Center for Louisiana Studies Archival Catalog
This searchable database provides information on images, documents, and audio and video recordings, made between 1934 and the present.
Interview with Frank Fields
Frank Fields:
00:00 - Starting with music - Learning guitar, banjo, drums; Joseph Butler
01:15 - Playing with bands around Baton Rouge, going into the Navy
02:30 - Playing with Dave Bartholomew - Fats Domino, Ray Charles, Little Richard
03:10 - Playing with Paul Gayten at the Brass Rail on Canal Street - Lee Allan, Frankie Parker, Paul Gayten
04:20 - Other musicians and bands that Frank worked with - Sugarboy and the Canecutters
05:15 - Edgar Blanchard, taking a year off
07:20 - Touring Europe with Papa French
09:40 - Playing different repertoires with Dave Bartholomew
10:25 - Touring Europe
11:20 - Playing with Edgar Blanchard's band
Interview with Gerri Hall
Gerri Hall:
00:30 - Singing background
02:00 - Musicians who Gerri worked with
03:30 - Joining a band with Huey Smith (The Clowns)
07:00 - Life on the road with the band - places they played while on tour
13:00 - Info about Huey Smith and the band, Gerri's role in the band
13:25 - Popularity outside of New Orleans
14:30 - Other members of the band - Lee Allen
16:10 - Earl King and Allen Toussaint
20:00 - Recordings Huey and Gerri made together
22:20 - Older recordings of hers that haven't been released
23:30 - "Poor Jenny" "Broken Heart's Question" George Davis and Porgy Jones
26:40 - Background vocals done with Dave Bartholomew from '62-'64
28:40 - Justin Adams
30:45 - Politics in the New Orleans music scene
32:30 - Gerri's musical life after the Clowns - Performing with Lee Allen - tour stops
37:50 - David "Fathead" Newman
39:10 - Working with Ray Charles as a backup singer - Difficulty working with him
43:30 - Big Bands - Singing with Wallace Davenport
Interview with Gerri Hall (Part 2)
Gerri Hall:
00:15 - Playing Jazz after playing Rock n' Roll
00:55 - Recording of "Who Can I Run To"
02:00 - Talking about a bass player named Chuck Badie, Roger Dickerson, Ellis Marcalis
05:20 - Gerri's last recording called "Who Can I Run To?" and the restrained recording process
09:00 - Gerri's future in music and performing
Interview with Clarence "Frogman" Henry on Fats Domino
Clarence "Frogman" Henry:
00:45 - Radio coverage of Rock 'n Roll and Fats Domino
02:25 - Other popular musicians who were on the same radio stations - Elvis Presley, Joe Turner
02:45 - Elvis Presley's popularity amongst black population
03:00 - Music coming out of New Orleans in the '50s
03:40 - Clarence's first time seeing Fats perform
06:00 - Fats playing with Billy Diamond's band
06:10 - Fats' records on the jukeboxes around New Orleans
06:40 - Fats built his house in the 9th Ward where he grew up
07:45 - Fats' influence on Clarence's style - triplets, Mentioning Professor Longhair's style
09:15 - Fats' popularity with white people in New Orleans
10:20 - Fats' overall influence on New Orleans music
11:40 - Fats and Dave Bartholomew working together
12:40 - High School Hops
14:00 - Fats' personality
16:30 - Asking if Fats has any idea of the effect that he's had on music and on people around the world
17:15 - Overview of what New Orleans was like in the '40s and '50s
21:00 - New developments in the city, mentioning the city being below sea level, above ground gravesites
23:00 - Things that New Orleans is known for - food, music, traditions
24:00 - French Quarter - Bourbon Street, tourists
Interview with Al Johnson
Al Johnson:
00:00 - Birth, childhood, learning trumpet and piano, first tunes he learned
01:55 - Musicians who influenced him - Louis Armstrong
03:00 - Clubs he used to play at
04:30 - Description of his band (The Twilighters) - 4 piece - members, instruments
06:00 - First recording session with Aladin Records and how it came about - 1958
09:45 - Cutting of his second recording - "Nina"
10:45 - Never signing a recording contract and never getting paid for his music
11:30 - "Carnival Time" - Al's song about playing in New Orleans on Claiborne Street - recording session
17:00 - Leaving music because of being taken advantage of
18:35 - Joining the Army band and playing trumpet
19:00 - After leaving the service, working as a welder, a cab driver, and starting music again
21:00 - Plans for recording again
22:45 - Final comments - State of the music scene in New Orleans
Interview with Joseph "Smokey" Johnson
Joseph "Smokey" Johnson:
00:00 - Birth and family info
01:30 - Tremé
03:30 - Marching bands, Jazz funerals
