Blues and jazz singer Alton "Big Al" Carson was born in New Orleans on October 2, 1953, playing tuba as well as performing as a singer. Carson studied music in the New Orleans school system and at Xavier University, and began his career playing tuba with renowned brass bands. During his life, he performed and recorded with multiple jazz and brass bands in New Orleans, as well as with his own band, the Blues Masters. In 1994, he performed for the Dutch royal family while on a New Orleans music tour that included Aaron Neville and Ernie K-Doe. Carson performed annually in the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the French Quarter Festival, as well as appearing as Santa Claus at the New Orleans Riverwalk Marketplace. Sadly, Carson died on April 26, 2020, at the age of 66 after a heart attack. Today we celebrate the joy he brought to his fans in his beloved New Orleans and around the world.