Page 29 - atoday
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PEOPLE & ARTS A29
Wednesday 11 November
New Orleans musical legend Allen Toussaint dies at 77
otherwise lived a modest Paul Simon in New Orleans
life in New Orleans, said on Dec. 8 at Le Petit The-
Walker. In recent years he atre to raise money for
appeared on the HBO se- New Orleans Artists Against
ries “Treme.” Hunger And Homelessness.
Toussaint is a member of Hurricane Katrina in 2005
the Rock and Roll Hall of flooded not only his home
Fame and the Louisiana but his Sea-Saint studio,
Music Hall of Fame. In 2013 forcing Toussaint to flee
he was awarded the Na- to New York. The studio
tional Humanities Medal by never reopened. During
President Barack Obama. Katrina he also lost most
He had been expected to of his manuscripts, his gold
perform a benefit concert records and many of his
along with longtime friend stage outfits, Davis said.q
In this file photo dated Saturday, May 7, 2011, Allen Toussaint performs at the New Orleans Jazz
and Heritage Festival in New Orleans, USA. Associated Press
REBECCA SANTANA ing class Gert Town neigh- Costello.
STACEY PLAISANCE borhood, Toussaint went “Having worked with him in
Associated Press on to become one of the New Orleans I know what
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Leg- city’s most legendary and a sweet and gentle guy he
endary New Orleans musi- celebrated performers was and a massive song-
cian Allen Toussaint, who and personalities. writing talent,” said Mc-
racked up hits like “Work- In the beginning Toussaint Cartney in a statement.
ing in the Coal Mine” and was known mostly as an Toussaint had numer-
“Lady Marmalade” as a R&B songwriter and pro- ous hits to his name. He
behind-the-scenes song- ducer. He worked for the penned the 1966 Lee Dors-
writer and producer be- New Orleans-based Minit ey classic “Working in the
fore he gained new fame Records in 1960 before be- Coal Mine” and produced
as a performer, died Tues- ing drafted in the Army for Dr. John’s 1973 hit “Right
day, not long after a per- two years. Place, Wrong Time” and
formance in Spain. He was He worked with such lu- 1975’s “Lady Marmalade”
77. minaries as Lee Dors- by the vocal trio Labelle.
Rescue workers were ey, Art and Aaron Neville, Aaron Walker, who is work-
called to Toussaint’s hotel Irma Thomas, the Meters, ing on a documentary
in Madrid early Tuesday Joe Cocker and Ernie K- about Touissant, said he
morning after he suffered Doe. Thomas remembered often wrote with specific
a heart attack, said Ma- Toussaint, who produced people in mind — thinking,
drid emergency services her songs “It’s Raining” and for example, about Lee
spokesman Javier Ayuso. “I Did My Part,” as some- Dorsey’s smile.
They managed to revive one who wrote beautiful His influence could be
him but Toussaint stopped stories set to music. felt far outside of R&B cir-
breathing during the am- In the late ‘50s and early cles. The song “Southern
bulance ride to a hospital ‘60s, Thomas and Toussaint Nights,” which Toussaint
and did not recover, Ayuso and others would gather wrote and performed, was
said. Toussaint performed at Toussaint’s mom’s house later covered by country
Monday night at Madrid’s to rehearse. star Glen Campbell and
Lara Theater. Toussaint’s “I don’t know how his hip-hop artists in the ‘80s
family confirmed his death mom put up with all of us and ‘90s often sampled
in an emailed statement, in there all the time. But from his songs.
thanking fans and friends that’s where we learned He eventually began per-
for their condolences. our songs,” said Thomas. forming more and produc-
“He was a legend in the “That was the place to be, ing his own albums in the
music world,” said Quint his mom’s living room.” 1970s. Onstage he often
Davis, who produces the In 1973, with fellow song- wore sequined and color-
New Orleans Jazz and writer Marshall Sehorn, he ful suits and even off the
Heritage Festival. Toussaint established his own record- stage he was known as a
performed there so often ing studio called Sea-Saint snazzy dresser — albeit one
— starting in 1973 — that Studio. There he worked who often wore sandals.
Davis said Toussaint re- with a succession of musi- “You always saw Allen with
ferred to the festival as his cians including Paul Simon, a coat and tie and wear-
“annual concert.” Paul McCartney, Patti La- ing sandals,” Davis said.
Born in New Orleans’ work- Belle, Cocker and Elvis He drove a Rolls Royce but
