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AlbanyHerald.com: Leavell tickets set for benefit
While most of Albany is recovering from Thanksgiving overindulgience or participating in Black Friday madness tomorrow, staff at GraceWay Recovery Residence in Albany will be preparing and mailing out personalized invitations asking sponsors, patrons and friends to support the organization's annual fundraiser.
That event being a Feb. 5 showcase by keyboard magician Chuck Leavell, their task shouldn't be overly difficult.
Click here to find out more!
"What we're trying to do is have GraceWay sell all of the orchestra-level seating (at the Albany Municipal Auditorium) for the show," Development Director Liz Dixon said Tuesday. "We're sending out personal invitations to organizations, past friends of GraceWay and to the beautiful business community that donated items for our silent auction over the last four years.
"We wanted to give them a special opportunity to thank them for their prior years of support."
Famed cook and Albany native Paula Deen has been the featured entertainment for recent GraceWay fundraisers, but this year's event will showcase a musician who made his mark as a member of the Allman Brothers Band and as a part of the last several mammoth Rolling Stones tours.
Click here to read entire Albany Herald article.
Click here for more info on the GraceWay Recovery Residence.
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Chuck Leavell to perform at 2010 Wanee Music Festival
Chuck Leavell & the Randall Bramblett Band have confirmed two shows in April 2010! On April 16, Chuck Leavell will be part of the Wanee Music Festival in Live Oak, FL and on April 17th the band will play the Hawkinsville Opera House in Hawkinsville, GA. The Wanee Music Festival is an annual festival hosted by the Allman Brothers Band and this year the line-up includes the Allman Brothers Band, Widespread Panic, Bob Weir - Rob Wasserman & Jay Lane are Scaring the Children, Stephen Stills, The Black Keys, Dr. John, Hot Tuna Electric, 7 Walkers feat. Bill Kreutzmann & Papa Mali, JJ Grey and Mofro, Johnny Winter & more! Tickets for this festival are on sale NOW!
Click here for more info on the Wanee Music Festival.
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CHUCK TO PERFORM TOMORROW ON LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON!
BREAKING NEWS! Chuck has received a short notice invitation to be the
musical guest on Jimmy Fallon's show: "LATE NIHT WITH JIMMY FALLON" on the
NBC network. Chuck will be performing with the house band, THE ROOTS...and
we think he'll have a short discussion with Jimmy at the beginning of the
show.
From NBC.com: Chuck Leavell, keyboardist for the Rolling Stones and cofounder of the Mother Nature Network, will perform with THE ROOTS on "LATE NIHT WITH JIMMY FALLON". The show airs Wednesday the 17th of June at 12:35E/11:35C. Either set your DVRs or tune in to check out Chuck's performance
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CMT
News: Fans
Pack Surf Ballroom for Tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens
and the Big Bopper
CLEAR LAKE, Iowa -- Fifty years later, a lot of things sure
seemed the same at the Surf Ballroom. Poodle skirts, pompadours,
the Crickets on the bandstand and the brutally cold weather
with below-zero wind chill.
Feb. 3, 1959, was the day the music died as Buddy Holly, Ritchie
Valens and the Big Bopper perished in a snowy plane crash shortly
after performing at the Surf as part of the Winter Dance Party
that had crawled through the Upper Midwest in a poorly heated
school bus.
On Monday night (Feb. 2), 1,800 people from 32 countries gathered
in Clear Lake at the sold-out Surf to commemorate that infamous
day by listening to an eclectic parade of stars -- Wanda Jackson,
Graham Nash, Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys, Joe Ely, Peter &
Gordon, Dave Mason, Delbert McClinton, Bobby Vee, the Big Bopper
Jr. and the Crickets, Holly's backup band.
Click here to continue reading the article.
Click
here to read the Billboard article.
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ABB Live Concert CDs: Allman Brothers Band @
Beacon Theater - 3/28/09 w/ Chuck Leavell, Phil Lesh & Bob Weir - Instant Live Pre-Sale
The final show of the 2009 Beacon run was one for the ages! Phil Lesh and Bob Weir of The Dead added their own psychedelic flavor to this show, and former ABB keyboardist Chuck Leavell made a triumphant guest appearance on tunes like "Jessica" and "Mountain Jam."
