Free Lessons
Beginning back in 1963, for the first six years of their touring career, the Rolling Stones didn’t have a dedicated touring keyboardist. Founding member and keyboardist, Ian Stewart, was relegated to road manager because he didn’t ‘look the part’. For these early tours, Rolling Stones’ founder and guitarist, Brian Jones, sat in on the piano when the song called for it. After Jones’s accidental drowning in 1969, Ian Stewart was brought back onto the stage to play the rockers- such as “Honky Tonk Women” and “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll”. But Stewart refused to play ballads or any songs in minor keys. He was a blues rock and boogie woogie purist. From 1971 through 1973, English pianist extraordinaire, Nicky Hopkins, toured with the Stones to fill in on the songs that Stewart turned down. But Hopkins suffered from ill health and wasn’t able to keep up with the Stones’ exploits nor their demanding touring schedule. He was replaced by American R&B legend Billy Preston. Preston went on tour with the Stones from 1973 to 1977 but was replaced by Faces’ keyboardist Ian McLagan due to contract issues. Ian Stewart continued to tour with the Stones throughout this period and in 1982 Stewart personally picked Allman brother keyboardist, Chuck Leavell, to play alongside him to become his successor. Chuck was more versatile than Stewart. He could play the blues, the ballads, and the rockers. Chuck has played on every tour since then. The Stones have also added pianist Matt Clifford to the lineup and saxophonist , Tim Ries, occasionally sits in on keys as well.
Learn how to play rock and blues piano from one of rock’s greatest. Chuck Leavell, legendary keyboardist for The Rolling Stones, The Allman Bros, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and more.
The Rolling Stones’ Studio Keyboard Players
| Studio Recording | Keyboardist |
| The Rolling Stones (1964) | Ian Stewart, Gene Pitney |
| 12 x5 (1964) | Ian Stewart |
| The Rolling Stones #2 (1965) | Ian Stewart, Jack Nitzsche |
| The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965) | Ian Stewart, Jack Nitzsche |
| Out of Our Heads ! (1965) | Ian Stewart, Jack Nitzsche |
| December’s Children ! (1965) | Ian Stewart |
| Aftermath (1966) | Ian Stewart, Jack Nitzsche |
| Between the Buttons (1967) | Ian Stewart, Jack Nitzsche, Nicky Hopkins |
| Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) | Nicky Hopkins |
| Beggars Banquet (1968) | Nicky Hopkins |
| Let it Bleed (1969) | Ian Stewart, Jack Nitzsche, Nicky Hopkins, Leon Russell, Al Kooper |
| Sticky Fingers (1971) | Ian Stewart, Jack Nitzsche, Nicky Hopkins, Jim Dickinson, Billy Preston |
| Exile on Main St. (1972) | Ian Stewart, Nicky Hopkins, Billy Preston |
| Goats Heat Soup (1973) | Ian Stewart, Nicky Hopkins, Billy Preston |
| It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (1974) | Ian Stewart, Nicky Hopkins, Billy Preston |
| Black & Blue (1976) | Nicky Hopkins, Billy Preston |
| Some Girls (1978) | Ian McLagan |
| Emotional Rescue (1980) | Ian Stewart, Nicky Hopkins |
| Tatoo You (1980) | Ian Stewart, Nicky Hopkins, Billy Preston, Chris Kimsey |
| Under Cover (1983) | Ian Stewart, Chuck Leavell |
| Dirty Work (1984) | Ian Stewart, Chuck Leavell, Ivan Neville, Philippe Saisse |
| Steel Wheels (1989) | Chuck Leavell, Matt Clifford |
| Voodoo Lounge (1994) | Chuck Leavell, Benmont Tench |
| Stripped (1995) | Chuck Leavell, Don Was |
| Bridges to Babylon (1997) | Danny Saber, Don Was, Pierre De Beauport, Jamie Muhoberac, Matt Clifford, Billy Preston, Benmont Tench |
| A Bigger Bang (2005) | Chuck Leavell, Matt Clifford |
| Blue & Lonesome (2016) | Chuck Leavell, Matt Clifford |
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.