Nicky Hopkins

Nicholas Christian Hopkins (24 February 1944 – 6 September 1994) was an English pianist and organist. He performed on many popular and enduring British and American rock music recordings from the 1960s to the 1990s, including on songs recorded by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Kinks, the Steve Miller Band, Jefferson Airplane, Rod Stewart, George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, The Hollies, Cat Stevens, Carly Simon, Harry Nilsson, Joe Walsh, Peter Frampton, Jerry Garcia, Jeff Beck, Joe Cocker, Art Garfunkel, Badfinger, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Donovan. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest studio pianists in the history of popular rock music.^[1]

Nicholas Christian Hopkins was born in Perivale, Middlesex, England, on 24 February 1944. He began playing the piano at the age of three. He attended Sudbury Primary School in Perrin Road^[2] and Wembley County Grammar School,^[3] which now forms part of Alperton Community School, and was initially tutored by a local piano teacher; in his teens he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London.^[4] He suffered from Crohn's disease for most of his life.^[5]

His poor health and repeated surgery later made it difficult for him to tour, and he worked mainly as a

Hopkins was forced to leave the All Stars in May 1963 for a series of operations that almost cost him his life and he was bed-ridden for 19 months in his late teenage years. During his convalescence, Davies died of leukemia and the All Stars disbanded.^[4] Hopkins's frail health led him to concentrate on working as a session musician instead of joining bands, although he left his mark performing with a wide variety of famous bands.^[8] He quickly became one of London's most in-demand session pianists and performed on many hit recordings from this period.^[9]

Hopkins played with the Rolling Stones on all their studio albums from

The relationship between Hopkins and the Kinks deteriorated after the release of The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. Hopkins maintained that "about seventy percent" of the keyboard work on the album was his, and was incensed when Ray Davies apparently credited himself with most of the keyboard playing.^[15] He was also angered that he was not paid for his session work with the group.^[16]

Despite Hopkins's grudge against him, Davies spoke positively of his contributions in a

Hopkins missed the Quadrophenia album, before making a full return in 1975 on The Who by Numbers. He was also a key instrumentalist on the soundtrack for Ken Russell's 1975 film Tommy; Townshend had wanted Hopkins to play on the original 1969 album.^[17] Hopkins played piano on several tracks and is acknowledged in the album's liner notes for his work on arrangements for most of the songs.

In later years Hopkins always maintained a soft spot for the band, stating they were probably his favourite act to work with.

In 1966, Hopkins released The Revolutionary Piano of Nicky Hopkins, produced by Shel Talmy.^[9] His next solo project released was The Tin Man Was a Dreamer in 1973, under the aegis of producer David Briggs. Other musicians appearing on the album include George Harrison (credited as "George O'Hara"), Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones, and Prairie Prince. The album features a rare case of Hopkins singing lead vocals.^[18]

His next solo album, entitled No More Changes, was released in 1975. Appearing on the album are Hopkins (lead vocals and all keyboards), David Tedstone (guitars), Michael Kennedy (guitars), Rick Wills (bass), and Eric Dillon (drums and percussion), with back-up vocals from Kathi McDonald, Lea Santo-Robertie, Doug Duffey and Dolly. A third album, Long Journey Home, has remained unreleased. He also released three soundtrack albums in Japan between 1992 and 1993, The Fugitive, Patio and Namiki Family.^{[citation needed]}

Hopkins also played on Space Jazz, the official soundtrack to infamous Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s novel, Battlefield Earth in 1982.^{[citation needed]}

By the late 1960s, Hopkins was one of Britain's best-known session players, particularly through his work with the Rolling Stones and the Kinks. After he accompanied three of the Beatles on Jackie Lomax's "Sour Milk Sea", he was invited to play an electric piano solo on the group's "Revolution", which he did in one take.^[17] Further raising his profile, he contributed to the Harry Nilsson album Son of Schmilsson, and recordings by Donovan.

Hopkins became discontented from just being a session musician, and wanted to tour with a band.

In 1969, Hopkins was a member of the short-lived Sweet Thursday, a quintet comprising Hopkins, Alun Davies (who worked with Cat Stevens), Jon Mark, Harvey Burns and Brian Odgers. The band completed their eponymous debut album; however, their American record label, Tetragrammaton Records, abruptly declared bankruptcy^[22][23] (supposedly the same day the album was released)^[24] with promotion and a possible tour never happening.

