Keyboardists To Hear
Keyboardists You Must Hear
This is by no means a complete, definitive list. It is, however, a list of some of the keyboard players I believe have done important work in the last 50 or 60 years.
| PLAYER | CREDITS |
|---|---|
| Billy Preston | The Beatles, The Rolling Stone, Billy Preston, Mahalia Jackson, |
| Andrae Crouch, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Sam | |
| Cooke, King Curtis, Joe Cocker, Rod Stewart, Enrique Iglesias, | |
| Luther Vandross, Macy Gray, Jet | |
| Benmont Tench | Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morisette, Bonnie |
| Raitt, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Don Henley, Stevie Nicks, | |
| U2, Shawn Colvin, Johnny Cash, The Dixie Chicks | |
| Roger Manning | Jellyfish, Beck, Sheryl Crow, Blink-182 |
| Bruce Hornsby | Bruce Hornsby, The Grateful Dead, Bonnie Raitt, Don Henley, |
| Bela Fleck, Bob Dylan, Ricky Skaggs | |
| Stevie Wonder | Stevie Wonder, Jeff Beck, Paul McCartney |
| Elton John | Elton John |
| Kenny Kirkland | Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Sting, Youssou N'Dour, Tom |
| Scott, Elvin Jones, Black Eyed Peas | |
| Larry Goldings | Maceo Parker, John Scofield, Michael Brecker, India.arie, James |
| Taylor, John Mayer, Norah Jones | |
| Jonny Greenwood | Radiohead |
| Thom Yorke | Radiohead |
| Mike Finnegan | Crosby, Stills & Nash, Janis Joplin, Dan Fogelberg, Etta James, |
| Los Lonely Boys | |
| Jon Brion | Aimee Mann, The Grays, Fiona Apple, John Hiatt, Peter Gabriel |
| Steve Nieve | Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Mick Jagger |
| Mitchell Froom | Crowded House, Neil Finn, Los Lobos, Elvis Costello, Jonatha |
| Brooke, Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, | |
| T-Bone Burnett | |
| Bob Mayo | Peter Frampton, Foreigner |
| Bill Payne | Little Feat, Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, |
| David Lindley, Jackson Browne, Robben Ford, Emmylou Harris | |
| Chuck Leavell | The Allman Brothers, The Rolling Stones, The Marshall Tucker |
| Band, The Black Crowes, Eric Clapton, Gov't Mule | |
| Jorge Dalto | George Benson, Grover Washington Jr., Dizzy Gillespie, Airto, |
| Tito Puente | |
| Nicky Hopkins | The Who, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, Rod |
| Stewart, Joe Cocker, Jerry Garcia | |
| Chris Martin | Coldplay |
| Don Grolnick | George Benson, James Taylor, The Brecker Brothers, Bonnie |
| Raitt, Steely Dan, David Sanborn, Linda Ronstadt, Paul Simon | |
| Mike Garson | David Bowie, Stanley Clarke, Free Flight, Smashing Pumpkins, |
| Stan Getz, The Polyphonic Spree | |
| Brian Eno | Roxy Music, David Bowie, U2, Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, The |
| Neville Brothers, Depeche Mode, Talking Heads | |
| Alain Mallet | The Story, Jonatha Brooke, Paul Simon |
| Joe Sample | The Crusaders, Joe Sample, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Jonatha |
| Brooke, Ella Fitzgerald, Natalie Cole, B.B. King | |
| Ray Charles | Ray Charles |
| McCoy Tyner | John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Freddie Hubbard |
| Herbie Hancock | Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Quincy Jones, Jaco |
| Pastorius, Mick Jagger, Bonnie Raitt, Pat Metheny, Milton | |
| Nascimento, Chick Corea, Joni Mitchell | |
| Larry Knetchel | The Beach Boys, The Monkees, Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, Jerry |
| Garcia, The Dixie Chicks | |
| Rick Wakeman | Yes, Rick Wakeman, David Bowie |
| Paul McCartney | The Beatles, Paul McCartney |
| Keith Emerson | ELP, The Nice, Rod Stewart |
| Dr John | Dr John, David Fathead Newman, Rickie Lee Jones, The Neville |
| Brothers, B.B. King, Edie Brickell, Buddy Guy | |
| Sheryl Crow | Sheryl Crow, Neil Finn, The Dixie Chicks |
| Larry Dunn | Earth, Wind & Fire, Ramsey Lewis, Ronnie Laws |
| Peter Gabriel | Peter Gabriel, Laurie Anderson, Robert Fripp, Robbie Robertson, |
| Youssou N'Dour | |
| John Paul Jones | Led Zeppelin, Donovan, Wings, Peter Gabriel, Foo Fighters |
| Lis Coleman | Prince, Wendy & Lisa, Neil Finn, Michael Penn, Seal, Gwen |
