On Saturday, November 8, late session keyboardist Nicky Hopkins will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in conjunction with receiving the Musical Excellence Award. Hopkins died in 1994 at age 50 from complications of Crohn’s disease.
Videos by American Songwriter
During his short life, Nicky played on a jaw-dropping list of classic recordings by famous artists, while also releasing a few solo albums. In celebration of Hopkins’ Rock Hall induction, his star-studded 1973 solo studio effort, The Tin Man Was a Dreamer, will be reissued on CD and as a vinyl LP on November 8.
[RELATED: These 4 Classic Tracks Wouldn’t Be the Same Without Nicky Hopkins]
The album includes contributions from George Harrison, then-Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor, Elton John percussionist Ray Cooper, and the members of the Stones’ touring horn section—saxophonists Bobby Keys and Jim Price, and trumpet player Jim Horn. Hopkins wrote or co-wrote all of the 10-track collection’s songs. In addition to playing piano and organ throughout the album, Nicky also handled lead vocal duties on many tracks.
Oher noteworthy musicians featured on The Tin Man Was a Dreamer include bassist Klaus Voormann, drummer Prairie Prince, and guitarist Chris Spedding.
A visualizer video promoting the album has been posted on YouTube. The clip is soundtracked by the song “Waiting for the Band,” and features a montage of photos of Hopkins.
You can order The Tin Man Was a Dreamer at ElasticStage.com. The album also is available for streaming.
Statement from Hopkins’ Widow, Moira
Hopkins’ Rock Hall induction and the reissue of The Tin Man Was a Dreamer followed the release of the star-studded documentary The Session Man, which celebrated Nicky’s impressive and prolific career. The film, which first premiered in 2023, was released on DVD in March 2025.
Hopkins’ widow, Moira, issued a statement reflecting on the renewed attention her late husband has been receiving.
She said, “This is turning out to be a red-letter year for Nicky with his documentary, The Session Man: Nicky Hopkins being released around the world, his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, and now, the re-release of his album, The Tin Man Was a Dreamer on vinyl and CD, [52] years after its original release. I am delighted that Nicky is finally getting the recognition he so richly deserves, and that his album will now reach a new audience.”
More About Nicky Hopkins
During his career, which began in the mid-1960s, Hopkins played on hundreds of recordings by well-known British and American artists. They included many of the biggest names in rock history, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Jefferson Airplane, and many, many more.
Nicky had a particularly close association with The Stones, playing on 14 of the band’s albums. He also contributed to solo recordings by all four Beatles.
During the late 1960s, Hopkins was briefly a member of the Jeff Beck Group. He also was a member of the Quicksilver Messenger Service from 1969 to 1971. At the famous Woodstock Festival, Nicky performed with Jefferson Airplane.
Other well-known artists whom Hopkins recorded with include Dusty Springfield, David Bowie, Steve Miller Band, Cat Stevens, Donovan, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Nilsson, Carly Simon, Joe Cocker, Peter Frampton, Art Garfunkel, Meat Loaf, Julio Iglesias, and Spinal Tap.
More About The Session Man Documentary
The Session Man features interview segments with The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards, The Who’s Pete Townshend, The Kinks’ Dave Davies, ex-Stones bassist Bill Wyman, Frampton, Nils Lofgren, and many others.
The film is narrated by Bob Harris, the one-time host of the BBC’s live performance series Old Grey Whistle Test.
More About the 2025 Rock Hall Induction
To check out the full list of 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees visit RockHall.com.
This year’s Induction Ceremony takes place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The event will stream live on Disney+ at 8 p.m. ET on November 8. The extravaganza also will be available to stream on-demand on Disney+ after the ceremony finishes. In addition, a primetime highlights special will premiere on ABC on January 1, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET. The program also will be viewable on demand on Hulu starting January 2.
(Courtesy of ‘The Session Man’)
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