Remember Leon Russell,  the wispy keyboardist whom you may recall from George Harrison’s 1971 Concert for Bangladesh, singing a medley of the Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and the ’50s hit “Young Blood?” That guy made a winning performance at the Grammys.

On Sunday’s event, the band Zac Brown opened a performance with a rendition of “America the Beautiful.” Russell joined in with his piano and the band sang their hit, “Chicken Fried.”

Leon Russell is born Claude Russell Bridges in Oklahoma in 1942. He began his career as a keyboardist in nightclubs of Tulsa during his early teens. He moved to LA and joined Phil Spector’s legendary team of session musicians.

He also wrote songs, his first hit being Joe Cocker’s take on “Delta Lady.” Some of his other songs which also found fame were “Superstar,” co-written with Bonnie Bramlett, which was later rendered by the Carpenters, Luther Vandross and Sonic Youth; and “A Song for You,” which has been covered by Donny Hathaway, Christina Aguilera and many others.

(story & image via MTV)