The core band was hittin' the note like only they can, with the extended "Rocking Horse" a first set standout. Check out the teases and jams of everything from "Third Stone From The Sun" to "Blue Sky" wrapped up in this monster version! "Who To Believe" made its first appearance of the run, with Gregg singing from the depths of his soul on this number. Gregg's old Daytona pal Floyd Miles added bluesy soul on "Born Under A Bad Sign" and "Stormy Monday," and Chuck Leavell finished off the first set with a version of "Jessica" that stands with the best ever.
The second set was the Allmans meets the Dead, with fascinating results. This version of "Sugaree" is dripping with soul, and Chuck comes back out to lend his keyboard skills to an inciendiary "Franklin's Tower." Leavell also joined the band for a ferocious "Mountain Jam" that ended the second set in style, before an extended "Statesboro Blues" encore finally ended the show at 12:38 AM, some four hours after it started!
Click here to view all of the details about this pre-sale!
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Let The Sunshine In Benefit: Chuck Leavell to play benefit with Narada Michael Walden & Friends including Sting, Bob Weir & more! @ Davies Symphony Hall - May 25, 2009
The Narada Michael Walden Foundation presents Let the Sunshine In, a concert featuring Sting, Bob Weir, Narada Michael Walden, The Supremes' Mary Wilson, The Fifth Dimension's Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. and others. The concert will benefit Oakland's Christopher (Chris) Rodriguez, an 11-year-old innocent victim of gun violence.
The concert will also support the scholarship fund of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and benefit the work of the Narada Michael Walden Foundation.
Date: May 25, 2009
Venue: Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall - San Francisco, CA
201 Van Ness Ave (at the corner of Grove Street)
Time: 7PM
Tix: $500-$75 [BUY TIX ONLINE]
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Jim Lauderdale & Chuck Leavell to Co-Headline the 16th Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival - May 9, 2009
On May 9, 2009 we are honored and quite happy to present two of the absolute finest musicians working today: Jim Lauderdale and Georgia's own Chuck Leavell. The Annual Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival is held each year to bring great musicians to the rural South, as well as pay tribute to country blues legend McTell, a Thomson native son, born and buried in the Happy Valley area of McDuffie County.
The small town feel and exceptional quality of the music presented year in and year out, makes the McTell Festival a special event indeed.
Chuck Leavell is no stranger to Georgia music fans and
appeared at the 13th
Blind Willie festival. Since that appearance he's
continued his work as pianist (as well as musical director)
for the Rolling Stones. He participated in "Shine
A Light", Martin Scorcese's great documentary
film of the Stones during their world tour of 2006. He's
recently released a solo disc, "Live in Europe".
Chuck's a Georgia Music Hall of Famer, a member of the
Rolling Stones, former Allman Brother, founder of Sea
Level, session ace, environmentalist, tree farmer, and
on and on and on! He'll be joined this year on stage by
Randall Bramblett, who'll also do a set of his solo material
with the Randall Bramblett Band.
Also set to play are: Hubert
Sumlin, Randall
Bramblett, Willie
"Big Eyes" Smith, Chatham
County Line, Crosstie
Walkers
Click
here to read the entire press release. |
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Mountain Stage: Chuck records live session, listen now!
NPR.org - Chuck Leavell is one of the most sought-after pianists in the world. Even if you didn't know it, you've heard his work with George Harrison, The Black Crowes and Eric Clapton. After touring with Dr. John in the late '60s, Leavell joined the Allman Brothers Band in 1972, recording three albums with the quintessential Southern-rock group. When the Allmans disbanded, Leavell and Allman drummer Jaimoe Johanson started the jazz-fusion group Sea Level, which released five albums; its song "King Grand" pops up in this Mountain Stage performance.
In 1982, Leavell began leading The Rolling Stones' touring band, serving as musical director through 2007's "Bigger Bang" tour. His latest album, Live in Germany, is a two-disc set recorded during his "Green Leaves and Blue Notes" tour, and spanning some of his career highlights.
Through the years, Leavell also used his musical stature to raise awareness of forestry and conservation issues. He recently authored his third book, this time geared toward children, and has received multiple honors and awards for his activism.
Leavell is joined here by the Mountain Stage band, which features Charleston, W.Va., saxophonist Doug Payne and singer-songwriter/producer Don Dixon on bass. Dixon previously appeared on Mountain Stage, closing a set by Peter Bradley Adams. During his performance, Leavell makes reference to Mountain Stage pianist Bob Thompson, who preceded this set with a solo piano version of Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood," to be featured later this week along with a performance by John Hammond.
