Paul Griffin (August 6, 1937 - June 14, 2000) was an American pianist and session musician who recorded with hundreds of musicians from the 1950s to the 1990s.
Born in Harlem, New York, he began as the touring pianist in the backing band for King Curtis and eventually worked with Bob Dylan, Steely Dan, Don McLean, the Isley Brothers, Van Morrison, the Shirelles, and Dionne Warwick. He may be best known for his colourful and distinctive playing on the Bob Dylan albums Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde, and also on Steely Dan's Aja. He is extensively featured playing a virtuoso performance of gospel piano on Don McLean's single, "American Pie", and Paul Simon's "Tenderness".[1] He is credited as co-author of the song "The Fez" on Steely Dan's The Royal Scam.
He was an arranger for The Warriors (1979) and Four Friends (1981) and performed in On Location: Robert Klein at Yale (1982) and on the soundtrack for Blue Sunshine (1976).
He died of a heart attack at his home in New York at the age of 62, suffering from complications of diabetes. He was awaiting a liver transplant at the time of his death.[2] [3]
With Bob Dylan
With Dion DiMucci
With George Benson
With Tom Rush
With Wilson Pickett
With Michael Franks
With John Denver
With Peter, Paul and Mary
With Al Kooper
With David Clayton-Thomas
With Gloria Loring
With Melba Moore
With LaVern Baker
With Janis Siegel
With Solomon Burke
With Jackie Lomax
With Steely Dan
With Marlena Shaw
With Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
With John Lennon and Yoko Ono
With Don McLean
With Carly Simon
With Roberta Flack
With Judy Collins
With Cheryl Lynn
With Gloria Gaynor
With Stephanie Mills
With Donald Fagen
With Yoko Ono
With Van Morrison
With Paul Simon
With Garland Jeffreys
With Aretha Franklin
With Bonnie Raitt
With Laura Nyro
With The Free Design