The Session Man Documentary Celebrates Local Rock Legend

Ronnie Wood comes to Ealing to see film about Nicky Hopkins

John Wood (left) with Ronnie Wood (centre) and drummer Woody Woodmansey (right) Picture: David Stark

December 4, 2025

A new documentary honouring one of rock music’s most prolific but relatively unknown figures is currently on release in UK cinemas. The Session Man tells the story Nicky Hopkins, the classically trained session pianist born and raised in Perivale whose playing shaped some of the most iconic tracks of the 20th century.

Hopkins’ career spanned more than three decades, during which he contributed to over 250 albums and countless singles. His piano riffs and motifs elevated songs by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Joe Cocker and many more. Among his most memorable contributions are Revolution by The Beatles, Sympathy for the Devil and Angie by the Stones, and John Lennon’s Jealous Guy.

The film features interviews with rock legends including Bill Wyman, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Dave Davies, Pete Townshend, Peter Frampton and others, with narration by broadcaster Bob Harris, who described Hopkins as “rock and roll’s greatest session man.”

At a special screening at Ealing Picture House on 20 November, John was stunned when Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones arrived to watch the film. “Throughout the film he kept nudging me and giving me the thumbs up,” John recalled. “He said Mick Jagger had called him beforehand and said he was so glad he was going.”

John described the Rolling Stone as lovely and he thanked him for turning up while giving him a hug.

Nicky Hopkins in 1973

Hopkins, who died in 1994 aged just 50, received little formal recognition during his lifetime despite his influence. That changed this November when he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at its 40th annual ceremony in Los Angeles, alongside Cyndi Lauper and Outkast.

The documentary is the culmination of a decade-long campaign by John Wood, an entrepreneur who invested nearly £200,000 of his own money to ensure Hopkins’ legacy was celebrated. Wood previously crowdfunded a piano-shaped bench in Perivale Park which received donations from a number of stars who knew Hopkins, including Yoko Ono and Mick Jagger. John also help secure a plaque on Hopkins’ birthplace in Ealing, even though council officers admitted they hadn’t heard of him, and he persuaded the Royal Academy of Music to establish a scholarship in his name.

John Wood and Nicky Hopkins's wife Moira (centre) at the unveiling of the bench

John’s quest to raise the profile of the musician began when a business contact, who was a friend of Hopkins, told him about his work.

He said, “I kept thinking, ‘how has no one heard of this guy who worked with the biggest stars in the world?’ I thought, ‘he really deserves some recognition’.

“He died young, at 50, with no awards in his life. No one asked who was playing the piano on those records, no one ever asked that question. I said, ‘I’m going to do something about this, he deserves to be known’.”

The idea of a documentary was first put to John by Graham Parker of Graham Parker and the Rumour. Directed by Mike Treen, who died earlier this year, The Session Man has already toured international festivals and won awards. The film also explores Hopkins’ struggles with Crohn’s disease and addiction, offering a fuller picture of the man behind the music.

Reflecting on the journey, John Wood said, “It has taken over my life completely. I’ve loved every second; it has been so exciting.”

With its UK cinema release, The Session Man promises to bring Hopkins’ extraordinary story to a wider audience, ensuring that the man behind the keys is finally recognised as one of rock’s true greats.