Al Kooper

{{Short description|American songwriter, record producer and musician (born 1944)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Al Kooper

| image = Al Kooper 22A.jpg

| caption = Kooper in 2009

| birth_name = Alan Peter Kuperschmidt

| alias = Roosevelt Gook

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|02|05}}

| birth_place = New York City, U.S.

| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|keyboards|guitar|bass|percussion|mandolin}}

| genre = {{hlist|Blues|R&B|pop|rock}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Musician|songwriter|producer}}

| years_active = 1958–2021

| label = {{hlist|ABC|Columbia|United Artists}}

| past_member_of = {{ubl|The Blues Project|Blood, Sweat & Tears|The Royal Teens}}

| website = {{URL|alkooper.com}}

}}

Al Kooper (born Alan Peter Kuperschmidt; February 5, 1944) is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician. Throughout much of the 1960s and 1970s he was a prolific studio musician, including playing organ on the Bob Dylan song "Like a Rolling Stone", French horn and piano on the Rolling Stones song "You Can't Always Get What You Want", and lead guitar on Rita Coolidge's "The Lady's Not for Sale". He also formed and named Blood, Sweat & Tears, though he did not stay with the group long enough to share in its subsequent popularity.{{Cite web |title=Gary James' Interview With Al Kooper |url=http://www.classicbands.com/AlKooperInterview.html |access-date=2024-04-01 |website=www.classicbands.com}} Kooper produced a number of one-off collaboration albums, such as the Super Session album that saw him work separately with guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills.

In the 1970s Kooper was a successful manager and producer, recording Lynyrd Skynyrd's first three albums. He has had a successful solo career, writing music for film soundtracks, and has lectured in musical composition. Kooper was selected for induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.

Early life

Kooper was Alan Peter Kuperschmidt born in Brooklyn, New York City, on February 5, 1944.{{cite book |last=Strong |first=Martin C. |title=The Great Rock Discography |publisher=Mojo Books |location=Edinburgh, UK |edition=5th |year=2000 |pages=543–544 |isbn=1-84195-017-3}}{{cite news|title=UPI Almanac for Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025|work=UPI|date=February 5, 2025|accessdate=February 6, 2025|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2025/02/05/UPI-Almanac-for-Wednesday-Feb-5-2025/7071738722532/}} He grew up in a Jewish family in Hollis Hills, Queens.{{cite web |last=Wilentz |first=Sean |title=Like a Rolling Stone: Rock legend Al Kooper opens up to Princeton's Sean Wilentz about making music with Bob Dylan, and more |url=http://tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/music/128616/like-a-rolling-stone |website=Tabletmag.com |publisher=Nextbook Inc. |date=April 8, 2013 |access-date=May 10, 2015}}{{dead link|date=February 2025}}{{cite web |url=https://www.limusichalloffame.org/inductees/al-kooper/ |access-date=6 March 2025 |title=Al Kooper - Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame |date=November 6, 2017 }}

Career

=Professional debut=

Kooper's first professional work was as a 14-year-old guitarist in the Royal Teens, best known for their 1958 ABC Records novelty song "Short Shorts" (although Kooper did not play on that recording).[http://www.furious.com/perfect/alkooper.html Friedman, Tyler, "Al Kooper: An Appreciation"], Perfect Sound Forever, April 2007) In 1960, he teamed up with songwriters Bob Brass and Irwin Levine to write and record demos for Sea-Lark Music Publishing. The trio's biggest hits were "This Diamond Ring", recorded by Gary Lewis and the Playboys, and "I Must Be Seeing Things", recorded by Gene Pitney (both 1965). When he was 21, Kooper moved to Greenwich Village in Manhattan.

=With Bob Dylan=

He first performed with Bob Dylan playing the Hammond organ riffs on "Like a Rolling Stone".{{Cite book |last1=Luhrssen |first1=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=phsIDgAAQBAJ |title=Encyclopedia of Classic Rock |last2=Larson |first2=Michael |date=2017-02-24 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-4408-3514-8 |language=en}} He had been invited to watch the recording by producer Tom Wilson. In those recording sessions, Kooper met and befriended Mike Bloomfield, whose guitar playing he admired. He worked with Bloomfield for several years. In 1965, Kooper played with Dylan in concert and played Hammond organ with Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival and in the recording studio in 1965 and 1966. He played organ once again with Dylan during his 1981 world tour.

=The Blues Project and Blood, Sweat & Tears=

File:Al Kooper organist circa 1966.jpg

Kooper joined the Blues Project as their keyboardist in 1965. He left the band shortly before their gig at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, although he did play a solo set, as evidenced by The Criterion Collection Blu-ray extended edition of the event.

