in His Own Words: A Book Review

I got this book for my birthday in early November.  I finished it today, almost three months later.  Although I wanted to immediately read it, I found myself putting it off until things slowed down, and I had some uninterrupted time.  The holidays came and went, and still I couldn’t pick it up--not because I had other books I wanted to read or because I had a halfhearted interest in it.  No, I just didn’t want to reach the end.  Did I mention Leon Russell in His Own Words is a mere 119 pages long?  An average reader could easily read it in an hour or so. It took me three weeks once I began.  Because I didn’t want to reach the end, I read a chapter at a time. I then sat back and savored every single word, wanting to read more but still dreading that last page. Those words I lingered over are Leon’s own words, personally typed in a Word document and shared with one of the editors, Steve Todoroff.   

What I love most about this book is that I can hear Leon’s voice as I read. I got to see Leon in concert many times. He always mesmerized us with his music, but in addition, he entertained us with stories, about his music, about his history, about his life.  I looked forward to those stories as much as the music. That voice.  I heard it as I read his words in this book.  He had a somewhat dry sense of humor, and that comes through loud and clear in these pages.  In the chapter “On the Road to Xanadu” he describes the beginning of his foray into drugs (happily, Leon quit drugs and alcohol later in life!) When I read “Somewhere in the darkness of my past and quite contrary to the wishes of Nancy Reagan (who created the ‘Just Say No’ tagline . . .)  I would ‘Just Say Yes.’  In fact, I practically never said no.” I heard Leon’s voice as if he were sitting in the room with me, that deadpan, serious voice making me smile even now. 

More stories like these fill up the pages along with added explanatory notes where needed by the editors.  They’re filled with Leon’s relationships with other musicians.  From Jerry Lee Lewis to Ricky Nelson to Elvis and Sonny and Cher, all the way to The Beatles and Waylon and Willie and Elton John, Leon’s influence reaches far and wide. So much history unfolds in these 119 pages. The last chapter, “Willie and Me,” ends abruptly with Leon’s distaste for California and his decision to move to Nashville in the 80s.   

The only stories we have after that Willie chapter are those he shared verbally with family and friends or with us lucky enough to hear Leon’s voice at one of his shows. His sudden death in 2016 quashed the hope that we would hear more from him. Todoroff and Wooley dedicate Leon Russell in His Own Words to “the LeonLifers.”  I can now say that I have a book dedicated to me. 

p.s. Todoroff and Wooley also include, in the final pages, a list the names of those who donated to the Leon Russell Monument Fund.  I sobbed when I saw my name on page 118.  What a gift. I am forever grateful. 

Why I Write

I had a wonderful English teacher my sophomore year of high school.  Although we didn’t always appreciate it, her expectations for us as writers were sky high—organization, clarity, voice, grammar and syntax needed to be near perfect.  Comma splices, dangling modifiers, and subjects that didn’t agree with their verbs did not amuse Mrs. Petersen.  Her red pen could scare the writing out of many students, but that wasn’t the case with me.  I learned so much from her and fell in love with writing because of the grammar, the usage, the mechanics, and the language.  I aimed for that perfect essay, returned to me with no red whatsoever splashed on the pages. I coveted earning an A from Mrs. Petersen.  When she called me in for a conference at the end of that year to tell me I was a good writer, I almost cried.  I carried those words of encouragement throughout college and my career as an English teacher.  Then and now, I write because of Mrs. Petersen.   

I’ve never forgotten how intimidating writing assignments can be.  The purpose for writing might seem unclear; the directions might lack specificity; the genre might be unfamiliar.  All these uncertainties can discourage students from picking up that pen or opening that laptop.  As a teacher, I recognized the many obstacles facing students when given a new writing assignment.  In order to alleviate anxiety and encourage writing, I wrote along with my students.  Whether doing a writing demo on a smart board or facilitating a small group at a conference table, I let my struggles and triumphs show as I worked through my process.  Most of my students appreciated this approach and to this day send me updates from colleges and careers celebrating how they use writing in their lives.  Nothing makes me happier than knowing they have carried their learning into their adult lives. Then and now, I write because of my students. 

I’ve heard all the excuses in the world to avoid writing—from students and from me as well.  I don’t have time.  I don’t know what to write about.  I’m not good at writing.  Now that I’m retired, most of those excuses are just silly.  I do have a blog, but it’s quite undeveloped.  I post a few articles from time to time, but I’m seldom thrilled with the final product.  Until my retirement, I relied on the old excuses and just let the blog amble along.  Not anymore.  I have time.  I have tons to write about. I can write.  Developing my blog is now my number one goal for this new year, this new decade.  I enjoy writing, and I’m so grateful to finally have time to focus on topics of my choice.   

I still hear Mrs. Petersen’s encouraging words, and so I write for her even now.  I hold tight in my heart those students and as they find their way in their new lives, and I write for them.  And now, finally, I can say I write because of me.