Composer/Songwriter
Pat Alger formed his own music publishing company in Nashville after writing several hit songs. His tune "Thunder Rolls" was a big hit for Garth Brooks, and other songs have been recorded by a range of artists including "Small Town Saturday Night." Pat, in fact, grew up in a small town in...
Dallas Frazier was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame for writing such hits as "There Goes My Everything" and "Elvira." "There Goes My Everything" has been recorded dozens of times by artists such as Jack Greene, who had the first number one hit with the song and Elvis Presley,...
Patrice Rushen has forged many in roads in the music industry. While Patrice got her start recording as an accomplished jazz pianist, she soon branched out into many other genres including pop and R&B. Along the way, Patrice took her passion for composing and arranging into the TV and Film...
Jose Feliciano is one of the most recognized and loved guitarists worldwide. Jose’s unique style and approach to songwriting and guitar playing is accessible yet technically brilliant. At a very early age, Jose started playing concertina and cuatro before moving onto the guitar. As a teenager, Jose...
Gina Schock has an energy about her that is extremely infectious and brings a smile to the faces of those around her. Gina grew up in Baltimore and after trying and discarding the guitar and piano, Gina hit her stride with drums, learning by playing along to the Beatles and Led Zeppelin. Before...
Ernie Vincent played a key role in expanding the role New Orleans played in music on a national and international level. As a songwriter he wrote the funk based songs "Dap Walk" as well as many others based on the blues and zydeco. "Dap Walk" proved that New Orleans was not just about jazz and the...
Terence Blanchard remembers with pride the special way Lionel Hampton coached and encouraged him. It was his first professional gig and Hamp took the time to share with young Terence, an act of kindness that continues to give to this day. While having a successful jazz career, Terence never...
Allen Toussaint represented one of the quintessential New Orleans sounds. Toussaint’s compositions and songs seamlessly blend blues, jazz, ragtime, R&B, and funk to create an amalgam that is unique and readily identifiable to New Orleans. Starting on piano in the 1940s and initially influenced...
Little Freddie King has become a mainstay within the New Orleans music scene. His energetic performances, often with high kicks, always feature his main instrument, the Gibson Flying V! Freddie is so much a part of the blues in New Orleans that he was inducted into the state’s Music Hall of Fame...
Deacon John Moore has been a noted studio musician in New Orleans for decades. His performance and recordings have not only represented the New Orleans Sound over the years, he has helped define it! Deacon John was very active in the studios of New Orleans in the heyday of R&B and can be heard...