In August 1975, he joined the Jerry Garcia Band, envisaged as a major creative vehicle for the guitarist during the mid-seventies hiatus of the Grateful Dead. His increasing use of alcohol precipitated several erratic live performances, resulting in him leaving the group by mutual agreement after a 31 December appearance.^[25] During 1979–1989, he was playing and touring with Los Angeles-based Night, who had a hit with a cover of Walter Egan's "Hot Summer Nights".

In addition to recording with the Beatles in 1968, Hopkins worked with each of the four when they went solo. He played on several tracks for John Lennon's Imagine, (1971) including "Jealous Guy", which drew praise from the other musicians. Yoko Ono later said Hopkins' performance was "so melodic and beautiful that it still makes everyone cry, even now."^[17] He also played with George Harrison and Ringo Starr, making key contributions to their respective solo albums , Living in the Material World and Ringo. He worked only once with Paul McCartney, on the latter's 1989 album Flowers in the Dirt.

Hopkins also performed with Graham Parker's backing band the Rumour after their keyboardist Bob Andrews left the band.^[26]

Hopkins lived in

His precarious health, a consequence of Crohn's disease and its complications, made touring very difficult, limiting him largely to studio work. Only Quicksilver Messenger Service, through its manager Ron Polte, who went to great lengths to treat his musicians fairly, as well as with assent of the band's members, included Hopkins in an ownership stake.^[27] Towards the end of his life Hopkins worked as a composer and orchestrator of film scores, with considerable success in Japan.^{[citation needed]}

In the early 1980s, Hopkins credited the

In 1993, Hopkins, Joe Walsh, Terry Reid, Rick Rosas, and Phil Jones put together an informal group called The Flew. They played one show at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. This was Hopkins's last public performance before his death.^[29][30]

Hopkins died on 6 September 1994, at the age of 50, in Nashville, Tennessee, from complications resulting from intestinal surgery related to his lifelong battle with Crohn's disease. At the time of his death, he was working on his autobiography with Ray Coleman.^[31]

Songwriter and musician Julian Dawson collaborated with Hopkins on one recording, the pianist's last, in spring 1994, a few months before his death. After Ray Coleman's death, the connection led to Dawson working on a definitive biography of Hopkins, first published by Random House in German in 2010, followed in 2011 by the English-language version with the title And on Piano ... Nicky Hopkins (a hardback in the UK via Desert Hearts, and a paperback in North America via Backstage Books/Plus One Press).^{[citation needed]}

On 8 September 2018, the Nicky Hopkins "piano" park bench memorial, crowdfunded through PledgeMusic, was unveiled in Perivale Park near Hopkins' birthplace.^[32]

The campaign offered the opportunity for pledgers to have their name inscribed on the bench and contribute towards funding a music scholarship at London's

In 2021, it was announced that a documentary about Nicky's life, called The Session Man, was in production.

• The Revolutionary Piano of Nicky Hopkins (1966)
• The Tin Man Was a Dreamer (1973)
• No More Changes (1975)

• The Fugitive (1992)
• Patio (1992)
• Namiki Family (1993)

with the Rolling Stones

• "We Love You" and "She's a Rainbow" from Their Satanic Majesties Request album (1967)
• "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Street Fighting Man" from Beggars Banquet album (1968)
• "Gimme Shelter" (1969)
• "Monkey Man" (1969)
• "
  Sway
  " (1971)
• Exile on Main St. album (1972)
• "Angie" and others from Goats Head Soup album (1973)
• It's Only Rock 'n Roll album (1974)
• "Fool to Cry" (1976)
• "Waiting on a Friend" (recorded 1972, released 1981)

with the Who

• My Generation (1965)
• "The Song Is Over" and "Getting in Tune" on Who's Next (1971)
• "Let's See Action" (1971)
• The Who by Numbers (1975)

with Jeff Beck

• "Morning Dew" (1967)
• Truth (1967)
• "Girl From Mill Valley" on Beck-Ola (1969)

with Joe Cocker

• I Can Stand a Little Rain (1974)
• "You Are So Beautiful" (1974)
• Jamaica Say You Will (1975)

with Art Garfunkel

• Breakaway (1975)
• Lefty (1988)

with George Harrison

• Living in the Material World (1973)
• Dark Horse (1974)
• Extra Texture (Read All About It) (1975)

with Jefferson Airplane

• Volunteers (1969)
• "Wooden Ships" (1969)
• "Eskimo Blue Day" (1969)
• "Hey Fredrick" (1969)
• Woodstock Festival set.

