THE ACQUISITION INCLUDES INCOME STREAMS IN SOME OF
THE SONGWRITER HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE’S GREATEST
HITS INCLUDING “SUPERSTAR,” “TIGHT ROPE,”
“THE MASQUERADE,” AND “SONG FOR YOU”
Primary Wave Music Publishing announced today it has partnered with the Estate of Leon Russell to acquire a stake of the legendary singer and songwriter’s music catalog. As part of the deal with his estate, Primary Wave has acquired the music publishing and master recording income stream of songs written by the Grammy winner. Included in the deal are some of Russell’s biggest hits including his most well-known track, “A Song For You” which Elton John called an “American classic” and has been covered by Whitney Houston, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, Amy Winehouse, and more. Additional songs include his debut 1972 hit single, “Tight Rope,” “The Masquerade” which George Benson recorded and took into the Top 10 and “Superstar,” a number 2 hit for The Carpenters.
“I am delighted that Leon Russell and his heirs have joined the Primary Wave family,” says Lawrence Mestel, CEO & Founder of Primary Wave Music Publishing. He goes on, “Leon was a legendary songwriter whose music has resonated in people’s lives for decades. His songs were an inspiration to so many and we look forward to furthering the legacy of this remarkable musician.”
Jan Russell Bridges adds, “What better way to celebrate Leon’s birthday than by partnering with Primary Wave to curate and further his amazing legacy.”
“Proud Oklahoma native, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee, multi-Grammy Award winner and the Master of Space & Time himself, Leon Russell, is the epitome of your favorite artist’s favorite artist,” says Jeremy M. Rosen, Esq., Leon Russell Estate Representative. He continues, “With a legendary career spanning nearly 60 years, Leon’s collaborations, mentorship and influence included: The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, George Harrison, Ray Charles, Bob Marley, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Sir Elton John, The Rolling Stones and J.J. Cale, to name a few. For me, the next best thing to representing Leon during his life is to ensure that his body of work is curated properly for generations to come, hence this partnership with my dear friends at Primary Wave.”
Leon Russell has been called a rock and roll Renaissance man, and indeed there is little that this Oklahoma-bred musician hasn’t done. His music career spans more than 50 years, from his teen years in the late 1950s in Oklahoma to his best-selling collaboration with Elton John in 2012. Russell has enjoyed a remarkable and lengthy career as a performing and recording artist. His all-encompassing style ranges from raucous, gospel-inflected rock to heartfelt romantic ballads. He has also recorded albums of country and bluegrass music, delved into the Great American Songbook, and recorded an album of Christmas hymns. As a central figure on the rock scene during the Seventies, Russell shared studios and stages with members of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and others. With his long, flowing beard and top hat, Russell cut a memorable figure on concert stages during the Seventies, when he was the self-styled “Master of Time and Space.” His churchy, rolling piano figures and sly, drawling vocals pegged him as a unique stylist, and his evangelical outpouring of energy from the stage made his concerts, as Russell put it, “an artificially induced religious experience.” Over the course of five decades, Russell proved himself to be a proudly eclectic product of America’s vast musical landscape.