Click here to listen to Chuck on Mountain Stage!
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Georgia Music Hall of Fame - Widespread Panic 2008 Induction
On Saturday (9/20/08), Widespread Panic was inducted in the prestigious Georgia Music
Hall of Fame. The jam-titans were formally inducted at the Georgia World
Congress Center by area-keyboardist Chuck Leavell, who has long served
as something of a mentor to the group. During his induction speech,
Leavell---who first sat in with the group in 1991 and appears on /Live
in the Classic City/---used Widespread Panic as an example that "you can
be successful by doing things your own way." John Bell then offered a
few heartfelt words, nodding to both fallen guitarist Michael Houser and
his most recent replacement, Jimmy Herring. "I love these guys," Leavell said. "Even though they've never been embraced by mainstream radio, they've sold over 3 million records. . . Widespread Panic has proved you can be successful by doing things your own way."
Click here to see photos from the event!
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AJC.com - Stones keyboardist Leavell jams with House members
WASHINGTON - The congressman-lead singer had a question for the guest keyboardist at the all-congressional band gig Wednesday night.
"You know 'Brown Sugar'"? asked Rep. Collin Peterson, a Minnesota Democrat.
"I think I can handle that," replied Chuck Leavell, the Rolling Stones keyboardist.
And a little while later, they both took the stage with Peterson's band, the Second Amendments, at a Capitol Hill party to celebrate recent passage of a $290 billion farm bill, which Peterson helped usher through as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.
Leavell, whose new album is "Live in Germany," filled in for regular keyboard player, Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., for a couple of numbers: "Brown Sugar," long a Stones standard, plus a Little Richard medley before Porter resumed his spot.
Leavell, a noted conservationist who owns a tree farm in Georgia, had lobbied Peterson for forest conservation provisions in the farm bill. Leavell recalled in an interview that during their meeting, Peterson had suggested, "Man, if you're ever around, play with us, sit in with us."
"I thought it was pretty darn cool that a congressman had a band," Leavell said.
Click here to read the rest of article...
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ksdk.com (St. Louis) - Rolling Stones' Keyboardist In St. Louis To Receive Award
When keyboardist Chuck Leavell isn't touring with The Rolling Stones, he is a tree farmer on his two-thousand acre pine tree plantation, and writes books about trees and environmentalism for adults and children. Last weekend Leavell was recognized by the International Society of Arborculture (ISA) with an Honorary Membership. While in town, Leavell appeared on Today In St. Louis to perform and talk about his impressive career.
"ISA's Honorary Membership award recipient is Chuck Leavell, Charlane Plantation.
This award recognizes individuals who are not members of ISA who have
continued interest and outstanding service in promoting arboriculture."
Leavell's career began to take off when he joined the Allman Brothers Band at the age of 20. In 1982, he began his long association with The Rolling Stones. He has also performed with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Black Crowes, as well as recording his own solo projects.
Leavell's St. Louis connection includes his participation in the concert movie "Hail! Hail! Rock 'N' Roll" which was filmed in and around St. Louis in the mid-1980's. Leavell was part of the all-star band organized by film director Taylor Hackford and musical director Keith Richards. That band included Leavell, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Johnnie Johnson, Linda Ronstadt, and Etta James. Leavell and the Stones included St. Louis on their Bigger Bang World Tour in 2006 and 2007.
Click here to see the interview with ksdk.com.
/ Click here for more information on ISA.
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OCTV.com - Orange County TV: Two interviews with Chuck Leavell
Chuck recently sat down with Orange County TV to discuss his upcoming CD and also Agriculture Conference that took place recently in Southern California.
In addition to the website videos, both Chuck pieces are also airing on a
loop in local television, including in hotels, at the convention
center and visitors center, transportation vehicles, shopping malls
and the airports, which gives us great exposure to an audience other
than just Southern California locals. They receive 10 million
viewers/month with a 3.5 million frequency rate airing.
Click here to see the 1st video: 'New Chuck Leavell Live Double CD'.
Click here to see the 2nd video: 'Chuck Leavell CA Agriculture Conference'.
