As far as many New Orleanians are concerned, there was no better player of a woodwind instrument than Pete Fountain.
The legendary musician died at 5:08 a.m. Saturday, his family said. He was 86.
"It’s a sad day for his family. And it’s sad to for all of New Orleans. Pete and his clarinet brought a lot of love and music to the world. He will greatly be missed.” Benny Harrell, Pete Fountain’s son-in-law and longtime manager said.I heard Pete play in New Orleans several times, and he influenced the New Orleans music scene in ways that it might take decades to fully appreciate.
Rest in Peace, Pete.
2 comments:
Dang, he along with Al Hirt and Buddy Rich WERE the big boys in NOLA jazz, getting the music on the world-wide stage, and getting many black bands the leg up in the jazz world to get records made. May he rest in peace...
There were many great musicians from the Twenties, Thirties, and Forties who were still working in the Sixties, so what did we get on Saturday night TV? Lawrence Welk. Not that he wasn't a nice man, but I still feel cheated. A lot of blue haired ladies drank their Geritol and rocked in their living rooms to Champagne Music.
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