This summer’s been a sad one for fans of New Orleans music: we’ve lost Dr. John and Fats Domino plus songwriter/ musician/producer Dave Bartholomew, and most recently (July 22nd) Neville Brothers founder Art Neville, the oldest sibling, who passed away at 81.
Years before The Neville Brothers were a thing, Art Neville had formed The Meters; their sound was funky and groovy, and their songs were popular on both the R&B and Pop charts. The Meters 1969 instrumental hit, “Cissy Strut,” entered the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2011.
Art Neville was a gifted singer, songwriter and keyboard master whose contributions were essential to the evolution of the New Orleans sound.