{{cite web

| first1 = D.A.

| last1 = Pennebaker

| title = MONTEREY POP Outtakes: Al Kooper

| website = The Criterion Collection

| url = https://www.criterionchannel.com/videos/outtakes-al-kooper

| access-date = 14 January 2024

| location = New York

| date = 2017

}} He formed Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1967, leaving due to creative differences in 1968, after the release of the group's first album, Child Is Father to the Man.{{cite book |last=Tobler |first=John |title=NME Rock 'N' Roll Years |publisher=Reed International Books Ltd |location=London |edition=1st |year=1992 |page=232 |id=CN 5585}} He recorded Super Session with Bloomfield and Stephen Stills in 1968,{{cite book |last=Tobler |first=John |title=NME Rock 'N' Roll Years |publisher=Reed International Books Ltd |location=London |edition=1st |year=1992 |page=259 |id=CN 5585}} and in 1969 he collaborated with 15-year-old guitarist Shuggie Otis on the album Kooper Session. In 1972, he rejoined The Blues Project at a charity concert promoted by Bruce Blakeman at Valley Stream Central High School.

=Other work=

==As musician==

Kooper has played on hundreds of records, including ones by the Rolling Stones, B.B. King, the Who, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Alice Cooper, and Cream. On occasion he overdubbed his own efforts, as on The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper and other albums, under the pseudonym "Roosevelt Gook".{{cite web |title=Tom Rush's "Take a Little Walk with Me" Liner Notes |url=http://www.richieunterberger.com/takealittle.html |url-status=live |website=Richieunterberger.com |access-date=November 17, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101128120655/http://richieunterberger.com/takealittle.html |archive-date=November 28, 2010}}

==As record producer==

In 1969, Kooper produced, arranged, and conducted the album Appaloosa, a "folk-baroque" style of music that combined rock and classical. Among other artists who were all arranging folk-oriented material with classical-influenced orchestration were Judy Collins, Donovan, Tim Hardin, and Tom Rush. Kooper was joined by Boston musicians John Parker Compton, singer and acoustic guitarist, Robin Batteau on violin, Eugene Rosov on cello, and David Reiser on electric bass. Contributing to the album was saxophonist Fred Lipsius and Blood, Sweat & Tears drummer Bobby Colomby.{{cite web |title=Liner Notes for Appaloosa's "Appaloosa" |url=http://www.richieunterberger.com/appaloosa.html |website=Richieunterberger.com |access-date=April 6, 2021}} After moving to Atlanta in 1972, he discovered the band Lynyrd Skynyrd, and produced and performed on their first three albums, including the singles "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird". In 1975 he produced the debut album of the Tubes.

==TV scores==

Kooper wrote the scores for the TV series Crime Story and the film The Landlord, as well as several made-for-television movies. He was the musical force behind many pop tunes, including "You're the Lovin' End", for The Banana Splits, a children's television program.

==Studio==

In the late 1980s, Kooper had his own dedicated keyboard studio in the historic Sound Emporium recording studio in Nashville, next to Studio B.

==Rock Bottom Remainders==

Kooper's status as a published author enabled him to join (and act as musical director of) the Rock Bottom Remainders, a band made up of writers including Dave Barry, Barbara Kingsolver, Stephen King, Amy Tan, and Matt Groening.

==New Music For Old People==

Kooper wrote a column called "New Music For Old People" for the online publication The Morton Report{{cite web | last=Sigman | first=Michael | title=Amazing Playlists From A Legend Who Worked With Dylan And The Stones | website=HuffPost | date=2012-06-25 | url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/for-al-kooper-everything_b_1621242 | access-date=2024-12-28}} from April 2014 to April 2015. This later led to a radio show by the same name, which began in October 2018, for Martha's Vineyard community radio station WVVY-LP. The first 11 editions can be found online.

==Magazine writer==

Kooper profiled Steve Martin for Crawdaddy Magazine in 1977.

==Kooperkast==

Kooper's podcast, Kooperkast, started in late 2020. Hosted by webmaster Jon Sachs, Kooper discusses his experiences in his more than 60 years in the music industry, including his solo albums, Bob Dylan and Lynyrd Skynyrd. He answers questions that can be submitted on the Kooperkast page on his website.{{Cite web |title=The Website of Al Kooper |url=https://alkooper.com/kooperkast.html |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=alkooper.com}}

=Honors, awards, and legacy=

File:Kooper at keyboards 2013.jpg

In May 2001, Kooper was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music in Boston.{{cite web|url=http://www.mixonline.com/news/profiles/elvin-jones-al-kooper-receive-honorary-doctorates/375416|title=Elvin Jones, Al Kooper Receive Honorary Doctorates - Mixonline|website=Mixonline.com|date=October 8, 2001 |access-date=October 24, 2017}} He taught songwriting and recording production there. He plays weekend concerts with his bands the ReKooperators and the Funky Faculty. In 2008, he participated in the production of the album Psalngs,{{cite web |title=The Music of John Lefebvre |url=https://johnlefebvre.com/music/ |url-status=dead |access-date=April 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100307044235/http://www.psalngs.com/press/releases/psalngs-pr.html |archive-date=March 7, 2010}} the debut release of Canadian musician John Lefebvre.

