May 3, 2023: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced that Al Kooper was inducted! Visit their new Al Kooper page.
You know his defining Hammond organ sound on classic Dylan.
And you may know Flute Thing, just one of the lyrical works he created with The Blues Project.
And then there is the haunting French horn on the Stones' You Can't Always Get What You Want. That's also Al.
There is the powerhouse rock of Lynyrd Skynyrd, whom he discovered and produced.
And along the line, Al played on recordings by Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Paul Butterfield, BB King, Tom Petty and dozens more.
And, if you are old enough, you walked along singing This Diamond Ring, which went to number one in 1965. Al co-wrote that in his days as songsmith at 1650 Broadway, in New York City.
Al's autobiography is a compelling look into the life of a rock star who was there at countless history-making moments. Read about the latest, updated version, which is available at Amazon and other stores.
Al did two terrific interviews with John Kruth on Kill Me Now: Part 1 and Part 2.
Read what other music biz people say about Al, including Tom Petty, Joe Walsh, BB King, Pete Townshend, and Mavis Staples. Some of these folks inspired Al, he then inspired and mentored others on this list. And don't miss what author Amy Tan says. There are 29 testimonials here, and you'll be surprised at some of the names. Check it out.
Announcing a NEW Al Kooper podcast, with the surprising title "KooperKast". Hear Al tell stories like nobody else.
Some of these stories are in Al's book, but hearing Al tell them brings them to life in 3D: adventures with Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Tom Petty, and much more.
Bob Dylan’s 40 Favourite Books: