Raymond Jones, a.k.a. Ray J, a New Orleans music educator, arranger, bandleader and recording artist, died February 6, 2011. He was 71. Jones was born in New Orleans on August 17, 1939, and grew up in the Magnolia (C.J. Peete) Housing Project, directly across the street from the Dew Drop Inn on Lasalle Street. “I [...]
Obituary: Dickie Taylor (1940-2010)
Dickie Taylor, a drummer on the New Orleans scene for 45 years, passed away November 30. Taylor grew up in Chicago, where he began his career in blues and rock bands. He dated the future pop star Jackie DeShannon in high school and played a couple gigs with Muddy Waters, but turned down the regular [...]
Walt Boatner: Obituary
[UPDATED] Walt Boatner, a pioneer in black New Orleans broadcasting and music retailing, died January 12, 2011. He was 72. Born in Centerville, MS, November 10, 1938. Boatner moved to New Orleans in the early 1960s after a stint in the Air Force. He landed his first job at WYLD spinning the hits on the [...]
Obituary: Solomon Burke (1940-2010)
“There’s a song that I sing, and I believe if everyone would sing it, it would save the whole world.” —Solomon Burke, “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” The righteous “Bishop” Solomon Burke died October 10 in Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. He was 70, or 74, according to some sources. Burke was born in Philadelphia and raised [...]
Obituary: Clyde Kerr, Jr. (1943-2010)
New Orleans jazz lost one of its most respected musical educators when Clyde Kerr, Jr. died in his sleep at his New Orleans home. He was 67, and his cause of death is not determined, though he had been suffering from several health problems in recent months. It’s undeniable to say that he has left [...]
Obituary: Roy Carrier (1947-2010)
Roy Carrier, who performed at the recent New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, died unexpectedly from a heart attack at Opelousas, Louisiana, May 3. He was 63. Carrier was perhaps best known for being one of the last traditional zydeco artists whose style was heavily blues-influenced. One of nine children, he was born February 11, [...]
Obituary: Marva Wright (1948-2010)
The much beloved blues and gospel singer, Marva Wright, died peacefully at her daughter’s home in eastern New Orleans March 23. She was 62. Wright suffered back-to-back debilitating strokes in 2009 and never was capable of returning to the stage. She’d been living with her eldest daughter since her health deteriorated last year. Wright was [...]
Obituary: Bernard “Bunchy” Johnson (1952-2010)
Bernard “Bunchy” Johnson, an extremely popular and talented drummer, who had a second, and third career, as an actor and booking agent, died unexpectedly at his home, March, 21, 2010. He was just 57. Johnson performed onstage or in the studio with just about every New Orleans artist one could possibly name, including Dave Bartholomew, [...]
Obituary: Rockie Charles (1939-2010)
New Orleans’ “President of Soul,” Rockie Charles, whose given name was Alfred Charles Merrick, died after a long battle with cancer on March 12. He was 70. Charles was a guitarist and singer who cut a handful of well-crafted soul singles in the 1960s and 1970s. He recorded his first CD in 1997, the acclaimed [...]
Obituary: Alex Chilton (1950-2010)
Singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer Alex Chilton died of a heart-related problem in New Orleans on March 17, 2010. Chilton’s work with the Box Tops, Big Star and as a solo artist inspired a considerable and loyal following in the indie and alternative music fields. His compositions have been performed by Wilco, Garbage, Son Volt, [...]
