Chuck Leavell

Charles Alfred Leavell (born April 28, 1952) is an American musician.

The Leavell family moved from Birmingham to Montgomery, Alabama when he was five, then back to Birmingham for a few years, finally settling in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 1962.

He learned to play guitar from his cousin, Winston Leavell, and played tuba in junior high for two years.

He started his first band, The Misfitz, in 1966.

The Misfitz played a steady gig at the YMCA every Friday night, and eventually were the band for a Saturday morning television show, Tuscaloosa Bandstand.

After the breakup of the Misfitz, Leavell did session work, and found himself on his first gold record, a single by Freddie North called "Don't Take Her She's All I've Got".

Leavell also sought out other local musicians to play with and joined The South Camp in 1968.

That band included his early mentor, Paul Hornsby, who had played in The Hour Glass, a precursor to The Allman Brothers Band.

In 1969, Hornsby moved to Macon, Georgia to work for Capricorn Records as a studio musician and producer, eventually producing such artists as The Charlie Daniels Band, The Marshall Tucker Band, Wet Willie and others.

A member of the Allman Brothers Band throughout their commercial zenith in the 1970s, he subsequently became a founding member of the band Sea Level.

At Hornsby's suggestion, Leavell came to Macon and helped form Sundown, which recorded one record on the Ampex label in 1970.

That band broke up shortly thereafter, and Leavell found himself doing session work at Capricorn and eventually was tapped to tour with Alex Taylor, James Taylor's elder brother.

During the mid-1970s Leavell also appeared on Dickey Betts's first solo record, Highway Call.

In addition during this time, he made multiple contributions on several other Capricorn artists' recordings like Bobby Whitlock, Bonnie Bramlett, The Marshall Tucker Band, Cowboy and more as well as recordings outside the Capricorn family with Tim Weisberg, Charlie Daniels and others.

Leavell recorded one record with Taylor, Dinnertime, which was released in 1972.

Leavell continued to tour with Taylor for a short time afterwards.

When Taylor had a falling out with his manager and the founder of Capricorn, Phil Walden, and quit touring, Leavell found himself playing with Dr. John.

Leavell claims this was his "college education."

While playing with Dr. John, Leavell caught the attention of Gregg Allman, who tapped him to play on his first solo album, the Johnny Sandlin-produced Laid Back.

Allman and Sandlin introduced the rest of the Allman Brothers Band to Leavell, and Leavell joined the band in September 1972, when they decided not to recreate their dual lead guitar sound after the death of Duane Allman, who had died the previous October, but rather to use a different instrument as the second lead.

Leavell's work was most prominent on the band's popular 1973 album Brothers and Sisters, and in particular on the heavily played instrumental "Jessica."

In 1973, Leavell married Rose Lane White, who was working as a staff member at Capricorn Records.

The Allmans toured heavily behind Brothers and Sisters, playing stadiums and breaking records for attendance in many venues across the country.

Leavell also appeared on a live record with the band, Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas during this era as well as subsequent compilations, live performances and re-releases in later years.

However, only one studio album, 1975's Win, Lose or Draw, followed, again with Leavell's piano and keyboard work featured.

The Allmans found themselves in turmoil in 1976, and broke up that year.

Later the band re-formed, but without Leavell as he had moved on to form his own band, Sea Level in late 1976.

While opening shows for The Allman Brothers Band with The Allman Brothers' bass guitarist Lamar Williams and drummer Jaimoe, Leavell stepped up as a frontman for the first time in his career.

After The Allman Brothers Band disbanded in May 1976, the trio added guitarist Jimmy Nalls and set about touring behind the moniker Sea Level, derived from Leavell's first initial and last name.

The group lasted five years and released as many albums, each featuring a different configuration of the group.

Leavell's first encounters with The Rolling Stones were auditions on Long View Farm for the spot of piano player alongside Ian Stewart for the Rolling Stones 1981 United States tour.

Even though Ian McLagan was chosen, Leavell guested at the Rolling Stones' Atlanta gig on October 26, 1981.

He has served as the principal touring keyboardist and musical director of the Rolling Stones since 1982.

From 1982 to 1984, he was part of the group Betts, Hall, Leavell and Trucks, which had been organized by Betts.

Although the group received good critical notices, and is viewed positively in retrospect by Leavell, it was unable to garner a recording contract.

For the 1982 European Tour Leavell landed the position of keyboardist alongside Ian Stewart.

As a session musician, Leavell has performed on every Rolling Stones studio album released since 1983 with the exception of Bridges to Babylon (1997).

He has also toured and recorded with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, David Gilmour, Gov't Mule and John Mayer.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Leavell is a mostly self-taught musician.

He started on piano, learning some basics from his mother, Frances Leavell.