Rock and Roll History

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Unsung Session Heroes:
Nicky Hopkins, Piano and Organ


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By Tony Bove

The late Nicky Hopkins was an unsung session hero on piano and organ. He is probably the most important session musician in British rock history, playing on hit songs by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, and many others.

Nicky Hopkins started with Screaming Lord Sutch's Savages, which also included Jimmy Page (another session hero and founder of Led Zeppelin). He played with the Cyril Davies All Stars, one of the first British rhythm & blues bands (Nicky plays piano on the Country Line Special album).

In 1965, he played piano on nearly every song of the Who's debut album, The Who Sings My Generation. He played piano for the top British bands of the Sixties including the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Who, and 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, and even briefly joined Quicksilver Messenger Service.

http://www.rockument.com/session_hopkins1.html.