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Georgia Public Broadcasting - Interview with Chuck Leavell
Episode # 402
Chuck Leavell
Conservationist, Musician and Author
This week we offer a break from our usual roster of CEOs and economic experts. We're focusing on the Rolling Stones and sustainable tree farming. I'm serious: one guest covers both topics. One of the world's most accomplished keyboardists... 25 years with the Rolling Stones; performed with Eric Clapton, the Allman Brothers and Indigo Girls, George Harrison and many others... conservationist and tree farmer in Dry Branch, southeast of Macon in Twiggs County. Chuck Leavell's new CD, "Live in Germany," is out from Evergreen Arts Records. Some of his earlier work is available on iTunes.
Airing Sunday, July 13, 2008 - 1:30pm
Monday, July 14, 2008 - 7:00pm
Click here to see the interview for Georgia Public Broadcasting.
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Chuck Leavell & Shine A Light @ Fox Theater - Atlanta, Georgia
SundayPaper.com: The Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival kicked off at the Fox Theatre last week with the Rolling Stones documentary "Shine A Light." Prior to the film, Georgia resident and conservationist Chuck Leavell, who's played keyboards with the Stones for more than a quarter century, performed a couple of numbers and chat with the evening's host, DAVE-FM personality Mara Davis. We caught up with Leavell, who's played with everyone from Eric Clapton to Aretha Franklin to the Black Crowes, about the making of the film and his new solo live album. Click here to read the entire interview from the SunDay Paper.
Creative Loafing Atlanta: Chuck Leavell will perform three songs and participate in a Q&A session prior to the screening of the Rolling Stones documentary Shine A Light that kicks off the 2008 Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival. Mini-concert begins at 7 p.m. Screening at 7:30 p.m. The Fox Theatre
He looks more like a college professor than the keyboard player for the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band. Chuck Leavell's off-stage resume backs up his look: conservationist, author, forest land manager and environmentalist, headquartered out of Macon's Charlane Plantation, a hunting preserve and tree farm he and his wife Rose Lane have lived on and run since 1981.
Click here to read the entire article from the Creative Loafing Atlanta.
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Sacramento Bee: Not Just Another Tree Hugger: Chuck Leavell @ mnn.com (by Tom Knudson)
A Rolling Stone - as the saying goes - gathers no moss.
While I'm not sure what Mick, Keith, Charlie and Ronnie are up to these days, there's no doubt that Chuck Leavell, keyboardist for the legendary rock band, is keeping himself very busy.
Chuck - that's him, sandwiched between Charlie Watts and Keith Richards - is one of the founders of a new web venture focusing exclusively on the environment - the Mother Nature Network - which debuts this month. MNN is not just another green web page. It's aimed at what Chuck, a tree farmer from central Georgia, would call regular folks - people who love the outdoors but aren't die-hard supporters of traditional green groups.
When Chuck first told me about the idea last fall, I sent him an e-mail, applauding the concept, saying: "Too often, blue collar folks are forgotten by environmentalists. And they shouldn't be." "Exactly," Chuck replied. "We found a study that showed something like 25 percent of the people in the U.S. are really not concerned with environmental issues and not likely to be. Fourteen percent are very concerned and do a lot of research about it. But the remaining 60 percent or so are the ones that are becoming aware and want to know more (but) just don't quite know where to go on the Net to get good info. This will be our main target audience."
Click here to read the entire article.
Click here to flashback to the article Tom wrote about Chuck a few years ago.
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P Allen Smith Garden Home: Chuck Leavell Visits the Garden Home Retreat
P. ALLEN SMITH HOSTS CHUCK LEAVELL MUSICIAN, CONSERVATIONIST AND AUTHOR OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS
On Wednesday, March 12, 2008 celebrity outdoor living designer P. Allen Smith welcomes Chuck Leavell to the Garden Home Retreat, Allen's new state-of-the-art eco-friendly home and garden situated on a breath-taking riverfront location near Roland, Arkansas. Leavell is known to music lovers as keyboardist for the Rolling Stones and other high profile rock and roll bands, but more recently has been making a name for himself as a dedicated tree conservationist and author of books for children such as The Tree Farmer. Allen has invited Leavell to join him along with Little Rock elementary students from Trinity Cathedral and Access Schools for a tour of the farm's woodlands, gardens, and to enjoy a special performance and book reading by Chuck.
Click here to read the entire article from the P Allen Smith Garden Home.
