Happy Birthday, Deacon John!

Bandleader, singer, guitarist, Blues, R&B, and Rock n Roll musician Deacon John Moore was born in New Orleans on June 23, 1941, and grew up in the 8th Ward. Moore was active on the New Orleans R&B scene since his teens, and was a session player on many hit recordings of the late 1950s and the 1960s, including those by Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Lee Dorsey, Ernie K-Doe, and others. His band The Ivories at New Orleans' Dew Drop Inn attracted an enthusiastic following, sometimes upstaging visiting national acts Moore was hired to open for. While highly regarded locally and by his fellow musicians, lack of hit records under his own name kept him from the national fame achieved by a number of his peers. Regardless, in 2000 Moore was inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame. Moore has acted in films and television, and was featured in the documentary segment Going Back to New Orleans: The Deacon John Film and the concert CD, Deacon John's Jump Blues (2003). On July 25, 2006 Moore became president of the local branch of the American Federation of Musicians. Deacon John remains a local favorite on the New Orleans music scene. If you have the chance, be sure to catch one of his fantastic shows!

Photo by Mobilus In Mobili - https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobili/21498536583/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44363359

Happy Birthday, Luther Kent!

Blues vocalist Luther Kent was born Kent Rowell in New Orleans on June 23, 1948, and is known for his powerful, soulful voice, as well as his band Luther Kent & Trick Bag, which mixes swinging blues with New Orleans R&B. He began his professional singing career when he was 14, and was influenced by Ray Charles, Etta James and Bobby Bland. In 1970, he became the lead singer for a group named Cold Grits, and in 1974 he joined Blood, Sweat & Tears. He toured with them until the end of that same year, but he never recorded with that group. In 1977 he released his first solo album, and by 1978 he had formed Luther Kent & Trick Bag with Charlie Brent, former musical director for Wayne Cochran. The band was very active during the 1980s and 1990s, and released 3 CDs under the name. Kent released a gospel album in 1996 which featured Allen Toussaint and Pete Fountain. In 2006, Kent toured Italy with Italian blues guitarist Robi Zonca and his band, and a recording of the show was released as album Magic Box that year. Apart from his solo work, Kent also sings as a guest with the traditional jazz group, The Dukes of Dixieland, and appears on some of their recordings. Kent continues to perform and is a regular performer at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Let’s wish Luther a very happy birthday!

Photo by Masahiro Sumori

Happy Birthday, Al "Carnival Time" Johnson!

Singer songwriter and pianist Al “Carnival Time” Johnson was born in New Orleans on June 20, 1939. Al is best known for his classic song “Carnival Time”, which is one of the most requested and played songs of Carnival Season and Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Happy Birthday, Al … celebrate like it’s Carnival Time!

Happy Birthday, Leo Nocentelli!

Singer songwriter and guitarist Leo Nocentelli was born in New Orleans on June 15, 1946. Best known as a founding member and lead guitarist of The Meters, he wrote the original versions of several funk classics such as "Cissy Strut" and "Hey Pocky A-Way". He has recorded with a variety of notable artists such as Dr. John, Robert Palmer and Etta James. In 2018, Nocentelli received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as a member of The Meters. In a life filled with music and achievement, we are fortunate to celebrate this day with Leo. Happy Birthday!

Photo by: Francisco Daum

Celebrating the Birthday of King Floyd

Soul singer and songwriter King Floyd was born in New Orleans on February 13, 1945, and is best known for his Top 10 hit from 1970, "Groove Me". His musical career started as a singer at the Sho-Bar on Bourbon Street. Following a stint in the army, Floyd went to California, where he joined up with record producer Harold Battiste. His debut album, A Man In Love, featuring songs co-written with Dr. John, failed to make an impact on the charts. Floyd returned to New Orleans in 1969 and worked for the Post Office.

In 1970, Floyd recorded "Groove Me" as a B-side to another song, "What Our Love Needs." New Orleans radio DJs started playing "Groove Me" and the song became a local hit. Eventually, the song’s national distribution led to it topping the R&B chart, reaching #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and selling over one million copies. In December 1970, Floyd quit his job at the post office to perform a U.S. tour. His follow-up single, "Baby Let Me Kiss You" climbed up to number 29 on the Billboard Top 40 charts in 1971.

However, differences with Quezergue soon emerged and his 1973 follow-up album, Think About It, failed to make a commercial impact. However, Atlantic released a song from the album, "Woman Don't Go Astray," as a single. His 1975 album, Well Done, was released through TK Records with Atlantic distributing. "I Feel Like Dynamite" from the album, written by Larry Hamilton, was released as its single. 

None of his subsequent songs achieved the same, as disco dominated the charts for the remainder of the 1970s. However, Floyd had credits for "Boombastic," recorded in 1995 by Shaggy, which became a big hit. Floyd reunited with Malaco Records in 2000 for the Old Skool Funk album, but it failed to make an impact. However, his song "Don't Leave Me Lonely" was prominently sampled by the Wu-Tang Clan for the song "For Heaven's Sake" off their album Wu-Tang Forever. Sadly, he died on March 6, 2006 from complications of a stroke and diabetes. 

Today we celebrate the life and legacy of a New Orleans musician who continues to “groove” us to this day.

Photo: source and disclosure

Celebrating the Birthday of Uncle Lionel Batiste

Jazz and blues musician and singer "Uncle" Lionel Batiste was born in New Orleans on February 11, 1931, and began his music career at the age of 11 playing bass drum with the Square Deal Social & Pleasure Club. He was the bass drummer, vocalist and assistant leader of the Treme Brass Band; known for his kazoo playing and singing as well, and has recorded a CD as a vocalist. He was an inspiration an role model to many young musicians. Trumpeter Kermit Ruffins called Batiste his "total influence," saying that Batiste "taught [him] how to act, how to dress, how to feel about life." Uncle Lionel was a New Orleans Legend who led many second line parades throughout the city and around the world, including Europe and Africa. In 2003, he became the first African American King of Krewe Du Vieux, a parading krewe known for showcasing many of New Orleans' best brass bands, as well as for its wild satirical and adult themes. Sadly, he passed away on July 8, 2012, but his influence lives on.

Photo: Infrogmation