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 session musician for most of his career.[6] Hopkins's studies were interrupted in 1960 when he left school at 16 to become the pianist with Screaming Lord Sutch's Savages until, two years later, he and fellow Savages Bernie Watson, Rick Brown (aka Ricky Fenson) and Carlo Little joined the renowned blues harmonica player Cyril Davies, who had just left Blues Incorporated, and became the Cyril Davies (R&B) All-Stars.[4] Hopkins played piano on their first single, Davies's much-admired theme tune "Country Line Special".[7]
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]
The Rolling Stones
Hopkins played with the Rolling Stones on all their studio albums from Their Satanic Majesties Request in 1967 through until Tattoo You in 1981, except for Some Girls (1978). Hopkins first session with a member of the Rolling Stones was on the A Degree of Murder soundtrack, with Brian Jones, in February 1967. Hopkins' first sessions with the Rolling Stones as a band were also in 1967, from May 17 to 22, where he contributed prominent piano parts on "We Love You" and "She's a Rainbow". Hopkins added further significant piano parts to "Sympathy for the Devil", "No Expectations", and "Salt of the Earth" (1968), "Gimme Shelter" and "Monkey Man" (1969), "Sway" (1971), "Loving Cup" and "Ventilator Blues" (1972), "Coming Down Again", "Angie", and "Winter" (1973), "Time Waits for No One" (1974), "Fool to Cry" (1976), and "Waiting on a Friend" (recorded 1972, released in 1981). When working with the band during their critical and commercial zenith in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Hopkins tended to be employed on a wide range of songs, including ballads, up-tempo rockers and acoustic material; conversely, longtime de facto Stones keyboardist Ian Stewart only played on traditional major keyblues rock numbers of his choice, while Billy Preston often featured on soul- and funk-influenced tunes. Hopkins's work with the Rolling Stones is prominent on their 1972 studio album, Exile on Main St., where he contributed a variety of musical styles, often playing the main melodic part. Hopkins plays on 14 of the album's 18 tracks, giving him a greater presence than full time Rolling Stone Bill Wyman, who only contributed to nine of the songs.[10]
Along with Ry Cooder, Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts, Hopkins released the 1972 album Jamming with Edward! It was recorded in 1969, during the Stones' Let It Bleed sessions, when guitarist Keith Richards was not present in the studio. The eponymous "Edward" was an alias of Nicky Hopkins derived from studio banter with Brian Jones.[11] It was also incorporated into the title of Hopkins's instrumental song "Edward, the Mad Shirt Grinder", recorded with Quicksilver Messenger Service and released on Shady Grove in December 1969. Hopkins also contributed to the Jamming With Edward! cover art.
Hopkins contemplated forming his own band with multi-instrumentalist Pete Sears and drummer Prairie Prince around this time but decided against it after the Stones tour. Hopkins failed to make the Rolling Stones' 1973 European tour, possibly due to ill health. For the 1989 Steel Wheels tour Hopkins was considered but the band settled for Chuck Leavell and Matt Clifford instead, according to Hopkins this was due to insecurities regarding his frail health. After this, aside from a guest appearance in 1978, Hopkins did not play live on stage with the Stones again.[citation needed]
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 New York Times interview in 1995, shortly after Hopkins' death. Davies said that Hopkins would "only play when necessary" but still made important differences in the track once it was finally mixed. He also respected Hopkins because of his earlier work, such as playing on "Country Line Special".[8]
The Who
Hopkins was first invited to join the Who by Shel Talmy in 1965, while recording their debut album My Generation. His trademark licks and fills bounced effortlessly off the rest of the band and he received a rare songwriting co-credit for the riotous instrumental "The Ox". Due to the band breaking ties with Shel Talmy, he didn't record again with the band until the quirky single "Dogs" in 1968. However he was front and centre for the Who's Next album in 1971, contributing massively to "Song is Over" and "Getting in Tune". In addition, during those sessions he played on the single "Let's See Action" as well as "Too Much of Anything". His worth and repute among fellow musicians was such that Pete Townshend offered him a full-time role in the band, though he later couldn't remember saying this.[17]
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.
Solo albums and soundtrack work
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]
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.
Quicksilver Messenger Service in January 1970, with Hopkins second from right
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 lived in Mill Valley, California, for several years. During this time he worked with several local bands and continued to record in San Francisco. One of his complaints throughout his career was that he did not receive royalties from any of his recording sessions, because of his status at the time as merely a "hired hand", as opposed to pop stars with agents.[citation needed]
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 Church of Scientology-affiliated Narconon rehabilitation program with curing his drug and alcohol addiction so he ultimately remained a Scientologist for the rest of his life.[28] As a result of his religious affiliation, he contributed to several of L. Ron Hubbard's musical recordings.[citation needed]
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]
Legacy and recognition
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]
On what would have been Hopkins' 75th birthday (24 February 2019), the Nicky Hopkins Scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music was created, and on 19 October 2019, a commemorative plaque on his childhood home, 38 Jordan Road, Perivale, donated by the Ealing Council and Ealing Civic Society, was unveiled.[35][36]
The Session Man documentary
In 2021, it was announced that a documentary about Nicky's life, called The Session Man, was in production.[37][38] The film's world premiere opened Doc'n Roll Film Festival 2023 at The Barbican Centre on 26 October 2023[39] for which it was nominated for a Doc’n Roll Jury Award – Best Music Doc of 2023.[40] The film was also screened at the Berlin Independent Film Festival 2024 where it won a Low Budget Feature award.[41] The Session Man was digitally released in the USA on demand on November 5, 2024.[42][43][44]
^Hoffmann, Frank W. (ed.) (rev. 2005). Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound, p. 83. CRC Press. ISBN0-415-93835-X
^"Beck Ola". Rolling Stone. 9 August 1969. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
^"Beck Ola". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
^|Callahan, Mike; Eyries, Patrice & Edwards, Dave (25 March 2008). "Tetragrammaton Album Discography". Both Sides Now Publications. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
