John Boutté
On Sundays, as the red beans were soaking for Monday’s dinner, John Boutte was awakened by the sounds of his New Orleans neighbourhood. Voices carried over the fence from the church behind his home in the Seventh Ward, the home where he grew up, where most of his Creole family still lives and sings.
Past the front yard, second-line parades rolled by, matching the madness of Carnival season and the transcendent joy of the jazz funeral. This roux of influences created John Boutté and serves him to this day.
John got started singing professionally after he’d served in the U.S army and was stationed in Korea.
When he got back to New Orleans his older sister Lillian Boutte (Who have toured all over Europe) took him on the road all over the U.S and Europe.
John’s distinctive voice makes him one of New Orleans’ most well-known artists, locally as well as internationally.
The great musician and producer, Allen Toussaint, who has produced; The Band, The Meters, Paul Mccartney, Dr. John, Lee Dorsey and many more, once said about John Boutte’s voice; “New Orleans finest Male vocalist, in his category. But this gentleman has a voice that just touches my heart in a wonderful place”
In 2010, five years after hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans, the American premium cable and satellite television network HBO (Home Box Office) launched the TV series “Treme”. Named after the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans (the US) for free people of color, and the place where Jazz was born.
Besides starring as an actor in the tv-show, John Boutte is also the songwriter and performer behind the title track of the show, with his song ‘The Treme Song’.
John has over the years recorded over ten albums in is own name and made guest appearances on other artist recordings. John is currently working on a new album that’s going to be released in 2019