Click here to watch the video: Great Balls of Fire - Chuck Leavell
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Easier.com - UK - Rolling Stones unveil details of new live album
The Rolling Stones have unveiled the details of their next album, 'Shine A Light', to be released by Universal Music / Polydor. The album is from the Martin Scorsese-directed concert film 'Shine A Light' and will be released simultaneously with the movie.
From the unmistakeable opening riff of 'Jumping Jack Flash' to the classic sounds of Tumbling Dice, Sympathy For The Devil, All Down The Line and Start Me Up plus some unusual gems from the Stones catalogue - 'You Got The Silver' and 'Faraway Eyes' - 'Shine A Light' will be released on 7 April 2008. Included are three stunning collaborations - with blues legend Buddy Guy on 'Champagne and Reefer', Jack White from White Stripes on 'Loving Cup' while Christina Aguilera duets with Mick Jagger on 'Live With Me'.
'Shine A Light' will be released on double CD worldwide with a single disc version available in the US.
'Shine a Light' is a 22 track Rolling Stones live double album recorded during two memorable nights at New York's Beacon Theatre in 2006. Produced by The Glimmer Twins and mixed by Bob Clearmountain, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood are supported by their long-standing backline including bassist Darryl Jones, Chuck Leavell keyboards, Bobby Keys on saxophone, backing vocals Lisa Fischer, Blondie Chaplin and Bernard Fowler, and the horn section - Tim Ries, Michael Davies and Kent Smith.
Click here to read the entire article.
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Birmingham Weekly: The keys and the trees - Chuck Leavell's life as tree farmer and in-demand keyboardist
As a teenager living in Tuscaloosa, keyboardist Chuck Leavell played in cover bands that performed songs by The Rolling Stones and other "British Invasion" acts that ruled the airwaves at the time. By 1982, Leavell was a touring member of The Rolling Stones, a position he holds to this day.
"When I was a kid playing at the YMCA on Friday nights, we played largely British Invasion - The Beatles, The Stones, The Dave Clark Five and The Kinks," Leavell recalls, speaking by phone from his Georgia home. "There was a lot of Stones in the mix. Never in my wildest dreams did I think back in those days that I would have the opportunity to play with The Rolling Stones. I still pinch myself at the thought of being able to do it."
When Leavell is not touring and recording with Jagger, Richards and company, he stays busy as an in-demand studio musician and tree farmer near Macon, Georgia. Though he relocated to Macon over 30 years ago, Leavell has a lasting affection for Alabama and the impression the state's music scene made upon him.
Click here to read the entire article from the Birmingham Weekly.
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Tour Dates:
- Saturday, September 06, 2008 * Woodstock, GA * Woodstock Summer Concert
(w/ Randall Bramblett Band as back-up band)
Come join us on SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6th, 2008 for the 1st Annual "Greenstock" event to celebrate helping our environment. We have big plans for that day to help you experience how fun going "Green" can be! Chuck performs a FREE "Sneak Preview Concert" @ the
Woodstock Community Church @ 3:30PM and then the main event starts @ 7:30PM at Woodstock City Park which is located off Main Street in downtown Woodstock, GA.
- Saturday, October 25, 2008 * Stuart, FL * The Lyric Theatre (solo/piano)
Crawdaddy! - Chuck Leavell: Wrapped Up in Trees
It's neither new nor unusual for musicians to meddle in politics. The 2004 presidential campaign and the current Democratic nominating contest are just two recent instances of artists and entertainers trying, with decidedly mixed results, to insert themselves into the democratic process. And watching the Obama/indie-rock love-fest, it's hard not to be reminded of John Kerry's decision to share his campaign spotlight with Bruce Springsteen and company a few years ago—though apparently even the Boss can't make those stubborn swing-staters fall in line.
Of the many musicians and Hollywood-types who inject themselves into high-profile electoral politics on a quadrennial basis with benefit concerts, exclusive fundraisers, or even by strumming a guitar on the stump, few demonstrate more than a rudimentary understanding of the public policy that drives, at least in theory, federal elections. And even fewer still are brave enough to venture outside the relative safety of shallow slogan-based electoral campaigns and into the sausage factory of state and federal legislative politics.
