As many of you know I do an oldies show that airs out in Ventura, CA and also on the web. In fact, I started my radio career in oldies radio. Some of the great artists from the era live down in New Orleans. Sadly many of them are now missing.To begin with, one of the city’s most important legends, Antoine "Fats" Domino, has not been heard from since Monday afternoon. He is 76 years old and lives with his wife Rosemary and daughter in a three-story pink-roofed house in New Orleans’ 9th ward, which is now under water. On Monday afternoon, Domino told his manager, that he would “ride out the storm” at home.
Also not heard from by friends is New Orleans’s “Queen of Soul” Irma Thomas, who was the original singer of what became the Rolling Stones’ hit, “Time is On My Side.”
Friends are looking for Antoinette K-Doe, widow of New Orleans wild performer Ernie K-Doe. The Does have a famous nightspot of their own on N. Claiborne Avenue, called the Mother-in-Law Lounge, in honor of Ernie’s immortal hit, “The Mother-in-Law Song.”
Alive but now homeless is Allen Toussaint. He wrote Patti LaBelle’s hit “Lady Marmalade” and Dr. John’s “Right Place, Wrong Time.” Toussaint was one of the 25,000 people holed up at the New Orleans Superdome. Also Aaron Neville and many members of the family evacuated on Monday to Memphis, where they are now staying in a hotel.
There are several other artists who I have not been able to get any information on. Frankie Ford who did "Sea Crusie", Clarence "Frogman" Henry "Ain't Got a Home", Pete Fountain and so many other Jazz greats.
We need to continue to pray for everyone.
1 comment:
Irma Thomas was playing in Austin, TX, the weekend that it hit. I've heard that her house flooded but she's in reasonably good spirits.
My husband also said he read on NOLA that Pete Fountain is OK, and that Preservation Hall and Tipitina's are also OK.
I'm concerned about Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown--last I heard, he was living in Slidell and battling cancer. Has anyone heard from/about him?
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