| Stefani | |
| Spooner Oldham | Bob Dylan, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Neil Young, Linda |
| Ronstadt | |
| David Paich | Toto, Jackson Browne, Seals & Crofts, Don Henley, Steely Dan, |
| Bob Weir, Tom Scott, Randy Newman, Michael Jackson, Pink, | |
| Elton John | |
| Jai Winding | Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, Warren Zevon, Jackson Browne, Barbra |
| Streisand, Kenny Loggins | |
| Charlie Lowell | Jars Of Clay, Lincoln Brewster, David Wilcox |
| Steve Walsh | Kansas |
| Kerry Livgren | Kansas, Kerry Livgren, David Pack |
| Jyro Xhan | Crystal Lewis, Rita Springer |
| Neil Larsen | Neil Larsen, Rickie Lee Jones, George Harrison, Roy Buchanan, |
| Tim Weisberg, Robben Ford, Diana Krall | |
| Michael Omartian | Steely Dan, Rickie Lee Jones, Susan Ashton, Seals & Crofts, |
| Andrae Crouch, Amy Grant, Shania Twain, Eric Clapton | |
| Greg Mathieson | Larry Carlton, Joe Cocker, Rickie Lee Jones, Lee Ritenour, Jimmy |
| Cliff | |
| Alan Pasqua | Giant, Bob Dylan, Carlos Santana, Tom Scott, Larry Carlton, |
| Bryan Duncan, Peter Erskine, Allan Holdsworth | |
| Russell Ferante | The Yellowjackets, Rickie Lee Jones, Tim Weisberg, Robben |
| Ford, Joni Mitchell, Ernie Watts | |
| Art Neville | The Meters, The Neville Brothers, Daniel Lanois, Robbie |
| Robertson, Edie Brickell, Gin Blossoms | |
| John Medeski | Medeski, Martin & Wood, John Scofield, Bela Fleck, Gov't Mule, |
| Blind Boys Of Alabama, Dar Williams, Steve Earle | |
| Tyrone Downie | Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Peter Tosh, Ziggy Marley |
| Lafayette Leake | Howlin Wolf, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson, |
| Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Little | |
| Walter | |
| Jimmy Smith | Jimmy Smith, King Curtis, Wes Montgomery, Michael Jackson, |
| Kenny Burrell | |
| Rod Argent | The Zombies, Argent, The Who, Nanci Griffith, Paul Carrack |
| Prince | Prince, Kate Bush, No Doubt |
| Larry Young | Larry Young, Miles Davis, John McLaughlin, Carlos Santana, Jimi |
| Hendrix, Jack Bruce | |
| Richard Tee | Paul Simon, Kenny Loggins, Hank Crawford, Quincy Jones, |
| Roberta Flack, The Average White Band, Joe Cocker, Aretha | |
| Franklin, Tom Scott, David Sanborn, Peter Gabriel, Al Green | |
| Paul Meany | Mute Math, Tobymac |
| John Baggott | Robert Plant, Portishead |
| John Bundrick | The Who, Mick Jagger |
| Pig Robbins | Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, Bob |
| Dylan, Joan Baez, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Randy Travis, | |
| George Jones, Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, Merle | |
| Haggard | |
| Richard Wright | Pink Floyd |
| Jeff Lynne | ELO, Tom Petty, George Harrison |
| Jon Cleary | Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, Ryan Adams |
| Ian McLagan | The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, The Small Faces, Rod Stewart, |
| Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, John Hiatt, Buddy Guy, Patty | |
| Griffin | |
| Roland Orzabel | Tears For Fears, Oleta Adams |
| Dave Gregory | XTC |
| Jack McDuff | Jack McDuff, King Curtis, Kenny Burrell, Etta James, Roy |
| Hargrove | |
| Kipper | Sting, Gary Numan |
| David Sancious | Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Stanley Clarke, Peter Gabriel, Seal, |
| Living Colour, Eric Clapton | |
| Donald Fagen | Steely Dan, Barbra Steisand, Poco, Phil Woods, Boz Scaggs |
| Bernie Worrell | Parliament, Funkadelic, Talking Heads, Gil Scott-Heron, Spin |
| Doctors, Robben Ford, Gov't Mule, The Pretenders | |
| Greg Hawkes | The Cars, Paul McCartney |
| Otis Spann | Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, Howlin Wolf, Chuck Berry, Sonny |
| Boy Williamson, Little Walter, Buddy Guy, Big Mama Thornton | |
| Thelonious Monk | Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, |
| Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, John Coltrane | |
| Victor Feldman | Miles Davis, Steely Dan, Dizzy Gillespie, Wes Montgomery, |
