Contents. Early life and career Born in, his professional musical career began in New Orleans in the 1950s. He originally concentrated on and he gigged with local bands including Mac Rebennack and the Skyliners, (Paul Staele, drums / Earl Stanley, bass /, trumpet / Charlie Maduell, sax / Roland 'Stone' LeBlanc, vocals), and the Thunderbirds, and Jerry Byrne and the Loafers.

He had a regional hit with a -influenced instrumental called 'Storm Warning' on Rex Records in 1959. During these days he was an A&R man producing, with, monophonic singles on 45's for Johnny Vincent and Joe Corona for such local labels as ACE, RON, RIC and others.

For these sessions he oversaw A&R and rhythm section while wrote the horn arrangements and headed up the horns. It was a productive team until decided to move to New York and to study music formally. Rebennack's career as a guitarist came to an end when his left was injured by a gunshot while he was defending singer/keyboardist, his bandmate, classmate, and longtime friend. After the injury, Rebennack concentrated on before making his main instrument; pianist was an important influence on Rebennack's piano stylings. He moved to Los Angeles in 1963 where he became a 'first call' on the booming Los Angeles studio scene in the Sixties and Seventies, providing backing for, and for on their classic albums and , and many other acts. 1968-1971: Dr.

John the Night Tripper Rebennack gained fame as a solo artist, beginning in the late 1960s, with music that combined New Orleans-style with and elaborate stage shows that bordered on religious ceremonies, including elaborate costumes and headdress (reflecting and presumably inspired by 's stage act). For a time he was billed as 'Doctor John, The Night Tripper'. The name 'Dr. John' came from a legendary Louisiana voodoo practitioner of the early 1800s., his 1968 debut album combining voodoo rhythms and chants with the New Orleans music tradition, was ranked highly on.

Three more albums, 1969's, 1970's Remedies, and 1971's The Sun, Moon, And Herbs were released in the same vein of, but none of them have enjoyed the popularity of his first album. During early to mid-1969, Dr. John toured extensively, backed by supporting musicians Richard 'Didymus' Washington (congas), Richard Crooks (drums), David Leonard Johnson (bass), Gary Carino (guitar), and singers Eleanor Barooshian, Jeanette Jacobs from, and Sherry Graddie. A second lineup formed later in the year for an extensive tour of the East Coast with Crooks and Johnson joined by Doug Hastings (guitar) and Don MacAllister (mandolin). Also in 1969, Dr. John contributed to the 'supersession' project, playing on three tracks with.

Washington and Crooks also contributed to the project. By the time The Sun, Moon, and Herbs was released, he had gained a notable cult following, including artists such as and, who both took part in the sessions for that album. This album would serve as a transition from his Night Tripper voodoo, psychedelic persona to one more closely associated with traditional New Orleans R&B and funk. His next album, Dr.

John's Gumbo, proved to be a landmark recording which is one of his most popular to this day; with drummer Fred Staehle serving as the band's backbone. 1972-1974: Gumbo, In the Right Place, and Desitively Bonnaroo Along with, Dr. John is perhaps best known for his recordings during 1972-1974. 1972's, an album covering several New Orleans R&B standards with only one original, is considered a cornerstone in New Orleans music.

In his 1994 autobiography, Under a Hoodoo Moon, Dr. John writes, 'In 1972, I recorded Gumbo, an album that was both a tribute to and my interpretation of the music I had grown up with in New Orleans in the 1940s and 1950s. I tried to keep a lot of the little changes that were characteristic of New Orleans, while working my own funknology on piano and guitar.' The lead single from the album, ', broke into the Billboard top 40 singles chart. In 2003, was ranked number 402 on magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. It also earned a place on magazine's 1999 listing of the Top 100 Louisiana CDs. With Gumbo, Dr.

John expanded his career beyond the psychedelic voodoo music and theatrics that had driven his career since he took on the Dr. John persona, although it has always remained an integral part of his music and identity. It wasn't until 1998's Anutha Zone that he would again concentrate on this aspect of his music wholly for a full album. 'After we cut the new record,' he writes, 'I decided I'd had enough of the mighty-coo-de-fiyo hoodoo show, so I dumped the Gris-Gris routine we had been touring with since 1967 and worked up a new act—a Mardi Gras revue featuring the New Orleans standards we had covered in Gumbo.'

In early 1973 Thomas Jefferson Kaye produced an album featuring a collaboration with Dr John,. This album, Triumvirate, was recorded in Columbia Studios, San Francisco, and Village Recorders, Los Angeles.

In 1973, with producing and backing, Dr. John released the seminal New Orleans funk album,. In the same way that introduced the world to the voodoo-influenced side of his music, and in the manner that began his career-long reputation as an esteemed interpreter of New Orleans standards, established Dr.