04:40 - Learning to play the drums / influences
08:50 - Smokey's first paying gig
10:00 - Playing with Bill Senegal
11:30 - Playing with James "Sugarboy" Crawford
13:45 - Joining Dave Bartholomew's band
14:15 - Frank Williams - Blues records he made
15:20 - Roy Brown
17:38 - Working for Imperial Records and working in Motown - Earl King, Robert Parker, Fats Domino
18:10 - Recording with Fats Domino
20:00 - Recording solo projects / Band members / record labels
23:00 - Leasing his record to VeeJay, killed sales
25:00 - Other NOLA records that Smokey recorded
33:30 - Fats Domino's band - members, shows
34:35 - Fats' management of his band
36:30 - Working for Fats and fighting for raises
38:15 - Young people playing New Orleans Jazz music
39:45 - Refusing to play New Orleans Jazz as a young boy
41:20 - Playing with Lillian Boutte
44:20 - Touring Europe
44:45 - Future plans with music
-Walter Kimble's Death
Interview with Joe Jones
***The tape is originally recorded at a slightly faster speed***
Joe Jones:
00:25 - Introduction - From the 7th Ward in New Orleans, In U.S. Navy Band
01:25 - Schooling - studying harmony in college
03:00 - First band that he played with in high school - Joe Jones and His Atomic Rebops
03:20 - Teaching harmony to musicians in New Orleans - John "Picket" Brunious
06:15 - Deluxe and Chess Records renting a place "The Pentagon" in New Orleans to record bands
-musicians being taken advantage of
07:00 - Roy Brown and other Influential musicians and booking agents in New Orleans
08:00 - Recording session for "Good Rockin'Tonight"
08:30 - John Fernandes playing trumpet with Joe's band, music director at Xavier University
09:15 - Joe teaching music, becoming a booking agent and running his band
10:40 - Musicians union in New Orleans - developing the club, objectives
13:00 - Attending college on a music scholarship and joining the Navy
-developing the first Navy All Black Band
15:45 - Destruction of the musicians' club in New Orleans
18:50 - Playing with B.B. King - playing piano, assistant band leader, tuning his guitars
20:30 - Touring with his band
22:30 - Shirley Lee - signing to a booking agency
23:45 - Pay per show
Interview with Warren Miles
Warren Miles:
01:00 - People who Warren worked with during his early years
-Willie T, Ernie Cato, Eddie Bo, Dave Bartholomew, Fats Domino
01:55 - Recording with "Frogman," Willie T, Eddie Bo
02:45 - Going to London with Professor Longhair
03:00 - Frank talking about his father's career in music
05:00 - Main instrument is bass, working well with the drummer
06:00 - Willie T getting into Jazz music Playing with Fats Domino
08:00 - Other records he has played on
09:55 - Warren's children - two of them play music
11:20 - "Papouse" Nelson
11:45 - Earnest McClain
12:10 - Guitar Slim
Interview with Erving Charles
Erving Charles:
00:00 - Live Music
06:45 - Playing music professionally; Influences
08:00 - "Chipaqua Chouies" (??) Band name for his first band in high school
09:00 - Recordings Erving made - studio musician
-hit records he on which he played piano
-used an alias for many recordings
-Little Richard, John Adams, Fats Domino, Sam Cooke
11:20 - Edgar Miles
15:00 - Groups he played live with - most were local groups - Smiley Louis, Guitar Slim, "Frogman" Henry
Interview with Art Neville (part 1)
Art Neville:
00:30 - Biographical Info
00:50 - First Band - The Hawkettes - "Mardi Gras Mambo"
01:30 - Band Members - George Davis, Calvin Joseph, August Floury, John Boudreaux
02:20 - Mardi Gras Mambo recording session - Produced by Ken Elliot (D.J. at WWEZ)
07:00 - Aaron Neville playing with the band and first recordings
09:15 - Recordings he made after leaving Chess, backup work as a session musician
10:00 - Playing piano with Jerry Burns - record released in England
12:00 - "All These Things" on Instant Records - relationship with Instant Records
17:00 - Traveling and playing music with his brother, Aaron; Musicians he worked with
19:00 - Clarence Brown, Leo Morris
21:00 - First recordings of The Meters
24:00 - Sissy Strut
27:20 - Current plans with music
30:45 - Other Neville brothers
Interview with Art Neville (part 2)
Art Neville:
00:00 - "Cabbage Alley;" - Influences of Professor Longhair
04:00 - Rerecording older songs
06:30 - Commentary on Allen Toussaint and other musicians
08:15 - The Meters - recordings for a new album
09:40 - Plans for live appearances
12:00 - Other kinds of music he listens to - how that affects the Meters' sound
17:00 - New material they are working on releasing
19:00 - Building a new studio in New Orleans