with the Kinks

• The Kink Kontroversy (1965)
• Face to Face (1966)
• Something Else by the Kinks (1967)
• The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968)

with John Lennon

• Imagine (1971)
• "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (1971)
• Walls and Bridges (1974)

with Quicksilver Messenger Service

• Shady Grove (composer of "Edward, the Mad Shirt Grinder") (1969)
• Just for Love (1970)
• What About Me (composer of "Spindrifter") (1970)

with Ringo Starr

• Ringo (1973)
• Goodnight Vienna (1974)

with Rod Stewart

• Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977)
• Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
• Every Beat of My Heart (1986)

with others

• Gene Clark – various recordings
• Amory Kane – various recordings
• Cat Stevens – "Matthew and Son" on Matthew and Son (1967)
• The Creation – We Are Paintermen (1967)
• The Easybeats – "Heaven & Hell" and an unreleased album titled Good Times (1967)^[46]
• The Beatles – "Revolution" (single version) (1968)
• The Move – "Hey Grandma", "Mist on a Monday Morning" on Move and "Wild Tiger Woman" (1968)
• The Raisins – "Sahara", "Under the Plump Pears" (1968)
• Paul Jones – "And the Sun Will Shine"
• Brewer & Shipley – Weeds (1969)
• Steve Miller Band – "Kow Kow" on Brave New World (1969); "Baby's House" (which Hopkins co-wrote with Miller) on Your Saving Grace (1969)
• Jackie Lomax – Is This What You Want? (1969)
• P. J. Proby – "Reflections (Of Your Face)" on Three Week Hero (1969)
• The Iveys – "See-Saw Granpa" on Maybe Tomorrow (1969)
• Donovan – "Barabajagal" on Barabajagal (1969); Essence to Essence (1973)
• Jamming with Edward, jam session with Ry Cooder, Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts
  (recorded 1969, released 1972)
• The Jayhawks – "Two Angels" and "Martin's Song" on Hollywood Town Hall (1992)^[47]
• Carly Simon – No Secrets (1972)
• New Riders of the Purple Sage – Powerglide (1972)
• Harry Nilsson – Son of Schmilsson (1972)
• Marc Bolan – "Jasper C. Debussy" (recorded 1966–67, released 1972)
• Martha Reeves – Martha Reeves (1974)
• Peter Frampton – Somethin's Happening (1974)
• Jerry Garcia Band – Let It Rock: The Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 2 (1975); Garcia Live Volume Five (1975)
• Art Garfunkel – Breakaway (1975)
• Jerry Garcia – Reflections (1976)
• Bill Wyman – Stone Alone (1976)
• Carole Bayer Sager – Carole Bayer Sager (1977)
• Jennifer Warnes – Jennifer Warnes (1977)
• Badfinger – Airwaves (1979)
• Meat Loaf – "More Than You Deserve" on Dead Ringer (1981)
• 1234
  (1981)
• Graham Parker – Another Grey Area (1982)
• Dusty Springfield – White Heat (1982)
• Buzzy Linhart – The Four Sides of Buzzy Linhart (1982, EP)^[48]
• Carl Wilson – Youngblood (1983)
• Belinda Carlisle – Belinda (1986)
• Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt (1989)
• The Dogs D'Amour – Errol Flynn (1989)
• Adam Bomb – New York Times (recorded in 1990, released in 2001)
• Spinal Tap – "Rainy Day Sun" on Break Like the Wind (1991)
• Izzy Stradlin – Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds (1992)
• Matthew Sweet – Altered Beast (1993)
• Joe Walsh – "Guilty of the Crime" on A Future to This Life: Robocop – The Series Soundtrack (1994)