Allen Toussaint Dies
Allen Toussaint, 77, a New Orleans performer and composer who first gained fame in the ’60s producing hit for artists including Ernie K-Doe, Irma Thomas, and Art and Aaron Neville, died of a heart attack Nov. 10 while touring in Spain.
He’d performed a concert at Madrid’s Lara Theater Nov. 9. Toussaint composed numerous songs over the years including “Working in the Coal Mine,” “Ride Your Pony,” and “Fortune Teller” that were later covered by artists such as The Rolling Stones and The Who.
He wrote and produced for New Orleans legends The Meters, Dr John, and the Wild Tchoupitoulas Mardi Gras Indians tribe, launched a solo career in the ’70s, and produced LaBelle’s acclaimed album Nightbirds, which featured the hit “Lady Marmalade.”
In recent years, Toussaint collaborated with Elvis Costello and Eric Clapton, performed with Paul McCartney, was a regular fixture at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. He received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2012 and was a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Blues Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
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