19:50 - Earl King
20:25 - George Porter enters the interview - Talks about his playing style
26:30 - Art talking about replacing Freddie Domino
28:00 - Porter's musical background - started playing music when he was 10
Interview with Earl Palmer (part 1)
Earl Palmer
00:00 - Family and birth Info - tap dancing
01:00 - Performing with family Vaudeville act
03:00 - Beginning of his career as a drummer
03:30 - Funeral bands
05:00 - Early Influences
07:30 - Going to music school - background on the school, Grunewald School of Music
09:00 - Playing with Earl Williams
10:30 - Playing with Dave Batholomew's band - venues - Tony's Tavern, kinds of music
16:40 - Al's Starlight Inn - Fats Domino sitting in during Dave Bartholomew's breaks
19:15 - Going on tour with Dave, Fats, and Professor Longhair
23:30 - Story about being in Los Vegas with Fats
24:45 - Artists on Imperial Records
27:00 - Playing with Earl Williams
28:00 - Other bands and clubs Earl played with - Brass Rail, Safari
32:45 - The New Orleans Rhythm and Blues Sound - Discussing various musicians
38:15 - Recording sessions from the 50's that stand out in Earl's mind
39:50 - Cosimo's studio - recording methods, microphone placement
Interview with Earl Palmer (Part 2)
Earl Palmer
00:40 - Earl's bandmate (Frank) having a stroke - effects on family and band
02:40 - Working for Eddie Mesner - Session work with artists like Little Richard
05:00 - Recording studios where Earl did session work; Other New Orleans musicians
15:20 - New Orleans has always been known for having great trumpet players
16:00 - R&B Sound drying out in the late 1950s - Rock music absorbed rhythm and blues
17:00 - Young people discovering other kinds of music and being more musically educated
19:00 - Hit records that he recorded on in the 60's - Sam Cooke, Frank Sinatra, Lou Rawls, Lightnin' Hopkins, etc
21:30 - Playing different genres of music - ie. Doris Day
24:00 - Interactions with famous producers and musicians in the studio
28:20 - More studio experiences - musicians who needed cues constantly
30:00 - Rock groups in the studio - using studio musicians
31:45 - Other work - movies and jingles
33:40 - Upcoming sessions and tours
36:00 - Recollections, Memorable experiences
38:20 - Describing his own drum style
41:20 - People who helped him along the way - Dave Bartholomew
Interview with Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack and Mike Leadbitter
Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack and Mike Leadbitter
00:30 - Paul Gayten's influence on Dr. John; Paul's start in the record business
04:20 - Playing at the Texas Lounge in New Orleans in 1955-1956 - Earl Baptiste, Teddy Riley, Charlie Brown
05:40 - The Dewdrop - a restaurant where many of the musicians would play and hang out
11:00 - Al Young - The Bop Shop (record store)
15:00 - Entering the musicians union in 1957
18:25 - Dave Bartholemew - how they met
22:40 - Walter "Papoose" Nelson, Jr. and his brother Lawrence "Prince La La" Nelson
25:15 - Smiley Lewis; Fats Domino
Interview with Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack (Part 1)
Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack
00:00 - "Guitar Slim" and his showmanship on stage and his first record "Feelin' Sad"
02:40 - Guitar Slim's vocal inflections - using church style singing
04:30 - Joe Corona's record label; The Clowns - members and albums recorded
07:45 - Working with Eddie Shuler and Elton Anderson
08:30 - Jerry Raines
09:40 - Jimmy Beasley and other New Orleans studio musicians
10:30 - Nicknames
11:10 - Walter "Papouse" Nelson's guitar playing style
13:30 - Musicians being arrested for drug possession
18:00 - Story about Dr. John having a song stolen by Lloyd Price - Song was meant for Willie West
22:00 - Talking about the Wild Magnolias and Chipaqua Chaouis
24:00 - J.D. Miller
27:30 - Experiences with Joe Barry
32:00 - Talking about Cosimo's Studio, Cosimo's start in record business
-Mac talking about how he started working there
37:00 - Walter "Papouse" Nelson's sound - Doubled guitar and bass parts
38:15 - Record companies using New Orleans music for their benefit
43:10 - Frank Fields
43:50 - Charlie Williams
45:00 - Lee Allan - types of solos, "king of the funky saxophone"
56:15 - Radio exposure for local New Orleans artists
Interview with Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack (Part 2)
Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack
00:00 - Local clubs in New Orleans and artists traveling to other regions of LA
