Book Al Kooper

Al Kooper is the American songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist whose fingerprints are on some of the most famous recordings in rock history. Starting as a teenage guitarist with the Royal Teens, he co-wrote "This Diamond Ring," a number one hit for Gary Lewis and the Playboys in 1965. That same year he played the unforgettable organ part on Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," and he later added French horn and piano to the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want." He founded and named Blood, Sweat & Tears, singing on their debut album, and created the landmark jam record Super Session (1968) with guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills. As a producer in the 1970s he discovered Lynyrd Skynyrd and produced their first three albums, including the classics "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama." His own albums include I Stand Alone (1968), Naked Songs (1972) and Black Coffee (2005). Kooper has written film and TV music, taught at the Berklee College of Music and was selected for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023, honoring a lifetime behind the scenes and in the spotlight.