Celebrating the Birthday of Clifton Chenier

Accordionist Clifton Chenier was born on June 25, 1925, in Leonville, Louisiana, and was known as the King of Zydeco, and also as the King of the South. A French-speaking native, he was an eminent performer and recording artist of zydeco, which arose from Cajun and Creole music, with R&B, jazz, and blues influences. Chenier began his recording career in 1954, and garnered his first national hit in 1955 with "Ay-Tete Fi" (Hey, Little Girl) (a cover of Professor Longhair's song). The national success of the release led to numerous tours with popular rhythm and blues performers such as Ray Charles, Etta James, and Lowell Fulson. Chenier is credited with redesigning the wood and crimped tin washboard into the vest frottoir, an instrument that would easily hang from the shoulders.

In 1976, Chenier reached a national audience when he appeared on the premiere season of the PBS music program Austin City Limits. Three years later in 1979 he returned to the show with his Red Hot Louisiana Band. Chenier's popularity peaked in the 1980s, and he and his band traveled throughout the world. Chenier was recognized with a Grammy Award in 1983 for his album I'm Here. He was only the second Louisiana Creole to win a Grammy, following Queen Ida. He was a recipient of a 1984 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.

Sadly, Chenier died of diabetes-related kidney disease in December 12, 1987 in Lafayette, Louisiana. Since then, his son C. J. Chenier has carried on the zydeco tradition by touring with Chenier's band and recording albums. Today we celebrate the birthday and amazing legacy of a true Louisiana original!

Celebrating the Birthday of King Oliver

Jazz cornet player and bandleader Joseph Nathan "King" Oliver was born on May 11, 1885, in Aben, Louisiana, and moved to New Orleans in his youth.  He was particularly recognized for his playing style and his pioneering use of mutes in jazz to alter the sound of his horn. Also a notable composer, he wrote many tunes still played today, including "Dippermouth Blues", "Sweet Like This", "Canal Street Blues", and "Doctor Jazz". He was the mentor and teacher of Louis Armstrong, who said his influence was such that "if it had not been for Joe Oliver, Jazz would not be what it is today." Sadly, Oliver suffered from ill health and financial troubles before his death at age 52 on April 8, 1938. Today we celebrate King Oliver’s significant influence on the music of New Orleans and the world. 

WWOZ's Jazz Festing in Place - April 29 - May 2!

With New Orleans’ Jazz & Heritage Festival not scheduled until October 2021, New Orleans non-profit radio station WWOZ will again air its Jazz Festing In Place marathon in lieu of the annual event. The second weekend of special radio broadcasts on April 29th-May 2nd features rare and memorable Jazz Fest performances from years past which will air between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT (9 a.m. and 5 p.m. L.A. time) each day. Produced in partnership with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the daily broadcasts will also feature interview segments that highlight the food, crafts, and cultural heritage of the Louisiana city as fans patiently await the festival’s return later this year. Fans will be able to tune in by streaming the audio for free at the WWOZ website or via its terrestrial radio channel 90.7 FM. Check out the Cubes (broadcast schedule) by clicking here. So, sit back, close your eyes, and lose yourself in some of the best music on the planet! Happy Jazz Festing in Place!

WWOZ's Jazz Festing in Place - April 22 - 25 & April 29 - May 2!

With New Orleans’ Jazz & Heritage Festival not scheduled until October 2021, New Orleans non-profit radio station WWOZ will again air its Jazz Festing In Place marathon in lieu of the annual event. The special radio broadcasts scheduled for April 22nd-25th and April 29th-May 2nd feature rare and memorable Jazz Fest performances from years past which will air between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT (9 a.m. and 5 p.m. L.A. time) each day. Produced in partnership with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the daily broadcasts will also feature interview segments that highlight the food, crafts, and cultural heritage of the Louisiana city as fans patiently await the festival’s return later this year. Fans will be able to tune in by streaming the audio for free at the WWOZ website or via its terrestrial radio channel 90.7 FM. Check out the Cubes (broadcast schedule) by clicking here.

Select archive performances to air during the back-to-back weekends include Ella Fitzgerald with Stevie Wonder (1977), The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (1970), Tank & The Bangas (2017), Galactic (2014), Widespread Panic feat. Dirty Dozen Brass Band (2001), The Allman Brothers Band (2010), Carole King(1992), Dr. John (2000), Neville Brothers (2003), and more.

So, sit back, close your eyes, and lose yourself in some of the best music on the planet! Happy Jazz Festing in Place!

Celebrating the Birthday of Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown

Guitarist, violinist and vocalist Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown was born on April 18, 1924, in Vinton, Louisiana, and raised in Orange, Texas. Brown was given the nickname “Gatemouth” by a high school teacher who said he had a “voice like a gate”. Known for his work as a blues musician, he also performed rock n roll and folk, and was an acclaimed multi-instrumentalist who played not only guitar and fiddle, but also mandolin, viola, harmonica and drums.

In 1974, he recorded as a sideman with the New Orleans pianist Professor Longhair on his album, Rock 'N' Roll Gumbo and moved to New Orleans in the late 1970s. In the 1980s, a series of releases on Rounder Records and Alligator Records revitalized his U.S. career, and he toured extensively and internationally, usually playing between 250 and 300 shows a year. He won a Grammy in 1982 for the album Alright Again! and was nominated for five more. He also won eight W. C. Handy Awards. In 1999, Brown was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

In his final years, Brown maintained a full touring schedule, and released his final record "Timeless" in 2004. Brown’s home in Slidell, Louisiana, was destoyed by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, though he’d had been evacuated to his childhood hometown of Orange, Texas. Sadly, he passed away there on September 10, 2005, at a relative’s home. Today we celebrate a gifted musician and appreciate his legacy.

Photo: Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com

Happy Birthday, Irma Thomas!

Singer songwriter Irma Thomas, known as the "Soul Queen of New Orleans", was born on February 18, 1941, in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. She got her start as a teen singing in a Baptist church choir, and later sang at New Orleans’ Pimlico Club where she worked as a waitress … until she was let go for spending more time singing than waiting tables! Pimlico Club bandleader Tommy Ridley helped her land a record deal, and in 1960 her record “You Can Have My Husband (But Don’t Mess with My Man)” reached number 22 on the Billboard R&B chart. Thomas went on to collaborate with legendary New Orleans songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint, and later recorded “Break-a-Way” which was a huge radio hit in New Orleans. She also recorded “Time Is on My Side”, a cover of which became a massive hit for the Rolling Stones. Hurricane Camille hit, and Thomas relocated to California in 1969, ultimately returning to New Orleans in 1976. She and her husband opened the Lion’s Den club in New Orleans, where she headlined regularly while also accelerating her live schedule, including touring Europe. In 2007, Thomas won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for After the Rain. In 2008, she released Simply Grand, featuring preeminent piano players Dr. John and Ellis Marsalis. While she may not have achieved the commercial success of some of her contemporaries like Aretha Franklin, her talent is undeniable, and she has ascended to the pantheon of great American soul artists. Irma Thomas is one of New Orleans’ greatest musical ambassadors and has certainly earned the title of Soul Queen of New Orleans. Happy Birthday, Irma!

Photo by: ETownHall