Enter Chuck Leavell. Leavell, a gracious and mild-mannered Georgian who speaks with a charming Southern drawl, is best known for his work as a keyboard player for the Rolling Stones and the Allman Brothers Band. Often credited as "the sixth Rolling Stone," Leavell's playing has graced countless albums and concert stages. But his legacy may be more wrapped up in trees than rock 'n' roll. Leavell is that rare musician who has managed to find success in legislative politics.
Boiled down to its most basic elements, Leavell's stance goes something like this: Forests are a natural, organic, and renewable resource that ought to be exploited in a way that's environmentally responsible and serves the families that make their living off the land. He's a fierce advocate of ecological conservation, sustainability, and environmental stewardship, but always cognizant of the families, like his own, that rely on the forest, and the timber it provides, to support them. His command of the facts and figures surrounding land use policy is striking - and it generates instant credibility with decision-makers. But, critically, he also knows the context of the issue and comes armed with the ability to predict those pesky unintended consequences that often result from otherwise well-meaning environmental legislation.
Click here to read more entire article from CrawDaddy!
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New York Times: Rolling? We're More Like the Flying Stones
TWO years is a long time to be on tour. We started the Rolling Stones' "A Bigger Bang" tour in August 2005 at Fenway Park in Boston, and ended in August 2007 in London at the 02 arena. We traveled the globe, playing North America, South America, Europe, Japan, New Zealand, China and Australia. We even did full-stage rehearsals at a hangar at Pearson International Airport in Toronto.
It was a lot of work. Nonetheless, it was a remarkable tour, setting new standards and breaking all previous records, including the fact that we racked up more than a million miles in the air...
Click here to read the entire New York Times article.
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Chuck records with Lady Antebellum!
Chuck recently went into the studio with new Country music upstart artists Lady Antebellum. The sessions were recorded in Nashville, Tennessee for their new CD that will be coming out later in the year.
In the summer of 2006, three gifted young adults walked into a house to create music, uncertain of where they were headed - and Lady Antebellum walked out. During that time, Hillary Scott's sultry alto, Charles Kelley's gritty tenor and multi-instrumentalist/harmony vocalist Dave Haywood's musical overview ignited a unique blend of harmonies reminiscent of classic country, a soulfulness of 1960s R&B, the heart-on-the-sleeve openness of 1970s singer-songwriters, all with a keen edge of contemporary country. "From the beginning, the music took on a life of it's own and defined the direction we were headed," declares Hillary. "It only took one live performance of the first handful of songs we had written to realize that whatever it was we were going to do, had to be done together."
Click here to read more about Lady Antebellum.
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Chuck Leavell: The Tree Farmer Honored as Book of the Year by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture
The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture presented its inaugural "Book of the Year" award to Chuck Leavell for his book The Tree Farmer.
The award was presented as part of National Farm-City Week (Nov. 16-22), a nationally designated observance of the interdependence among agriculture, the people who grow the food and the people who eat it.
"Receiving the recognition from AFB for The Tree Farmer was something more than special for me....I so much admire their work on behalf of America's farmers and forest landowners, as well as the great educational work they do through their 'Ag In The Classroom' program and other creative endeavors." Leavell said. "My thanks to Stihl for ushering in and cultivating my relationship with AFB, and I think the three of us make some very strong partners!"
Terry Gilbert, a Kentucky farmer and Foundation board member, presented the book award to Leavell.
Click here to read the entire article about the Book of the Year!
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Chuck records with Montgomery Gentry!
Chuck recently went into the studio (again) with country heavyweights Montgomery Gentry. This is same group of musicians that worked on the platinum CD "My Town" & we hope to have the same success with the upcoming recording! The band recorded at the legendary Ardent Recording Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. Since their debut in 1999, Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry have been a cornerstone of the most important movement in country music since the Outlaws. Just as Waylon, Willie and the rest kicked open the genre's doors in the 1970s, Montgomery Gentry has helped kick-start 21st century country. We look forward to the new record hitting the streets soon! Click here to check out some photos from the studio session.
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Legendary Musician to "Rock Greenville" for Special Places
Greenville, SC - The U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities in honor of its hometown, Greenville, SC, announced a special benefit concert featuring legendary rocker Chuck Leavell fresh off the highly successful Rolling Stones "A Bigger Bang Tour" of Europe. All monies raised will go to benefit Upstate Forever, Spartanburg Area Conservancy, The Conestee Foundation, Friends of the Reedy River and Naturaland Trust.
