"Wild Horses" Piano Playing

Memphis piano player Jim Dickinson passed away this week.

Here's the story of how he became the piano player on the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses":

At a recording session in 1969 at the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama, Ian Stewart, the Stones pianist, abruptly left when it came time to record “Wild Horses.” Mr. Dickinson sat down and filled in.

“After we’re doing it for about 45 minutes, Jagger’s in the control room, listening, and he says to Keith, ‘What do you think about the piano?’ ” Mr. Dickinson recalled, referring to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. “I thought: ‘Well here goes. I’m going home now.’ And Keith says, ‘It’s the only thing I like so far.’ ”

Ten years later Mr. Stewart told Mr. Dickinson he left that day because he did not play minor chords.