Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Allen Toussaint grew up in the Gert Town neighborhood of New Orleans. He was a Grammy-winning composer, songwriter, producer, arrangers, and piano player. His brilliant productions helped define New Orleans R&B, with funky yet sophisticated arrangements and lyrics. Allen Toussaint's music career has spanned sixty years. Artists from around the world have recorded his songs, including Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney, Patti LaBelle, Jerry Garcia, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Phish, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Little Feat, Robert Palmer, Aaron Neville, Warren Zevon, Glen Campbell, and Widespread Panic.
He was one of the founders of New Orleans Artists Against Hunger and Homelessness.
Honors and awards:
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, inducted 1998
American Music Association, 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award for Producer/Engineer
Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, inducted 2009
Grammy Trustees Award, 2009
The Blues Hall of Fame, inducted 2011
National Medal of the Arts, in 2013
(LISTEN)