"Chuck has been at the heart of Rock and Roll for more than thirty years," said U.S. Endowment President Carlton Owen, "but what many don't know is that he's also at the forefront of conservation and land stewardship. He recently donated a conservation easement on his beloved Charlane Plantation in Georgia and has won numerous awards for his leadership including twice being named National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year. We are delighted that Chuck, a member of the U.S. Endowment's Board of Directors, will help us give back to the Upstate in this special way."
Click here to read more!
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"Green Leaves and Blue Notes" tour!
Chuck is very proud and happy to have wrapped up his 1st "Green Leaves and Blue Notes" tour. This has been in the working for more than a year and it was a huge success! The tour took place during September, right after the Rolling Stones finish this leg of the Bigger Bang Tour. As part of this tour, Chuck also did some public relations work in conjunction with the German Forest Landowners Association. Chuck played shows throughout Germany and Austria including a highlight gig at the "Blues Schmus & Apfelmus" festival. During the tour Chuck performed on the HR1 radio program called "Live Lounge", it was broadcast on Oct 10th and has garnered great reviews. The performance was with a group of fine German musicians that play in the HR1 Big Band. Musicians were: Frank Kuruc (guitar), Paul Hochstadter (drums), Lutz Haefner (Sax), Christian Deiner (bass). Thanks to all of the folks that came out to show support. Chuck hopes to come back again soon!
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Rolling Stones - Bigger Bang Tour - Europe: Summer 2007
Chuck & the Rolling Stones just wrapped up the Summer 2007 leg of the Bigger Bang Tour on August 26 in London. The summer tour spanned three months and included stops in The Netherlands,
Germany, France,
Spain,
Portugal,
Italy,
Montenegro,
Serbia,
Romania,
Hungary,
Czech Republic,
Ukraine,
Russia,
Finland,
Sweden,
Denmark,
Norway,
Switzerland,
Ireland and of course Great Britain. Thanks to all of the folks that came out to show support!
Click here for the confirmed Rolling Stones tour dates & ticket info!
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Vanity Fair - The Soundtrack of Change
Chuck Leavell, Jack Johnson, Alanis Morissette, Jackson Browne, Perry Ferrell, Keb' Mo', Dave Stewart & Bonnie Raitt were all recently featured by Vanity Fair in their 2007 Green Issue. As for Leavell, Rock Snobs like to name-drop him as the consummate southern-rock session pro, a man who's played keyboards with the Allmans Brothers and the Black Crowes (not to mention the Rolling Stones) - but who knew he was also a dedicated campaigner for sustainable forestry? Moonlighting as the noble proprietor of the Charlane Plantation, in his native Georgia, he has twice been named that state's Tree Farmer of the Year. Click here to read more!
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Rolling Stones rocker donates easement to the state of Georgia.
Rolling Stones keyboardist and Georgia tree farmer Chuck Leavell and his wife Rose Lane donated a 300-acre conservation easement near Macon to the state on Monday.
Gov. Sonny Perdue, who has championed easements as a way to keep land in private ownership while protecting landscapes, was on hand to accept the donation. The easement, which is valued between $500,000 and $1 million, makes the rocker eligible for a new state income tax credit, as well as federal tax benefits. And he still owns the land, although he'll never be able to turn it into a subdivision or shopping center.
Leavell is among the first handful of landowners to donate land since the tax credit became available last year.
Leavell also took the opportunity to lobby the state Legislature to restore the governor's $50 million budget for land conservation. Committees have whittled the dollar amount down to $34 million.
"What is clean air, clean water and abundant wildlife worth in the state of Georgia?" Leavell asked. "If I had my way, I'd double [the governor's land conservation budget] to $100 million. Click here to read more!
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: First a rocker, and now a developing environmentalist
One of the surprises of this past session of the Legislature was the strong support that protectors of Jekyll Island were able to generate.
A combination of environmentalist muscle and concern for economy-minded vactioners - for whom the island was established - produced a bill that drew a literal line in the island's sand.
Jekyll's southern end will be protected from development.
The fight apparently made an impression on certain people.
Within 24 hours of Gov. Sonny Perdue's signing of H.B. 214, the state issued a request for contract proposals from developers to re-make the rest of Jekyll.
The Jekyll Island Company, of course, is highly interested.
And it just added three new members to its board of directors.
