Dr. John honored with award

• By JOHN WIRT
• Music critic
• Published: Apr 3, 2009

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The Baton Rouge Blues Foundation’s annual Slim Harpo Awards honored one of New Orleans’ famous musical sons last weekend. Singer-pianist Dr. John, who recently received his fifth Grammy award for the New Orleans-inspired City That Care Forgot, traveled from his home in New York City to accept the foundation’s blues legend award.

“When people think of Louisiana music,” WBRH-FM radio personality Rob Payer said, “they think of Dr. John. We honor his dedication to Louisiana, to New Orleans, his tireless work in keeping the music out there and spreading the word that New Orleans is still recovering and still needing help. Dr. John, thank you so much.”

Dr. John acknowledged the presence of the family of Slim Harpo, the Baton Rouge blues star for whom the awards are named, and the family of jazz clarinetist and educator Alvin Batiste, the posthumous recipient of this year’s blues ambassador award.

“When I was coming up,” Dr. John said Saturday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, “I loved ‘Rainin’ In My Heart,’ I loved ‘Scratch My Back’ and I loved ‘Te-Ni-Nee-Ni-Nu.’ We all love the music. And you see Mrs. Batiste here. Alvin Batiste, if it wouldn’t have been for him, over and over, I wouldn’t have had the musicians in my band.”

Louisiana musicians often played their music only for love, he added, because they weren’t receiving fair compensation for their work and talent.

“We didn’t get into playing music to make money,” he said. “We didn’t get into music to do anything but make the gig. That was what our heart was about. If we could make the gig, we did something all right.

“We tried to get paid. We didn’t always get paid for royalties; we never always got paid for the gig; we didn’t always get paid for anything. But we were always there for each another. That’s the beauty that Louisiana music stands for. They can’t take that away from us.”

In addition to the Slim Harpo blues legend award, Mayor-President Kip Holden presented Dr. John with a certificate designating March 28 as Dr. John Day in Baton Rouge. “I’m honored tonight to be a part of this special program,” Holden said.

Blues ambassador award recipient Batiste was head of jazz studies at Southern University in Baton Rouge for decades. After retiring from Southern in 2002, he returned to his native New Orleans to teach at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts.

Batiste guided generations of students, including Henry Butler, Branford Marsalis, and Donald Harrison.

Batiste was scheduled to perform at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival May 6, 2007, but he died of a heart attack early that morning. A day of impromptu tributes at the Jazz Fest followed.

Johnny Palazzotto, Baton Rouge Blues Foundation executive director, cited Batiste as the inspiration for the Blues Foundation’s Music in the Schools program. “He touched so many people over the years,” Palazzotto said.

Batiste’s widow, Edith, a poet who collaborated with her husband, accepted his award. Batiste’s pianist son, Maynard, also spoke. “My father loved you,” he said. “His heart was music.”