John as one of the main ambassadors of New Orleans funk. In describing the album, Dr. John states, 'The album had more of a straight-ahead dance feel than ones I had done in the past, although it was still anchored solid in R&B.' It rose to #24 on the Billboard album charts, while the single 'Right Place Wrong Time' landed at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

A second single, 'Such a Night,' peaked at #42. Still in heavy rotation on most classic rock stations, 'Right Place Wrong Time' remains his single most recognized song. Artists such as, and contributed singular lines to the lyrics, which lists several instances of ironic bad luck and failure. John attempted to capitalize on 's successful formula, again collaborating with Allen Toussaint and The Meters for his next album, released in 1974.

Although similar in feel to, it failed to catch hold in the mainstream like its predecessor. It would be his last pure funk album until 1994 with Television, although like his voodoo and traditional New Orleans R&B influences, funk has continued to heavily influence most of his work to the present day, especially in his concerts. John stated in an interview during 1990s that he'd like to work with Toussaint again for a full album, this has yet to come to fruition. In the mid-1970s Dr. John began an almost twenty-year-long collabortion with the R&R Hall of Fame/Songwriters Hall of Fame writer Doc Pomus to create songs for Dr. John's releases 'City Lights' and 'Tango Palace' and for B.

King's Stuart Levine produced 'There Must Be a Better World Somewhere,' which won a Grammy for Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording in 1982. John also recorded 'I'm On a Roll,' the last song written with Pomus prior to Pomus' death in 1991, for the now out-of-print Rhino/Forward Records' 1995 tribute to Pomus titled 'Til the Night Is Gone: A Tribute to Doc Pomus' that also included covers of Pomus penned songs by Bob Dylan, John Hiatt, Shawn Colvin, Brian Wilson, The Band, Los Lobos, Dion, Rosanne Cash, Solomon Burke and Lou Reed. According to Doc Pomus' daughter, Dr. John and her father were very close friends as well as writing partners; Dr. John delivered one of a number of eulogies and performed with singer Jimmy Scott at Pomus' funeral on March 17, 1991 in NYC.

On Thanksgiving Day 1976 he performed at the farewell concert for, which was filmed and released as. His bow-tie and smile confirmed him as the happiest man at the show. In 1979, he collaborated with the legendary Professor Longhair on 'Fess' last recording ' as a guitarist and co-producer. The album was awarded the first W.C.

Handy Blues Album of the Year in 1980, and was released shortly after Longhair's death in January, 1980. Advertisements As leader. (1968) (Atco, SD 33-234).

(1969). (1970) (Atco, SD 33-316). (1971) (Atco, SD 33-362). (1972). (1973) (Atco, SD 7018).

Programs to download free music like frostwire for mac. (1974) (Atco, SD 7043). (1975) (UA-LA552G). (1978).

Tango Palace (1979) (Horizon, SP-740). Dr.

John Plays Mac Rebennack Vol. 1 (1981). Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack Vol. 2 (The Brightest Smile in Town) (1983).

Rebennackin (for Mac Rebennack In B-flat Minor By Tomaso

In a Sentimental Mood (1989). Goin' Back to New Orleans (1992). Television (1994). Afterglow (1995). 'Trippin Live'.

Anutha Zone (1998). Duke Elegant (2000).

Creole Moon (2001). N'Awlinz: Dis Dat or d'Udda (2004). Sippiana Hericane (2005). Mercernary (2006) (Blue Note 54541). The City That Care Forgot (2008).

Rebennackin (for Mac Rebennackin B-flat Minor By Tom And Jerry

Grammy Awards. 1989 Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo Or Group - Makin' Whoopee. 1992 Best Traditional Blues Album - Goin' Back To New Orleans.

1996 Best Rock Instrumental Performance - SRV Shuffle. 2000 Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals - Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't (My Baby). 2008 Best Contemporary Blues Album - City that Care Forgot Further reading. Under a Hoodoo Moon: the Life of Dr. John the Night Tripper by Dr.

John (Mac Rebennack) and Jack Rummel, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1994.

Rebennackin (for Mac Rebennackin B-flat Minor By Tom Cruise

ISBN 0-312-10567-3 References.

Was always respected as a consummate pianist, but he didn't make a solo, unaccompanied piano record until 1981's. The wait was well worth it. His music had always been impressive, but this is the first time that his playing had been put on full display, and it reveals that there's even more depth and intricacies to his style than previously expected. More importantly, the music simply sounds good and gritty, as he turns out a set of New Orleans R&B (comprised of both originals and classics) that is funky, swampy and real.