One of them is Chuck Leavell, keyboardist for - among others - Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones and the Allman Brothers Band. Leavell is making a name for himself as an environmentalist, and this spring donated a 300-acre conservation easement near Macon to the state.
Click here to read more!
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Rolling Stones Keyboardist Wins Prestigious ForestLeadership Award
Rolling Stones Keyboardist Chuck Leavell has been chosen as the winner of the 2006 ForestLeadership Communication award. The Communication award is one of three awards - Communications, Leadership and Partnership awards - awarded annually to recognize exceptional contributions towards sustainable forestry. The Communications award recognizes exceptional ability in communicating matters of sustainable forestry, and thereby improving understanding of key sustainability issues at the local, national or international level.
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Romancing the land: Rose Lane & Chuck Leavell make beautiful music among the pines.
The setting sun slides obliquely against the Middle Georgia pines that lead up to Charlane Plantation, an 1,800-acre preserve of timber, quail, tall grasses and sandy soil. Gentle golden light caresses every pine needle. Fawns are likely to dart across the flat landscape; hawks and vultures circle overhead. This is the Twiggs County setting that's home to Chuck and Rose Lane Leavell. So? You ask. Well, if you're even slightly aware of modern music, you've probably heard something about or by Chuck Leavell, keyboardist for the Rolling Stones.
Click here to read more!
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GROOVE IS IN THE HEART BENEFIT
On January 18, an all-star group of musicians will perform at Bimbo's 365 Club in San Francisco at Groove Is In The Heart, a benefit for children's music education programs. The mastermind behind the event is Jimmy Dillon, who plays guitar and sings with Clarence Clemons, Bruce Springsteen, and more. Upon being asked to work on the benefit, Dillon immediately thought of other musicians he could ask to play with him, and at the top of the list was Chuck Leavell, legendary keyboardist who's played with The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, The Allman Brothers, The Black Crowes, and others. These well-respected musicians joined together to talk about this event and give some hints of what the night might bring.
Click here to read more!
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NEW ORLEANS JAZZFEST
Chuck Leavell has been invited to play the one & only New Orleans Jazz Festival on May 4th, 2007. The line-up includes Harry Connick Jr., Rod Stewart, Steely Dan, Norah Jones, ZZ Top, John Legend, Van Morrison, Brad Paisley, Jill Scott, Ludacris, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, New Edition, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Joss Stone, Irma Thomas, Jerry Lee Lewis, Counting Crows, Allman Brothers Band, Allen Toussaint, George Benson, Pharoah Sanders, George Thorogood, Stephen Marley featuring Jr. Gong, Better Than Ezra, Banda el Recodo, Calexico, Taj Mahal, Johnny Rivers, Lucinda Williams, Branford Marsalis, Richie Havens, Soulive, Cowboy Mouth, Percy Sledge, Tony Joe White, Gillian Welch, Bobby Jones and the Nashville Super Choir, T Bone Burnett and more.
Click here for more info on Jazzfest!
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GEORGE
Meet George! Rolling Stone's keyboardist Chuck Leavell will be on hand all day at Macworld in Chestnut Hill Sound's booth #3101 on Tuesday, January 9, 2007. Leavell, a CHS advisory board member, was a beta tester for the company's new product GEORGETM, a digital audio system for the iPod, during the 2005/2006 Rolling Stone's Bigger Bang Tour. Chestnut Hill Sound will be introducing GEORGE, the first digital audio system to combine an iPod music playback system, AM/FM radio and alarm clock in one product at Macworld and Digital Experience at CES on Sunday, January 7 and in iBiquity's booth (#4616 of the Las Vegas Convention Center).
Click here to read more!
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Chuck to play Hawkinsville Opera House on December 22nd, 2007!
Chuck Leavell is set to play a special solo concert in a few weeks at the Hawkinsville Opera House in Hawkinsville, Georgia. The concrt will take place December 22nd, 2008 at 7:30pm. Tickets are available for advance purchase here.
The Hawkinsville Opera House has undergone many changes since
its construction. Through prosperous and lean times; times of
uncertainty and calm, and through various organizational
utilizations, it has managed to maintain the grace and style of its
initial design. The City of Hawkinsville is lucky indeed to lay
claim to a true piece of southern architectural history, and has
worked hard to restore the building to its former glory.
Click here for more info on the Hawkinsville Opera House.
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