01:00 - Differences between Fats' and Earl King's bands
06:30 - New Orleans Musicians union and recording session issues
08:30 - Artists being concerned about live and studio performances both being high-quality
09:00 - Little Richard - Being discovered and recording in New Orleans
12:00 - Dave Bartholomew's sessions with Fats Domino
13:20 - Imperial recording sessions that Dr. John was at, Dave Bartholomew chasing him out of the studio
23:35 - Allan Toussaint's songwriting contract with Danny Kessler
15:15 - "Lonely, Lonely Night"
24:30 - Danny Kessler's management job
26:30 - Joe Ruffino
27:45 - Joe Smith and Allan Toussaint - Instant Records, Allan's songwriting, jingles
29:50 - Toussaint keeping the New Orleans music scene alive
31:10 - Dr. John recording with Bobby Charles
32:00 - Cosimo's Studio
36:30 - Cosimo's sound characteristics - Guitar/Bass doubling lines
39:30 - Hit songs coming out of New Orleans
40:00 - Dr. John's first sessions and songs for Aladdin records
-Other artists playing Dr. John's songs; Lil Croaker
43:00 - New Orleans session drummers
49:45 - James Booker - touring, training in music
57:00 - Radio exposure of local artists (WYRB, WBOK, WJMR, WWEZ, WNOE, WGIN)
Interview with Tommy Ridgley
Tommy Ridgley:
00:00 - Beginnings in music - going to music school after finishing the service
02:45 - Singing with Earl Anderson's band - Starlight club
03:00 - First recording with Dave Bartholomew
05:00 - Legal issues with Tommy's recording "Tra La La; Conversations about royalties
12:50 - Records made with Imperial Records and Atlantic Records
13:00 - Signing to Atlantic Records
15:00 - Band members over the years and Dave Batholomew's influence on his band
19:00 - Clubs he plays in New Orleans
22:40 - Musicians he's played concerts with
23:45 - Playing concerts with James Brown and Bobby Darin
26:00 - Esquerita - Eskew Reeder, Jr.
29:00 - "Let's Try and Talk it Over," "In the Same Old Way," "Should I Ever Love Again"
34:30 - Recording a song for Phil Santo - recording was leased to an English label
28:45 - His latest recording in 1970, "Live While you Can"
40:50 - White Cliff Records - Cosimo Matasa
39:55 - Edward Frank - organ player
44:00 - Tommy's brother's music
45:00 - Future of the New Orleans music scene, Other talented younger musicians in the New Orleans area
48:15 - Most popular local artists in the 1950s - Paul Geyton, Larry Darnell, Roy Brown, Lloyd Price
50:00 - Traveling out of state
51:30 - Playing at Jazz Fest in New Orleans
Interviews with Tommy Ridgley and Justin Adams
Tommy Ridgley:
00:00 - Other Band Members - Delton Russo, Allen Dejean, Walter Harris, Leroy Joseph, James Jackson
02:40 - Recording before Fats Domino - recorded November 1949
03:20 - Working with Irma Thomas
04:45 - The Dewdrop and group member names
08:40 - Other musicians - Lawrence Cotton, Alonzo Stewart, "Dimes"
10:20 - "Lonely Man Blues"
13:00 - "Boogie Woogie Mama"
Justin Adams:
15:30 - Music in Justin's family - his beginnings
16:45 - Playing with Tommy Ridgley
17:15 - recording sessions he took part in - Fat's Domino, Little Richard, Charles Brown
19:18 - Justin's family history with music; - Manuel Manetta, Dollie Adams, Placide Adams, Gerald Adams
21:30 - Joe Jones recording - Delton Russo, "Honeyboy," James Prevost
23:30 - Dixie Cups
25:46 - Fats Domino's band members
27:00 - Big Bands he started out playing with
32:30 - New Orleans' current music scene
Interview with Marshall Sehorn (Part 1)
Marshall Sehorn:
01:00 - Marshall's history in the music business and working as a disc jockey - 1958
06:20 - Working as a record promotion rep
10:45 - Making records with Lightnin' Hopkins - "Mojo Hand"
12:15 - Discovering Lee Dorsey and signing him to a contract with ABC Paramount
15:55 - Legal problems with the Bobby Marchan record "Kansas City." Lawsuit with Johnny Vincent
26:00 - Sehorn records
36:45 - Downfall of Cosimo's studio - Forming a partnership with Allen Toussaint and discussion about Allen's records
39:15 - Building and running a studio with Allen (Sea-Saint Studio)
40:00 - Different artists that Marshall and Allen worked with - Browning Bryant
Interview with Marshall Sehorn (Part 2)
Marshall Sehorn:
01:20 - Marshall talking about actually making New Orleans his true home
06:00 - Dealing with major labels for Dr. John and The Meters
10:00 - Major labels not pushing New Orleans music
18:30 - Some record producers don't take an active role in the recordings
20:00 - Marshall's recent lack of hit records
