Mac Rebennack, aka Dr. John the Night Tripper, brought the bayou to the bandstand and the funk to the masses. His music, spiced with his…
Mac Rebennack, aka Dr. John the Night Tripper, brought the bayou to the bandstand and the funk to the masses. His music, spiced with his gravelly vocals, was a gumbo of blues, R&B, rock and with a bit of New Orleans voodoo thrown in for good measure.
Though he didn’t have many hit records, Rebennack, who died Thursday at age 77, was a living symbol of New Orleans and its vast musical heritage.
“You cannot separate Dr. John from New Orleans. He’s like Louis Armstrong. He’s like a cultural ambassador,” music writer Michael Hurtt told the Associated Press in 2005. “He’s basically packaged this culture he came out of with a lot of nuances that are pretty subtle.”
The musician’s family confirmed the death in a statement released to the Associated Press and New York Times. A tweet from Dr. John’s verified account says, « The family thanks all whom shared his unique musical journey & requests privacy at this time. Memorial arrangements will be announced in due course. »
Born in New Orleans, Rebennack was a session musician in the 1950s, playing guitar and bass, later switching to piano after he injured his left ring finger protecting his bandmate, Ronnie Barron, from gunfire.
