Dr. John’s Blues Music
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Dr. John’s Blues Music is a great place to find information on the latest in blues music. You can also find out about upcoming events and concerts.
Dr. John’s Life
Dr. John, born Malcolm John Rebennack, Jr., was an American musician, singer and songwriter. Dr. John was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He left school in the ninth grade and started playing guitar and piano. Dr. John was a session musician in New Orleans in the 1950s and 1960s. He played on numerous records by artists such as Professor Longhair, Joe Tex and Frankie Ford. In the 1960s, Dr. John began to develop his own style of music, which he called “Dr. John’s Blues.”
His early life
Dr. John, born as MalcolmJohn Rebennack, was born on November 20, 1941, in New Orleans, Louisiana. When he was just a small child, his family moved to the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, where he was heavily influenced by the music he heard around him. At the age of six, he began playing the piano; by twelve, he was playing guitar and singing in nightclubs. He dropped out of school in the ninth grade and began working as a professional musician. In 1960, he moved to Los Angeles, where he changed his name to Dr. John and began working as a session musician.
His musical influences
Dr. John’s music was shaped by the musical styles of New Orleans, which he described as “rhythm and blues, second-line parades, Crescent City R&B”. He was also influenced by boogie-woogie piano and the sounds of electric blues guitar. Dr. John was a fan of Professor Longhair, and his work would be greatly influenced by Longhair’s distinctive piano playing style.
Dr. John’s Music
Dr. John, an American singer, songwriter, and pianist, was born on November 21, 1940, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. John has been a prominent figure in rock and roll and blues music since the 1960s. His music is a blend of blues, pop, and New Orleans R&B.
His early music
Dr. John Creaux, better known to the world as Dr. John, The Night Tripper, was born in New Orleans in 1940. Raised in the city’s Third Ward, he was exposed to a wide variety of music at an early age including blues, jazz, R&B and rock and roll. His early musical influences included Professor Longhair, T chaotic but danceable rhythm and chord patterns guitar style and distinctive gravelly vocal delivery led many to compare him to Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley.
His later music
Dr. John continued to record and tour steadily in the 2000s and 2010s. He collaborated with The Blind Boys of Alabama on the Grammy-winning gospel album Atom Bomb in 2005, and won acclaim for his 2006 blues album Sippiana Hericane. In 2008, he released the all-star production Tribal that featured many notable musicians including Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Mark Knopfler, and Los Lobos. His final studio album, Locked Down, was produced by Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach and released in 2012 to critical acclaim. Dr. John died on June 6, 2019, at the age of 77.
His legacy
Dr. John was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist who was active for over five decades. His music was influential in the development of both rock and roll and blues music, and he is considered one of the most important figures in those genres. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011, and he won six Grammy Awards during his career.
Dr. John’s music was a mix of different genres, including blues, R&B, gospel, pop, and jazz. He was known for his distinctive voice and piano playing style, as well as his skills as a songwriter. Some of his most popular songs include “I Walk on Guilded Splinters,” “Right Place Wrong Time,” and “Such a Night.”
After Dr. John’s death in 2019, many people paid tribute to him by sharing their favorite memories of his music. His legacy continues to be celebrated by fans all over the world.
Dr. John’s Influence on Other Musicians
Dr. John, born Mac Rebennack, was a New Orleans musician who had a great impact on the development of blues music. Dr. John was a master of the piano and guitar and was known for his unique style of music. He was also a talented songwriter and composer.
His influence on blues musicians
While there were many New Orleans musicians who were influential in the development of the blues, Dr. John was one of the most significant. His unique style combined elements of both traditional and contemporary blues, making him a favorite among both older and younger musicians. He was also one of the first blues musicians to experiment with different sounds and textures, which helped to broaden the genre and make it more accessible to a wider audience.
Many of the most famous blues musicians have cited Dr. John as an influence, including B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and Howlin’ Wolf. His music has also been covered by a wide range of artists, including Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton, and Rolling Stones. In addition to his influence on the blues, Dr. John also helped to popularize New Orleans-style R&B and funk music. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2012 and continues to be revered as one of the most important figures in blues history.
His influence on rock musicians
Dr. John’s music had a profound influence on rock musicians. His unique blend of blues, R&B, and New Orleans-style jazz inspired countless guitarists, bassists, keyboardists, and drummers. His distinctive voice and persona were also highly influential, and he was one of the first African-American musicians to attain a mainstream audience. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.
His influence on jazz musicians
Dr. John is frequently cited as an influence by jazz musicians. Pianist McCoy Tyner said, “He was one of the few guys – along with Thelonious Monk – who could make you forget what key you were in. He was playing modulations that nobody had ever heard before … He would take a standard progressions and just move it around to different keys – it was something that nobody had done before.” In 1993, Wynton Marsalis said, “Basically Dr. John created his own thing … When you listen to his records from the ’70s, there’s no way you can mistake him for anybody else.”