Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, leader of the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indian tribe, is one of the recipients of National Endowment for the Arts’ 2016 National Heritage Fellowship.
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux on the cover of the 2013 Jazz Fest Bible.
Boudreaux, who was born in 1941 and graced the cover of OffBeat’s Jazz Fest Bible in 2013, has received the honor in recognition of his work as a gifted folk artist and dynamic performing musician.
It’s a well-deserved honor considering Boudreaux’s six-decade history as a Mardi Gras Indian and his five-decade history as a master of New Orleans funk and R&B. Over the years, the local icon has performed in some of the America’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Saturday Night Live (where he joined The Band’s Robbie Robertson in 1982). He’s also taken his show around the world, introducing his side of New Orleans culture to audiences in the UK, France, Germany and Japan, among other places.
The National Heritage Fellowship is a lifetime achievement award that comes with a one-time grant of $25,000. The NEA bestows the honor on a maximum of nine people each year, selecting the winners from a pool of nominees that were chosen by the public.
Other 2016 fellows include Bryan Akipa (Dakota flute maker and player), Billy McComiskey (Irish button accordionist), Clarissa Rizal (Tlingit ceremonial regalia maker), Artemio Posadas (Son Huasteco musician), Theresa Secord (Penobscot National ash/sweetgrass basketmaker), Bounxeung Synanonh (Loatian khaen player), Michael Vlahovich (master shipwright) and Leona Waddell (white oak basketmaker).
This year’s winners will receive their awards at a ceremony in the Library of Congress on Wednesday, September 28. They will also be honored with a free concert at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium on Friday, September 30.
