In Life, his 2010 autobiography,
Keith Richards makes clear that boogie-woogie pianist
Ian Stewart was the organizing principle in
the Rolling Stones, calling the first audition/rehearsal that led to the formation of the band, even though, when the group was offered a recording contract, he was shunted aside as an unnecessary sixth member who didn't look the part. (Amazingly, the self-effacing
Stewart agreed to continue to play on their records and serve as their road manager.)
Ben Waters pays tribute to "
Stu" on this album largely given over to boogie-woogie, and he has enlisted a star-filled set of guests including
Stones members
Richards,
Mick Jagger (who sings and plays harmonica on a cover of
Bob Dylan's "Watching the River Flow"),
Charlie Watts,
Bill Wyman, and
Ronnie Wood, as well as other notable musicians such as
PJ Harvey and
Jools Holland. The result is an album
Stewart no doubt would have liked better than any of the
Rolling Stones albums he played on. ~ William Ruhlmann