Kooper was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, in Nashville, in 2008.{{cite magazine |last=Kreps |first=Daniel |title=Kid Rock, Keith Richards Help Induct Crickets, Muscle Shoals into Musicians Hall of Fame |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/kid-rock-keith-richards-help-induct-crickets-muscle-shoals-into-musicians-hall-of-fame-20081029 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=October 29, 2008 |access-date=April 19, 2014 |archive-date=October 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008041851/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/kid-rock-keith-richards-help-induct-crickets-muscle-shoals-into-musicians-hall-of-fame-20081029 |url-status=dead }}

In 2005, Martin Scorsese produced a documentary titled No Direction Home: Bob Dylan for the PBS American Masters Series, in which Kooper's contributions are recognized.

In 2023, Kooper was selected for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Award for Musical Excellence category.{{cite magazine |last1=Graff |first1=Gary |title=Al Kooper Is 'Quite Surprised and Amused' by 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/al-kooper-2023-rock-roll-hall-of-fame-2023-induction-1235320768/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=8 May 2023 |date=3 May 2023}}

Memoir

Kooper published a memoir, Backstage Passes: Rock 'n' Roll Life in the Sixties (1977), which was revised and published as Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards: Memoirs of a Rock 'n' Roll Survivor (1998). The revised edition includes indictments of "manipulators" in the music industry, including his one-time business manager, Stan Polley. An updated edition, including supplementary material, was published by Backbeat Books in 2008.{{cite web |title=Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards: Memoirs of a Rock 'N' Roll Survivor|url=https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781617745362/Backstage-Passes-and-Backstabbing-Bastards-Memoirs-of-a-Rock-'N'-Roll-Survivor |website=rowman.com}}

Discography

=Solo=

==Studio albums==

I Stand Alone (February 1969)
You Never Know Who Your Friends Are (October 1969)
Easy Does It (September 1970)
New York City (You're a Woman) (June 1971)
A Possible Projection of the Future / Childhood's End (April 1972)
Naked Songs (1973)
Act Like Nothing's Wrong (January 1977)
Championship Wrestling (featuring Jeff "Skunk" Baxter) (1982)
Rekooperation (June 1994)
Black Coffee (August 2005)
White Chocolate (2008)

==Live albums==

Soul of a Man (February 1995)

==Soundtracks==

The Landlord: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (with the Staple Singers and Lorraine Ellison)

==Compilation albums==

Al's Big Deal – Unclaimed Freight (An Al Kooper Anthology) (1975)
Rare and Well Done: The Greatest and Most Obscure Recordings 1964–2001 (2001)
50/50 (50 Tracks/50 Years) (2008)

=Collaborations=

Super Session (with Stephen Stills and Mike Bloomfield) (1968)
The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper (February 1969)
Fillmore East: The Lost Concert Tapes 12/13/68 (with Mike Bloomfield, recorded 1968, issued April 2003)
Kooper Session: Super Session Vol. 2 (with Shuggie Otis) (1969)
Johnnie B. Live (with Johnnie Johnson) (1997)

