| The Union | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Elton John and Leon Russell |
| Cover: | TU_cover.jpg |
| Alt: | In a room, Elton John and Leon Russell (holding a staff) sit on piano benches while next to pianos. A window is seen behind a piano with lighting shining out into the room. |
| Released: | 19 October 2010 |
| Recorded: | 20 November 2009 – March 2010 |
| Studio: | The Village (Los Angeles, California) |
| Genre: |
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| Length: |
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| Label: | |
| Producer: | T Bone Burnett |
| Chronology: | Elton John |
| Prev Year: | 2007 |
| Next Title: | Gnomeo & Juliet (Original Soundtrack) |
| Next Year: | 2011 |
The Union is a collaboration studio album by singer-songwriters Elton John and Leon Russell, released on 19 October 2010 in the US and on 25 October in the UK. This is John's second collaboration album, after 1993's Duets. This is the first studio release by John since 1979's Victim of Love without any of his regular band members. It is also his highest charting studio album on the Billboard 200 since 1976's Blue Moves, debuting at No. 3, as well as Russell's highest charting studio album since 1972's Carney. The Union was No. 3 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 30 Best Albums of 2010.[1]
The album features appearances by Booker T. Jones (on Hammond B-3), Neil Young (vocals), Robert Randolph (pedal steel), and Brian Wilson (vocal harmonies). This album was dedicated to Guy Babylon, John's keyboard player who died a year before its release.[2] "If It Wasn't for Bad" was nominated for the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and"Hey Ahab" became a staple in John's concert tours.
The Union received mostly positive reviews with critics praising it as some of the pair's best work to date. It reached No. 3 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 30 Best Albums of 2010.[3]
|+Nominations for The Union|2011 || "If It Wasn't for Bad" || Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals[4] || |-
vocals (1-15), piano (2-4, 6-15)
piano, vocals; backing vocals arrangement (1, 5, 7, 10, 16)
drums & percussion (1-9, 11-15)
drums & percussion (1-15)
beaded gourd (6)
acoustic bass (1-4, 6–10, 12-15)
bass guitar (5, 11)
bass guitar (5)
guitar (1-4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13-15), acoustic guitar (8)
electric guitar (3, 6, 12)
guitar (5, 11)
pedal steel (7)
Hammond B-3 organ (1, 5, 9, 11)
keyboards (1-15)
trumpet (1, 4, 5, 8, 11, 13), bass trumpet (1, 11, 13), horn arrangements & conductor (1, 4, 5, 8, 11, 13)
trombone (1, 4, 11), baritone (1, 4, 11)
backing vocals & backing vocals arrangement on "When Love Is Dying"
vocals on "Gone to Shiloh"
backing vocals (1, 3, 8, 10, 12, 16), tambourine (10)
backing vocals (2, 6, 9, 12, 15)
backing vocals (2, 6, 9, 12, 15)
backing vocals (1-3, 5–10, 12-16)
Technical personnel