This Thursday, Sarah Popejoy is set to record at the world class, “The Church Studio” formally owned by the famous Leon Russell. One of the three songs she will be recording there is a song about Leon that Sarah wrote, called, “Leon, This Song is For You”. The songs are a part of the historical collection of songs Sarah is working on about Oklahoma, called The Oklahoma Storyteller.
Musicians set to be on the Leon Russell Song include Spencer Sutton on piano, Brandon Autry on lead guitar, Tammy Mitchell-Woods on drums, Gene Morrison on bass, Casii Stephan with background vocals, and Sarah Popejoy with acoustic guitar and lead vocals.
Sarah Popejoy Photo Credit: Dylan Johanson
MORE ABOUT LEON: Beginning his career as a session musician, he had played keys on albums such as Frank Sinatra, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, BB King, and Joe Cocker to name a few. Later hits including “Tight Rope”, “Delta Lady”, and “A Song for You” among many more. At his Rock n Roll Hall of Fame introduction, Elton John named Leon his biggest musical influence.
Sarah Popejoy, a singer-songwriter born and raised in Broken Arrow, OK, moved to Nashville at the age of 23. Sarah worked doubles on weekends as a geriatric nurse to help fuel her passion for honing her craft during the week. “I have learned a tremendous amount in caring for the elderly about life, and I believe that has spilled over into my writing.” Sarah continues to work as a geriatric nurse during the pandemic. In 2014, Sarah moved back home to Oklahoma, a few years later the local news started reporting the story of the “Tulsa Race Massacre”. “I had heard about a “Riot” that happened growing up in the Tulsa area, but never the details of the Tulsa Race Massacre. I was most upset that growing up here I didn’t know anything about it. I had already had the idea of writing an album about Oklahoma's historical people and events, but I was then determined to learn more about those horrible acts on May 31st and June 1st, 1921. That was how this song came about, I wanted to do my part in telling the story and getting the word out there.”
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