24:00 - Continued discussion about hit records - Why some records are hits and others aren't
28:00 - The new Lee Dorsey album which includes five Dr. John songs
33:38 - Future of New Orleans music
35:30 - Texas oil money coming into New Orleans
37:00 - Trying to keep local musicians in New Orleans for recording
42:00 - Upcoming albums
Interview with Norris Melancon
country boucheries; boucherie organizations; amount of meat member families received; lottery system for selecting order in which families contributed calves for boucheries
Interview with Norris Melancon
chaperones; Iry LeJeune; instrumentation of early 20th century Cajun bands; Tee Maurice and Pecaniere dancehalls (dance halls); string bands; popularity of the accordion in the prairie Cajun community, ca. 1928-ca. 1950; Joseph MelanconÕs band
Interview with Irma Lavergne Quirk
south Louisiana music, ca. 1930 - ca. 1955; phonographs; phonograph records
Interview with Kenny Lavergne, Edward Sibille, Irma Lavergne Quirk, Libby Lavergne Soileau
Cajun cuisine; diet, ca. 1930-ca. 1950; music; Hank Williams; influence of Country and Western music of Cajun life; Food taboos
Interview with Kenny Lavergne, Edward Sibille, Irma Lavergne Quirk, Libby Lavergne Soileau
Cajun cuisine; diet, ca. 1930-ca. 1950; music; Hank Williams; influence of Country and Western music of Cajun life
Interview with Norris Melancon and ÒTicoÓ Melancon
Stories about Marais Bouleur and the Arceneaux Cemetery
Interview with Charlie Arceneaux
Stories about Marais Bouleur; Daily Life in Marais Bouleur in the early 20th century; horse racing; Wilbur Johnson
Interview with ClŽobule LeJeune
History of Church Point, Louisiana
Balfa Brothers, Abshire, Ardoin, & Fontenot Outtakes
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972
Nathan Abshire, Bois Sec Ardoin, Dewey Balfa, Rodney Balfa, Will Bolfa, Terry Burtram
Notes from JP Bruneau: Dewey Balfa's house in Basille, song is possibly "Bonsoir...", all people present except film crew are Balfa family members, Bruneau visible seated on ground at one point.
Banjo player is Terry Burtram whom Dewey Balfa played with at a folk festival and was experimenting with it in Cajun music
Bar scene - man smoking
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972 - Unknown man smoking
Notes from JP Bruneau: Possibly filmed at the Blue Angel, Lafayette, LA
Bayou Scene
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972 - Bayou scene
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at the Bayou Chicot
Bee & Ed Deshotels
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972 - Bee & Ed Deshotels
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at the Deshotels home
Bee Fontenot interview
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972
Bee Fontenot front porch interview
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at the Fontenot home in Basile, Fontenot was Balfa's neighbor
Bee Fontenot interview
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972 - Bee Fontenot front porch interview, plays accordion
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at the Fontenot home in Basile, Fontenot was Balfa's neighbor
Bosco Stomp - Reggie Matte
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972
John Hebert, Alphée Bergeron, Kenneth David, Reggie Matte
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed on the Sunday before Mardi Gras at the Church Point courir and dance. The older accordion player is John Hebert and the MC that day was Alphée Bergeron (red & blue satin jacket)
Church Point Mardi Gras Dance
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972 - Unknown dancers at the Church Point Mardi Gras dance - some in costume
-Fight between two men
-People drinking beer
-People in crowd
-Sleeping child
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed on the Sunday before Mardi Gras at the Church Point courir and dance
Cemetery Footage
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Cemetery headstones, markers, flower arrangements
Notes from JP Bruneau: Probably St. Ann cemetery in Mamou - Milton Moltier (local musician) died the week we were filming
Clifton Chenier Footage
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Clifton Chenier, Cleveland Chenier, and band perform onstage
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at the Blue Angel on 12th Street, Lafayette, LA
Ed Deshotels farm and cow
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Ed Deshotels grooms cow
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at the Deshotels farm - Reddell, LA