=Other appearances=

class="wikitable" !Year !Artist !Album name !Role(s)
1965	rowspan ="2"\| Bob Dylan	Highway 61 Revisited	Piano, organ
rowspan ="4"\| 1966	Blonde on Blonde	Organ, guitar
Tom Rush	Take a Little Walk with Me	Electric guitar, celesta, liner notes
rowspan ="3"\| The Blues Project	Live at The Cafe Au Go Go	Organ, vocals
Projections	Keyboards, vocals
rowspan ="2"\| 1967	The Blues Project Live at Town Hall	Keyboards
\|The Who	The Who Sell Out	Organ
rowspan ="3"\|1968	Blood, Sweat and Tears	Child is Father to the Man	Organ, piano, vocals, ondioline
\|The Jimi Hendrix Experience	Electric Ladyland	Piano
rowspan ="2"\|Don Ellis	Autumn	rowspan ="2"\| Producer
rowspan ="3"\|1969	The New Don Ellis Band Goes Underground
The Rolling Stones	Let It Bleed	piano, French horn and organ
B.B. King	Live & Well	Piano
rowspan ="2"\|1970	rowspan ="2"\|Bob Dylan	Self Portrait	Guitar, horn, keyboards
\|New Morning	Organ, piano, electric guitar, French horn
rowspan ="3"\|1971	The Who	Who's Next	Hammond organ
\|Bo Diddley	Another Dimension	Keyboards, guitar
rowspan ="2"\|Rita Coolidge	Nice Feelin'	Organ
1972	The Lady's Not for Sale	Lead guitar
rowspan ="4"\|1973	Betty Wright	Hard To Stop	Arranger, composer, keyboards, main personnel
Frankie & Johnny{{efn\|Al Kooper, Frank Ruby and John Paul Fetta.}}	The Sweetheart Sampler	Producer
\|Atlanta Rhythm Section	Back Up Against the Wall	Synthesiser, ARP
rowspan ="2"\|Lynyrd Skynyrd	Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd	Producer, engineer, bass, Mellotron, back-up harmony, mandolin, bass drum, organ
rowspan ="2"\|1974	Second Helping	Producer, backing vocals, piano
Roger McGuinn	Peace on You	Guitar, piano, clavinet, arrangements, conductor
rowspan ="2"\|1975	Lynyrd Skynyrd	Nuthin' Fancy	rowspan ="2"\|Producer
\|The Tubes	The Tubes
rowspan ="2"\|1979	Leo Sayer	Here	Organ, synthesizer, keyboards, performer
4 on the Floor	4 on the Floor	Producer
rowspan ="2"\|1981	George Harrison	Somewhere in England	Keyboards, synthesisers
\|Ringo Starr	Stop and Smell the Roses	Piano, electric guitar
1985	rowspan ="2"\|Bob Dylan	Empire Burlesque	Rhythm guitar
1986	Knocked Out Loaded	Keyboards
1989	Roy Orbison	Mystery Girl	Organ
1990	Bob Dylan	Under the Red Sky	Hammond organ, keyboards
rowspan ="2"\|1991	Dave Sharp	Hard Traveling	Guest artist
\|Green On Red	Scapegoats	Producer
\|1996	Neil Diamond	Tennessee Moon	Hammond organ
1998	Phoebe Snow	I Can't Complain	Guest artist, Hammond organ
2000	Dan Penn	Blue Nite Lounge	Keyboards
2000	Peter Parcek	Evolution	Keyboards{{cite web\|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/peter-parcek-mn0000713167/biography\|title=Peter Parcek \| Biography & History\|website=AllMusic\|access-date=April 5, 2021}}
2003	Chris Catena	Freak Out	Guest artist, Keyboards
2010	Peter Parcek	The Mathematics of Love	Keyboards

==Sources==

Mike Bloomfield, Me and Big Joe, Re/Search Publications, 1999, {{ISBN|1-889307-05-X}}, {{ISBN|978-1-889307-05-3}}.
Jan Mark Wolkin and Bill Keenom, Michael Bloomfield -- If You Love These Blues: An Oral History, Backbeat Books, 2000, {{ISBN|978-0-87930-617-5}} (with CD of unissued music).
Ken Brooks, The Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper with Paul Butterfield and David Clayton Thomas, Agenda, 1999, {{ISBN|1-899882-90-1}}, {{ISBN|978-1-899882-90-8}}.
Al Kooper, Backstage Passes: Rock 'n' Roll Life in the Sixties, Stein & Day, 1977, {{ISBN|0-8128-2171-8}}, {{ISBN|978-0-8128-2171-0}}.
Al Kooper, Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards: Memoirs of a Rock 'n' Roll Survivor (updated ed.), Billboard Books, 1998, {{ISBN|0-8230-8257-1}}, {{ISBN|978-0823082575}}.
Al Kooper, Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards (new ed.), Hal Leonard, 2008, {{ISBN|0-87930-922-9}}, {{ISBN|978-0-87930-922-0}}.
Ed Ward, Michael Bloomfield: The Rise and Fall of an American Guitar Hero, Cherry Lane Books,1983, {{ISBN|0-89524-157-9}}, {{ISBN|978-0895241573}}.

Notes

References

External links

[http://www.alkooper.com/ Official Al Kooper website]
[https://www.myspace.com/httpwwwmyspacecomallkooper Al Kooper's Myspace page with Bio]
[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1625760 Extensive audio interview with Terry Gross on NPR's 'Fresh Air' program, January 3, 2004]

Category:1944 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American keyboardists

Category:American male organists

Category:American session musicians

Category:American multi-instrumentalists

Category:American rock singers

Category:Songwriters from New York (state)

Category:Berklee College of Music faculty

Category:Martin Van Buren High School alumni

Category:Musicians from Brooklyn

Category:Blood, Sweat & Tears members