I had the 5 names just from looking at the title. Clicked on it and laughed. Almost a perfect match, BigV. But I stick Elton in the #5 slot. Mike Garson could easily squeeze in but can't decide who to bounce to get him in.

Payne
Chuck
Dr. John
Powell
Elton

Practice Squad

Mike Garson
Jerry Lee Lewis

In no particular order...

Harry "The Hipster" Gibson
Little Richard
Jerry Lee Lewis
Leon Russell
Nicky Hopkins

Chuck Leavell
Bill Payne
Bruce Hornsby
Roy Brittan
Benmont Tench

Definitely Bill Payne, Chuck Leavell, and Dr. John. After that there are a lot of candidates for the 4th and 5th spots: Ray Charles, Elton John, Bruce Hornsby, Roy Bittan, Billy Preston, Rick Wakeman...on and on. Plus I can't resist a hat tip to Pinetop Perkins and Professor Longhair.

Bill Payne
Terry Adams

Chuck
Elton John
Billy Payne
Richard Manuel
Donald Fagan

Brother Chuck has arguably the most memorable piano solos in music history. He is at the top.

Jimmie Johnson
Ian Stewart
Nicky Hopkins
C Leavell
Hornsby

terry adams
nicky hopkins
johnny johnson
chuck leavell
leon russell
(all are subject to change depending on who i'm listening to at the time)

Good lists so far and I'd like to add Keith Godchaux

All who have been mentioned -- so many in jazz alone, Oscar Peterson perhaps foremost among them -- also the brilliant Benito Gonzalez of the Kenny Burrage Trio -- I've always really dug Johnny Neel's piano playing too --
call me loco but for all his showmanship Liberace, in the footage I've seen anyway, could really play -- good mention on Professor Longhair, there was a recent show about him on VPR -- from that era I love my Fats Waller tape too, Fats is an awesome pianist

it's gotta be Chuck tho, what a player

[Edited on 3/19/2016 by Stephen]

Brother Chuck has arguably the most memorable piano solos in music history. He is at the top.

I agree. He has the type of solos that people sing/scat along to. Or at least I do. 😛

My favorite part of Clapton's Unplugged is Chuck. Should be called Chuck Unplugged or at the very least Clapton/Leavell Pull The Plug.

1. Chuck Leavell
2. Nicky Hopkins
3. Elton John
4. Ian Stewart
5. Stevie Wonder

Chuck Leavell
Chris Stainton
Richard Manuel
Ian Stewart
Nicky Hopkins

Richard Manuel.

Glad to see lots of Nicky Hopkins. Underrated IMO.

Brother Chuck has arguably the most memorable piano solos in music history. He is at the top.

Yeah, this was a tough one for me. Chuck's magic is spread allover the place, from "Forever Blue" through his work with the Brothers (for me most notably, his solo on 9/73's Winterland, IMOER) The Black Crowes amazing acoustic "She talks to Angels", Clapton and finally the Stones, quite a resume. But there is something about the vibe or swagger in Billy Payne's playing, man I was hooked after one listen to the interplay on "Dixie Chicken" from WFC, and the opening notes....I know him only from the Feat, but he gets my vote.......Also an honorable mention to Bruce Hornsby....

tough one...

Leavell
that Rory Gallagher pianist (especially on Tatooed Lady)
that Tull pianist around Thick as Brick time
Skynard pianist
early Supertramp pianist & Procal Harum pianist (same timeframe)

never remember their names like other musicians for some reason

[Edited on 3/20/2016 by bettyhynes]

in no order

Chuck
Bill Payne
Prof Longhair
Ray Charles
Elton John

Keith G is a near miss

Ill bet NONE of the above ivory ticklers were THIS good at 11 years old. https://www.ted.com/talks/joey_alexander_an_11_year_old_prodigy_performs_ol d_school_jazz?language=en

that kid is amazing

that Rory Gallagher pianist

Lou Martin... amazing interplay between him Rory, Rod de' Ath and Gerry McAvoy.

Love Bill Payne. So good.

Chuck of course.

Dr John is an all time fav as is Bruce.

All I have to add is some of Keith Godchaux (sp?) playing is some of the most dynamite piano playing in rock. Specifically I'd refer your to the One More Saturday Night from Rockin The Rhine. Any of those early 70s Saturday Nights.

Brent deserves mention too. He was just a great player and you can find all sorts of piano work he did, like the spring 87 tour, that was just swells of passion. Great stuff.

Joel " Taz " DiGregorio

I'm surprised no one mentioned Billy Preston.

Ill bet NONE of the above ivory ticklers were THIS good at 11 years old. https://www.ted.com/talks/joey_alexander_an_11_year_old_prodigy_performs_old_school_jazz?language=en

Thanks for this vid Pops42....My fav Monk tune...Monks Dream....kid is mind boggling good

The kid even looks a little like Monk.

Chuck is absolutely my number one with bill Payne as a close number two.

Not necessarily my favorites but Professor Longhair, Pinetop Perkins, Otis Spann and Johnnie Johnson need to be mentioned.

not sure but gotta have chuck, billy powell and jerry lee lewis and probably keith from the grateful dead

Surprised no one has mentioned John "Jojo" Hermann from Widespread Panic. Easily in my top 5. Eddie Harsch from the Black Crowes deserves some love, too.

Very hard to leave one of these 6 off for a top 5:

Chuck Leavell
Billy Payne
Jojo Hermann
Eddie Harsch
Rob Barraco
Kofi Burbridge

I'm surprised no one mentioned Billy Preston.

Or Roy Bittan.

"Aside from his membership in Springsteen's band, Bittan has played on albums as a session musician, primarily for singer-songwriters and rock and pop artists, including Jon Bon Jovi, David Bowie, Jackson Browne, Tracy Chapman, Chicago, Catie Curtis, Dire Straits, Peter Gabriel, Ian Hunter, Meat Loaf, Stevie Nicks, Bob Seger, Celine Dion, Nelly Furtado, Patty Smyth, Jim Steinman and Bonnie Tyler."

interesting choices, one of the biggest names still not on anyone's list, probably due to getting so much playtime on FM radio.

[Edited on 3/23/2016 by OriginalGoober]