Happy Birthday, Billy Iuso!

Guitarist, singer and songwriter Billy Iuso was born on January 26, 1969, in Port Chester, New York. His first major musical success came in the early ‘90s after he formed the funk jam band, Brides of Jesus. The band played frequently in New York, released three albums between 1991 and 1994, and opened for groups such as The Dave Matthews Band. Brides of Jesus also opened for The Meters numerous times, connecting Iuso with Meters members George Porter, Jr., and Art Neville. Those relationships eventually inspired Iuso to relocate to New Orleans permanently, which he did in 1996. Shortly thereafter, the Brides of Jesus, which eventually included drummer Russell Batiste, Jr. were featured on the Rounder Records compilation "Ain't No Funk Like N.O. Funk," produced by Scott Billington.

Once he settled in New Orleans, Iuso began performing regularly with a variety of local players including Osborne and The Wild Magnolias. He also worked as a tour and stage manager for The Neville Brothers, the Meters and Porter's Runnin’ Pardners band. In 2002, Iuso returned to focusing on his own music and created the Restless Natives, which served as the Wild Magnolias' backing band in the mid to late 2000s. Iuso performs solo, and as an "artist-at-large" at various festivals on the jam band scene. In addition to his solo work, Iuso performs with drummer Bill Kreutzmann of the Grateful Dead and Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett of Little Feat in Dead Feat. The group formed after Iuso staged a fundraiser for late Little Feat member Richie Hayward prior to his 2010 death of complications from lung disease. In 2013, Iuso's album, "Naked" was given a positive review by Offbeat magazine, which noted the guitarist's departure from a jam-heavy approach to one in which he focused on song structure and development; the tracks also featured Iuso on lead vocals. Iuso's longtime collaborator Anders Osborne appeared on the album as well. Iuso lives in New Orleans with his wife and children. Today we celebrate a truly talented New Orleans-based artist … happy birthday, Billy!

Happy Birthday, Ben Jaffe!

Preservation Hall creative Director, tubist and double bass player Benjamin Jaffe was born in New Orleans on January 26, 1971, and is the son of Preservation Hall's founders Allan and Sandra Jaffe. Jaffe grew up in New Orleans' French Quarter, two blocks from Preservation Hall. His father, Allan, in addition to managing the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Preservation Hall, played tuba with the band as well. From birth, Ben was brought on tour with the band during their international tours. Ben’s early musical memories are marching alongside his father in Mardi Gras Parades and jazz funeral processions. He began playing in grammar school at McDonogh 15 School for the Creative Arts in the French Quarter. During high school at NOCCA, he studied upright bass under Walter Payton. After high school, Ben attended Oberlin College where he received a degree in bass performance in 1982.

Following his graduation, Ben returned to New Orleans, resumed his father's position as manager of the Preservation Hall venue and joined the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on tour playing bass and tuba. Jaffe produced a number of albums for the Preservation Hall band, and co-produced the band's first album of original compositions "That's It," alongside My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James. Ben serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Preservation Hall Foundation, the charitable non-profit that serves the mission to "protect, preserve and perpetuate New Orleans jazz music and culture." On his birthday, let’s celebrate with someone who is helping to keep New Orleans music alive! Happy Birthday, Ben!

Happy Birthday, Huey "Piano" Smith!

R&B pianist and singer Huey Pierce Smith, known as Huey "Piano" Smith, was born in the Central City neighborhood of New Orleans on January 26, 1934. He wrote his first song on the piano at age eight, and began working in clubs and recording at 15 years old, signing a recording contract at 18. Influenced by the innovative work of Professor Longhair, Smith also incorporated boogie, jazz and rhythm-and-blues styles in his piano playing, and his sound was ultimately influential in the development of rock and roll.

Smith became the piano player with Little Richard's first band in 1955, and he also played piano on several studio sessions that resulted in hits for Earl King ("Those Lonely Lonely Nights") and Smiley Lewis ("I Hear You Knocking"). In 1957, he formed Huey "Piano" Smith and His Clowns, which hit the Billboard charts with several singles, including "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu", which sold over one million copies, achieving gold disc status. The Clowns' most famous single, "Don't You Just Know It", released in 1958, hit number 9 on the Billboard Pop chart and number 4 on the Rhythm and Blues chart. It was their second million seller.

In 1959, Ace Records erased Smith's vocal track from "Sea Cruise", the now-classic single Smith had composed, arranged and performed, and replaced it with a vocal track by the white singer Frankie Ford, which was a hit for Ford. Smith left Ace Records for Imperial Records, to record with noted producer Dave Bartholomew, but the hits did not follow, and Ace Records again overdubbed new vocals on another of Smith's unreleased tracks, to produce "Pop-Eye", the last hit single credited to Smith.

In the years following, Smith made several comebacks, and in 2000, he was honored with a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Smith became known for his shuffling right-handed break on the piano, and at the peak of his game, Smith epitomized New Orleans R&B at its most infectious and rollicking. Huey “Piano” Smith is a New Orleans original and innovator, and today we celebrate his many contributions to music! Happy Birthday, Huey!

Photo: source & disclosure

Happy Birthday, Aaron Neville!

R&B and soul vocalist Aaron Neville was born in New Orleans on January 24, 1941, into one of the most prolific music families of the City. Neville has recorded as a solo artist, with his brothers Art, Charles and Cyril as The Neville Brothers, and he is the father of singer and keyboard player Ivan Neville, and vocalist and rap artist Jason Neville. In addition, his uncle, George "Big Chief Jolly" Landry, was lead singer of the Mardi Gras Indian group The Wilde Tchoupitoulas. 

