Great Organists in Rock

You'd include Garth Hudson-- The Band, as well

Des

Rick Wakeman of Yes (and, of course) Rick Wakeman fame.

Billy Preston. He played with Little Richard and The Beatles so that should make him a rock organist as well as his other exploits.

I think of Billy Preston as more of an electric pianist and didn't include him. Likewise, I think of Rick Wakeman as a synth master. Garth Hudson was an accidental omission.

jimmy Smith may be more Jazz but here and there could possibly be included.

Neil Larsen on Hammond B-3 Organ.

Just a killer jazz fusion solo artist with CDs Jungle Feaver and Through Any Window. Played mainly with artist Kenny Loggins, George Benson, Lenoard Cohen, Robben Ford, Buzz Feiten, Ricky Lee Jones and George Harrison.

Dunno how "great" they are (though I do enjoy many of the previously posted musicians)...here are a few of my favorites I don't think have been listed so far:

Matthew Fisher (Procol Harum)
Brian Auger
Rod Argent

ghosthouse and i are in complete agreement...add augie meyers, felix cavaliere, georgie fame, alan price.

it's keyboards, you really can't distinguish organ, electric piano, synthesier, really, that's ridiculous, even for here

To clarify: "Organ" usually means Hammond B3 or at least that tone regardless of what's generating it, and that's what distinguishes it. Even for here.

Jojo Hermann from Widespread Panic can tickle the ivories. Greg Rollie from Santana/Journey is great also.

Elton John

AF - I'll cover your EJ with a Billy Joel and raise it with a Joe Jackson (you enjoy being a provocateur dontcha!).

Tony Kaye of Yes. In fact one of the reasons he left the band was his unwillingness to experiment with new keyboard technologies.

Paul Carrack

Elton John is NOT an organist by any measure (insert lame pun here). Please stay "topic specific" or I'll stop the car and make you walk home.

Chester Thompson

Does Steve Nieve qualify? Alan Price for sure, as mentioned above.

If Billy Preston wasn't a Rock organist, "Grits ain't grocery, eggs ain't poultry, and Mona lisa was a man". He was referred to as "The 5th Beatle". Since I've always heard him on organ, I fail to see how anyone could think of him as an "electric pianist".

Pink Floyds Richard Wright I would add to your list.

Cheers

John Paul Jones

Elton John certainly has played with his share of organs!!

Seriously though, I wish Jon Lord well in his fight with cancer - best of luck to a true legend.

_Ben

Merl Saunders although probably more blues & R&B than rock

Chester Thompson, the drummer? Does he also play organ?
Or is there another Chester Thompson out there?

Marty

Rod Argent

Chester thompson the organist. He has played for Tower of Power, Santana etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMQo_MeJbFs&feature=related

b

Jan Hammer has to be on this list. His improv skills by themselves are phenomenal if you have ever seen him live!

Tom Coster, of Santana fame, has to be on this list.

Bill Payne - Little Feat
Reese Wynans - SRV
Jimmy Greenspoon - Three Dog Night

Hammond B3 is THE organ of merit.
No EJ jokes! Not mouth organ nor even skin flute.
Grow up, people!

chuck leavell he's got to be on the list. He's played with everybody.

All Hammond players - but then I am biased

Jean-Jacques Kravetz (Frumpy / solo)
Jeff Beer (Odin)
John Tout (Renaissance)
Vincent Crane (Atomic Rooster / Crazy World of Arthur Brown)
Paolo "Apollo" Negri (Wicked Minds / Link Quartet / solo)
Par Lindh
Pete Robinson (Quatermass)
Thomas Bodin (Flower Kings)
Mike Mangan (Big Organ Trio)
John Freund (Bigger Than a Breadbox)
John Novello (Niacin)
Graham Field (Fields / Rare Bird)
Julian Jay Savarin (Solo / Julian's Treatment)
Fred Hellman (Kvartetten Som Sprängde)
Gianluca Gerlini (London Underground)
Eric Malmberg (solo)
Gerald Dellmann (Satin Whale)
Oskar Lundström (Siena Root)
Tillbjörn Persson (Sound Express)
Terry Howells (Still Life)
Rick van der Linden (Trace / Ekseption)
Fred Van Zegveld (solo)

These all have shown to have superb skill either over the course of a career of perhaps on a single album.

Also see my list on RYM (if anyone's remotely interested)
http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Crazyworldof/hammond_fest

Richard Wright for Pink Floyd was the first keyboardist that came to mind - I dont know what type he played, but as far as contributing to a bands sound, I cant think of any other bands where the keyboards worked so well and didn't make it sound like funk-a-delic or the capton and tanell (SP) or something.

Billy Powell from Lyndard Skynard was great too at helping the bands sound and it still sounded like hard rock and not something light weight like elton john or barry manalow.

Generally, i hate keyboards in rock bands, but these are two examples where, imo, they worked very well.

Wow, no mention of Moe Denham.

Fail.

David Furnish(ed) Elton John an Organ and concieved another (barf)

^Oh Dear!

Jon Lord, Deep Purple...just noticed he was on your list sorry but had to chip in & machine head is going on next thanks 77jovian.

Graham Bond.

Hugh Banton.

His organ related credentials are perhaps unmatched among "rock organists".

Check out some of his low pipe organ like notes on the VDGG album "Still Life".

The late, great Richard Wright. Also, one of the finest synthesists of our time. It doesn't always have to be fast and furious to be virtuosic.

Vox / Peter Hammil of Van der Graff Generator.

Paul Shaffer. Enjoyed his playing 5 nights a week for last 30 years. How can ya beat that?

RIP-Jimmy Greenspoon

I was very sad to hear of Jimmy Greenspoon's death. While Three Dog Night was considered somewhat of a bubblegum band, the backing musicians were fantastic. Jimmy just put down a big cushion of sound, which supported the whole group. Listen to "Three Dog Night Live at the Forum" and you can hear him at his best, IMO.

Chayro-Your spot on!!! Floyd Sneed was also a world class musician that gets overlooked by many. I was too young at the time to appreciate the talent and diversity of Three Dog Night. I have recently delved into the discography and realize they are severely snubbed by critics and even(were smarter) audiophiles. Sometimes the masses get it right!

Dayglow- yes, Floyd Sneed was an incredible drummer and Alex Van Halen named Floyd as one of his influences, which is a pretty big admission for a "tough guy" hard rocker. Just check out the Forum album if you haven't already. The studio albums in no way capture their true sound.

one of my favorites: E. Power Biggs

. . . . he really rocks!

Gregg Rolie , of early Santana and Journey .

Rod Argent, if he hasn't already been mentioned yet.
John Evans, Jethro Tull.

2nd to John Paul Johns and
2nd to Hugh Banton