Album of the Day

Born Claude Russell Bridges in Lawton, Oklahoma, on this day in 1942, Leon Russell mastered virtually every style of American popular music in his 60-year career, so it's fitting that his 1978 album bears the title AMERICANA. Released on Russell's own Paradise Records imprint, the self-produced set shows the singer-songwriter having plenty of fun with country and bluegrass, offering a non-traditional take on the genre in which Kim Fowley (who co-wrote most of these songs) and Chicago's horn section can peacefully coexist. “Elvis and Marilyn,” “Ladies Of The Night” and a fine cover of “When A Man Loves A Woman” are just a few of the highlights here, and AMERICANA presents the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer in peak form.