Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish” and “I Was Made To Love Her” could be on the list. Billy Joel’s “Pressure” is an all-time great keyboard riff. Timmy Thomas’s “Why Can’t We Live Together” is nothing without the Hammond. I am glad Steve Winwood is on the list, but I would argue that “Valerie” is pure keyboard pop gold. The Rolling Stones 2000 Light Years From HomeĬarole King (You Make Me feel Like) A Natural WomanĮlton John Funeral For a friend/Loves Lies Bleeding The Rolling Stones Sympathy For the Devil Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger This Wheels on Fire Rick Wakeman’s exquisite piano on Bowie’s ‘Life On Mars’ and of course the beautiful coda to Derek and The Dominoes, ‘Layla’ that’s played by the band’s drummer, Jim Gordon.Īnyway, these are our 100 Keyboard classics…let’s hear what you think should be included.īilly Joel Scenes from An Italian Restaurant

Among them are a couple that my cause some controversy, including Carole King’s exceptional playing, without which the song would simple not be the classic that it is (Spooner Oldham’s playing on Aretha’s version is pretty fine too). Cloud’, or Jon Cleary on ‘When you Get Back’.Īt the bottom of our list are 10 cast iron classics on which the keyboard is king. Take a listen to Barry Walsh’s beautiful playing on Gretchen Peters’ ‘Bus to St. But we’ve equally picked some hidden gems that we think deserve to rank up there among the best.

We’ve picked a whole bunch of classic numbers that you all will instantly know, on which the keyboard plays a more than significant role, sometimes, like on, Toto’s ‘Hold the Line’ where it becomes the song, as it does on Spirit’s ‘Fresh Garbage or Rod Argent’s brilliance on ‘Hold Your Head Up’. In case you’re wondering why George Harrison is included it’s because off David Foster’s brilliant playing on ‘The Answers At the End’, likewise it’s Al Kooper playing Hammond on ‘Like A Rolling Stone’, Leon Russell on Cocker’s, ‘Delta Lady’ and John Hawken on The Straws’ ‘The Life Auction’ There’s also those lesser known lights – session players like, Nicky Hopkins who is featured on The Rolling Stones’ ‘2000 Light Years From Home’ playing piano (it’s Brian Jones on the Mellotron), Hopkins also plays the piano on Jefferson Airplane’s ‘Wooden Ships’, there’s Victor Feldman on Steely Dan’s ‘I Got the News’, and Dave Greenslade on Chris Farlowe’s ‘Handbags and Gladrags’. There’s Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Leon Russell, Fats Domino, and Stevie Winwood – all singers that have accompanied themselves. In so doing it includes most of the most famous pianists et al, from the rock era, there’s Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard, Elton and Keith (Emerson of course).

Hasi female keyboard notes