Leon Russell already had an idiosyncratic career when he lit out for solo territory. He'd made a name as a mid-'60s session keyboardist for the likes of Gary Lewis and the Playboys (not to mention as a member of the Shindogs house band on TV's Shindig!). Then he grew his hair very long, wrote a few modern standards ("A Song for You," "Hummingbird"), and devised a hybrid of rock, R&B and singer-songwriter material. After a stint as Joe Cocker's bandleader, he issued this self-titled album. His antic approach to genre lines resulted in a style that resonated with many but ultimately proved hard to copy. There are echoes of Elton John and Southern rock here, but Russell undeniably put things together his own way.