Neville’s debut single, “Tell It Like It Is”, was #1 on the Soul chart for five weeks in 1967. During the course of his career, he has had four platinum albums and four Top 10 hits, including three that went to #1 on the Billboardcharts. In 1989, Neville recorded the album Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Windwith Linda Ronstadt, which included the #1 Grammy-winning hits “Don’t Know Much” and “All My Life”. In 1991, his cover of “Everybody Plays the Fool” reached #1, and some of his other hits include “Don’t Take Away My Heaven”, “Can’t Stop My Heart From Loving You (The Rain Song)”, and “Hercules”. In 1993 and 1994, Neville ventured into country music, and recorded Patsy Cline’s 1961 hit “I Fall to Pieces” with Trisha Yearwood, resulting in a Grammy Award for the duo in in 1995. As a result, Neville became one of the only African American recording artists to win a Grammy in the Country category.

Neville’s home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, moving to Nashville after the storm. He ultimately returned to New Orleans, but while he was away, he recorded the albumBring It On Home … The Soul Classics, released in 2006, featuring songs by Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, and others, and featuring collaborations with his brother Art, Chaka Khan, Mavis Staples, and David Sanborn. In 2013, he released My True Story, a collection of doo-wop songs from his youth, including backup by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Neville continues to perform and tour to the delight of his league of fans worldwide! Let’s wish this incredibly talented man a very happy birthday!

Happy Birthday, Doug Kershaw!

Fiddle player, singer and songwriter Douglas James Kershaw was born on January 24, 1936, in Tiel Ridge, Louisiana, surrounded by Cajun fiddle and accordion music. He played the fiddle from the age of five, and had mastered it before he learned English at the age of eight. His first gig was at a local bar, where he was accompanied by his mother on guitar. Playing music continued as a family affair, with Doug forming the Continental Playboys in 1948 with his brothers Nelson (“Peewee”) and Rusty Kershaw , whom he had taught to play guitar. Peewee left the group in the early 1950s, and Rusty and Doug continued performing as a duo. Although they initially sang in French, they were persuaded to incorporate English into their repertoire, and their first single, “So Lovely, Baby” went to number 14 on the country music charts. Shortly thereafter, they became members of the Louisiana Hayride cast, and after appearing at the Grand Ole Opry, they became regular members to the Opry’s cast a year later.

Despite the demands of a music career, Doug earned a degree in Mathematics, and he and his brother enlisted in the army in 1958, at the height of their early career. After fulfilling their three-year military obligation, the brothers recorded an autobiographical song that Dough had written while in the Army, “Louisiana Man.” The song not only sold millions of copies, but it is considered a standard of modern Cajun music, and was eventually covered by more than 800 artists. The brothers released three albums before going their separate ways in 1964.

By 1969, Kershaw had sold more than 18 million records and "Louisiana Man" had been a Top 10 country hit. He became widely known in mainstream America as he played at major concert venues and events. He made his first network television appearance on the debut of the Johnny Cash Show, and was the opening act for Eric Clapton's Derek and the Dominos’  week-long engagement at New York City's Fillmore East. Warner Bros. Records signed him to a long-term contract, and he performed at the Newport folk festival along with Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Don McLean, Big Mama Thornton, and Arlo Guthrie. In November 1969, "Louisiana Man" was broadcast back to earth by the crew of the Apollo 12 moon mission. 

Despite his success, Kershaw experience a family tragedy at an early age, and he suffered from depression and sorrow. He battled drug and alcohol abuse until 1984, when he rebounded with his biggest selling hit, “Hello Woman”. In 1988, he scored a Top 50 country hit with “Cajun Baby”, which he recorded with Hank Williams, Jr. In 2009, Doug was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Today we celebrate the numerous accomplishments of this legendary performer, and wish him a very happy birthday!

Photo: David Simpson (cajunzydecophotos)

Celebrating the Birthday of Snooks Eaglin

Guitarist and vocalist Fird “Snooks” Eaglin was born in New Orleans on January 21, 1937. Not long after his first birthday, Eaglin lost his sight due to glaucoma. At about five years of age, his father gave him a guitar, and he taught himself to play by listening to and playing along with the radio. Mischievous as a child, Eaglin was given the nickname "Snooks" after a radio character named Baby Snooks. In 1947, at the age of 11, Eaglin entered a radio talent contest, and in 1950, he dropped out of a school for the blind to become a professional musician. Two years later, he joined a local band started by Allen Toussaint called the Flamingoes. Eaglin played both the guitar and the bass parts simultaneously on his guitar, and he stayed with the band until they disbanded in the mid-1950s. 

His vocal style was reminiscent of Ray Charles, and he played such a wide range of songs and styles of music, sometimes within the same concert, album, or song, that he was nicknamed “The Human Jukebox.” He usually did not prepare set lists for his live shows, playing songs that came to him on stage and taking requests from the audience. Amazingly, his musical repertoire was said to include 2500 songs. Though he had a lengthy career spanning nearly five decades, Eaglin’s recording and touring as a solo artist were inconsistent. Over the years he worked with luminaries such as James Booker, Dave Bartholomew, Ellis Marsalis, Professor Longhair, and the Wild Magnolias. He was at his most consistent between 1987 and 1999, when he recorded five albums and recorded with other artists including Earl King and Henry Butler. 

Eaglin was scheduled to make a comeback appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in the spring of 2009, but sadly he passed away on February 18, 2009. Today we celebrate the life and legacy of one of New Orleans’ own.

Photo by: Masahiro Sumori - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Sumori