As a fan of creative uses of language, I have to give props to any singer who can have a bona fide hit that includes a recurring simile comparing someone to a "rubberneck giraffe." I mean, that's madcap, brilliant stuff, yet Leon Russell's "Tight Rope" ended up knocking on the door of the Top 10 when it came out in 1972.
But the reason you should affix a giant gold star next to Russell's name on your list for Riverbend shows this evening isn't rooted in dexterous use of figurative language or even a trademark, snowy white beard that probably makes Billy Gibbons and Gandalf jealous.
No, this Oklahoman Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee has a little more to offer than that.
During an almost 60-year career, Russell has released more than 35 albums, including "The Union," which he made in collaboration with Sir Elton John, who has cited him as an early influence. In 2010, I was fortunate enough to see both of them during a joint appearance in Chattanooga at McKenzie Arena as part of their tour for "The Union."
Russell opened the evening, walking out on stage in a camel brown suit and white cowboy hat. He sat down at the bench and ripped straight into "Tight Rope" and, even in his late 60s, he was a joy to watch. His voice had a distinctive, charming quality, like a higher-pitched, gravely Randy Newman, and his piano chops were bebopping along with joyful abandon.
There are plenty of Coke Stage selections who are one-trick ponies; you know precisely what you're going to get. But dig into Russell's catalog, and you'll discover he's the quintessential wild card. For more than half a century, he's defiantly avoided being hemmed in by the barbed wires of genre labels, wandering from Dixieland swamp pop to gospel-inflected rock and back with dalliances in bluegrass along the way.
So take advantage of Friends of the Festival's decision to double its bookings on the barge this year. Set up camp for Russell, enjoy what promises to be a wide-ranging, stylistic grab bag of a show, and you'll already have a spot saved for headliner Merle Haggard, who will make it a Sooner State two-fer at 9:30 p.m.
Contact Casey Phillips at cphillips@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6205. Follow his Riverbend coverage on Twitter at @PhillipsCTFP.