Interview with Willie Tee Turbinton

Accession No.: 
BE2-038

Willie Tee Turbinton:

-00:30 - background information - Feb 6, 1944 in New Orleans. His dad was a jazz saxophonist
-01:20 - Lived on Saratoga Street - Professor Longhair lived around the corner, also near the Blue Eagle Club
-03:00 - His brother, Earl, inspired him to start playing piano. Started at 3 years old
-03:45 - Harold Battiste was his 7th grade music teacher - Harold talked to Willie's mother about playing and recording with them
-04:45 - First record - "Always Accused" "All For One." Made it with Harold Battiste
-05:20 - Origin of the name "Willie Tee"
-06:50 - Solomon Spencer - Band Director who took him and Aaron and Art Neville to play at Lincoln Beach
-09:45 - First band they had as kids - Ervin Charles, Earl Turbinton, Henry Mitchell - The Seminoles
-12:00 - Playing gigs as kids
-13:00 - Influences - Eddie Bo, Tommy Ridgely, Gene Allison
-14:30 - Growing a following after his first record
-16:00 - Jazz influences - McCoy Tyner, Horace Silver
-17:00 - Writing songs
-18:15 - Mardi Gras Indian group that lived near Willie - their influences in his music
-18:45 - Nola Records - Wardell Quezergue
-20:20 - Recording at Cosimo's studio
-22:00 - Signing with Queen Booking out of New York
-22:20 - Apollo Theatre
-22:30 - Backup band with Gene Chandler, Patti LaBelle, Barbera Mason
-26:20 - Cannonball Adderley - Produced Willie and his band
-26:40 - Al Hirt's club on Bourbon Street, Ivanhoe Club
-30:30 - George Davis, David Lee, George French, Earl Turbinton
-32:40 - Released 4 singles for Capital
-35:30 - Gatur Records; Willie T. and the Gators
-39:20 - Barclay Records - Wild Magnolias Album - "Smoke My Peace Pipe"
-42:00 - Says they were the first to put music behind Mardi Gras chants
-46:35 - Clyde Fox

Media Type: 
Audio
Collection: 
Benicewicz, Larry
Subject: 
South Louisiana, Music, Rhythm and Blues, Clubs, Jazz, Mardi Gras
Creator: 
Larry Benicewicz
Informants: 
Willie Tee Turbinton
Publisher: 
Center for Louisiana Studies
Rights Usage: 
All rights reserved
Language: 
English
Meta Information
Duration: 
47:08
Digitized Date: 
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Original Format: 
Audio--Cassette--90
Digital Format: 
Audio
Bit Depth: 
16 bit
Sampling Rate: 
44.1k
Storage Location: 
Center for Louisiana Studies