| Frank Zappa, James Taylor, Rickie Lee Jones, Tom Scott | |
| Paul Griffin | Steely Dan, King Curtis, George Benson, Bonnie Raitt, Bob |
| Dylan, Jimmy McGriff, Blues Traveler, Paul Simon | |
| Steve Winwood | Traffic, Steve Winwood, The Spencer Davis Group, Jimi Hendrix, |
| Blind Faith, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, Christina | |
| Aguilera | |
| Teppei Teranishi | Thrice, Dustin Kensrue |
| Clarence McDonald | James Taylor, Seals & Crofts, Ella Fitzgerald, Linda Ronstadt, |
| Sam & Dave, Tina Turner | |
| Jacknife Lee | U2, Snow Patrol, Bloc Party |
| Joe Zawinul | Weather Report, Miles Davis, David Fathead Newman, Dinah |
| Washington, Cannonball Adderly, Nancy Wilson | |
| Bill Champlin | Chicago, The Sons Of Champlin, Bob Weir |
| Pete Townshend | The Who, Pete Townshend |
| Chris Stainton | The Who, Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, The Alarm, B.B. King, Alvin |
| Lee, David Gilmour | |
| Phil Madeira | Susan Ashton, Phil Keaggy, Travis Tritt, Margaret Becker, Amy |
| Grant, Buddy Miller, Steven Curtis Chapman, Vanessa Williams, | |
| Sixpence None The Richer, Cindy Morgan, The Neville Brothers | |
| Bernard Harvey | Bob Marley, Burning Spear |
| Johnnie Johnson | Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, John Lee |
| Hooker, Linda Ronstadt, Aerosmith, Levon Helm | |
| Garth Hudson | Bob Dylan, The Band, Eric Clapton, David Lindley, The Call, |
| Michelle Shocked, Tom Petty, Norah Jones | |
| Korey Cooper | Skillet |
| Earl Lindo | Bob Marley, Taj Mahal, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear |
| Brent Mydland | The Grateful Dead, Bob Weir |
| Chester Thompson | Santana, Elton John, John Lee Hooker, Tower Of Power, Buddy |
| Guy, John McLaughlin | |
| Floyd Cramer | Marty Robbins, Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Floyd Cramer, Doc |
| Watson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Chet Atkins, Brenda Lee, | |
| Carl Perkins, Marty Robbins, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Roy | |
| Orbison | |
| Jimmy McGriff | Jimmy McGriff, Hank Crawford, Albert Collins, Dizzy Gillespie, |
| Buddy Rich | |
| Booker T Jones | Booker T & The MGs, Otis Redding, Stephen Stills |
| Thomas Dolby | Thomas Dolby, Foreigner, Joan Armatrading, Joni Mitchell, |
| Thompson Twins | |
| Sly Stone | Sly & The Family Stone, Elvin Bishop, Funkadelic |
| Greg Phillinganes | Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Donald Fagen, Chaka Khan, |
| Andrae Crouch, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, Lionel Richie, Kenny | |
| G, Mariah Carey, Bela Fleck, Babyface, Quincy Jones, Mick Jagger | |
| Lyle Mays | Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Joni Mitchell |
Much flattered to be mentioned on such an illustrious list. A couple suggestions you might enjoy: Larry Goldings whose versatility and creativity are virtually unmatched these days (Maceo Parker, James Taylor, Michael Brecker, etc…) Bob Mayo 1951-2004 known to most as the keyboard player on Peter Frampton comes alive, and of course Jorge Dalto whose session work with George Benson and so many others is classic. Jorge left us much too soon at 39 in 1987, and of course Kenny Kirkland, revered by all jazz pianists but whose work with Sting is nothing to spit at
Cheers
Alain
Very good additions Alain. I can’t believe I forgot about Kenny Kirkland. I’m sure there are some other fine players that I left off. I’ll add these right away. Thanks!
Rob,
Nice list! Let’s not forget Chris Stainton, Lyle Mays & Greg Phillinganes
Peace,
Neal
Ah, yes…I knew I forgot someone crucial…Lyle Mays is actually an influence on me and I left him of this list. Arrgh! Chris Stainton is there though-towards the end of the list. He’s one of the better keyboard players that people don’t talk about much. And Phillinganes is definitely worthy to be there, although not one of my personal favorites stylistically, he has played with as many heavyweights in the last 30 years or so as anybody. Thanks for the additions! I’ll put them up there right away.