Allen Toussaint (/ˈtuːsɑːnt/; January 14, 1938 – November 10, 2015) was an American musician, songwriter/composer, record producer, and influential figure in New Orleans R&B.
Many of Toussaint's songs became familiar through versions by other musicians, including "Working in the Coal Mine", "Ride Your Pony", "Fortune Teller", "Play Something Sweet", "Southern Nights", "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky", "I'll Take a Melody", "Get Out of My Life, Woman" and "Mother-in-Law". (Read more at Wikipedia.)
Links to Peel
Allen Toussaint does not appear very often under his own name in Peel's playlists, even if the DJ featured a few tracks from Toussaint's solo albums of the early 1970s. Yet Toussaint was a prolific songwriter and producer, who was involved with many records and artists favoured by Peel, with The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Who and other British groups covering Toussaint's songs in the 1960s. Then, in the 1970s, soul and R&B tracks became a regular feature of Peel's shows, an example being Lee Dorsey's single version of Toussaint's song "Freedom For The Stallion", which was played on the show of 04 February 1972. The New Orleans R&B style exemplified by Allen Toussaint became fashionable, influencing rock musicians such as Little Feat and Boz Scaggs, and established artists like The Band and Dr. John benefited from Toussaint's arranging and production skills.
Soul-inspired British singers and Peel session regulars Frankie Miller and Jess Roden both travelled to New Orleans to record albums at his Sea Saint Studio, as did John Mayall. Toussaint also worked closely with Peel favourites of the era Betty Wright and The Meters, and many others. Later, in the 1980s and beyond, Peel would feature vintage soul tracks from the 1960s, including some produced or written by Allen Toussaint. Of Allen Toussaint's work as songwriter and producer, Peel's lasting favourites were tracks recorded by Lee Dorsey (among them "Working In The Coal Mine"), as well as early 1970s records by Betty Wright, which the DJ was still playing on his shows in the 2000s.
Festive Fifty Entries
- None
Sessions
- None.
Other Shows Played
- None known from available tracklistings.
Covered
(The list below was compiled only from the Cover Versions page of this site. Please add more information if known.)
Artist | Track | First Known Play
- Brinsley Schwarz: I Cried My Last Tear (25 September 1978)
- Lee Dorsey: Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (14 October 1980)
- Lee Dorsey: Freedom For The Stallion (04 February 1972)
- Lee Dorsey: Get Out Of My Life Woman (08 October 1980)
- Lee Dorsey: Working in a Coal Mine (22 May 1980)
- Betty Harris: Ride Your Pony (21 July 1980)
- Frankie Miller: Brickyard Blues (session) (25 June 1976)
- Otis Redding: Pain In My Heart (23 May 1984)
- Benny Spellman: Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette) (20 December 1992 (BFBS))