The time of rock ‘n’ roll has seen a number of really good pianists, and some stellar organists, but very few have been exceptional at both. I’m not gonna get into naming or ranking them because, when it comes to exceptional rock ‘n’ roll pianists who were also stellar organists, Nicky Hopkins was without equal. To my ears, he still sits at the top of the mountain.
A prolific studio musician, he played on records by many well known artists – Harry Nilsson, the Steve Miller Band, solo albums from all four Beatles (as well as electric piano on “Revolution”), Donovan, Jefferson Airplane, Carly Simon, Rod Stewart, Peter Frampton, and Jerry Garcia. Between 1967 and 1981 he played on 11 Rolling Stones albums (his piano is what drives the rhythm in “Sympathy for the Devil”), four Kinks albums in the ’60s, and The Who’s Next and By the Numbers. A member of the original Jeff Beck Group, he appeared on Truth and Beck-Ola.
During 1969 and 1970 he was a full-time member of Quicksilver Messenger Service, and that’s where my very favorite Nicky Hopkins composition comes from. “Edward, the Mad Shirt Grinder” (from Shady Grove) is a piano tour-de-force, with a frosting of sweet organ, that leaves me breathless each time I hear it. If you don’t know the tune, you really ought to do yourself a huge favor and give it a listen.
Happy birthday, Tin Man.