James Booker
James Booker (1939-1983) wasn’t just a titan in any music scene. He was a titan in the New Orleans music scene, which makes him a protean figure in the soundscape of essential Americana. His marriage of rhythm ‘n’ blues and barrel-chested, gut-bucket soul was inspired, and inspirational. Booker was the prime influence on generations of musicians, including — but by no means limited to — Harry Connick Jr., who considers Booker his mentor. An obvious prodigy and an insatiable student of sound, he developed a singularly devastating performance idiom by immersing himself in music of every imaginable genre. He grew up playing gospel organ in his pastor father’s Baptist church on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but he was just as well... Read More
- City Of Origin:
- New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
- Genre:
- New Orleans, New Orleans Soul
- Birthdate:
- 12/17/1939
- Death date:
- 11/08/1983