Being a native New Orleanian has been an honor and a responsibility, especially as a musician.
As a child, I grew up in Baton Rouge, 80 miles upriver from New Orleans. I was lucky enough to have New Orleans as a second home, because my Mom would bring me to stay at my grandparents’ house all the time.
So, I have very vivid memories of experiencing New Orleans from a very young age, Cafe du Monde and Jackson Square in the French Quarter, the streetcar rides up and down St. Charles Avenue, our beautiful City Park, the Lakefront area and the smell of fresh seafood, and of course the Mardi Gras parades with the marching bands and street bands.
So when I moved to New Orleans to go to Loyola University in 1984, it felt like I was finally home.