Dauphin Island is set to welcome one of the most iconic figures in American music when Dr. John takes the stage at the island’s annual music festival on Saturday, May 14, 2011. The legendary New Orleans pianist and singer, born Mac Rebennack, will headline the event alongside the equally renowned Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
The festival lineup also features homegrown talent from the Mobile area, with Grayson Capps and the Stumpknockers as well as Ryan Balthrop and His Bowling Buddies opening the show. Gates are scheduled to open at 3 p.m.
A Living Legend on the Gulf Coast
Dr. John’s appearance on Dauphin Island comes just weeks after one of the highest honors in popular music. On March 14, 2011, he was officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, cementing a career that has spanned more than five decades and helped define the sound of New Orleans.
Known for his distinctive blend of blues, R&B, boogie-woogie, and psychedelic rock, Dr. John first gained national attention in the late 1960s performing as “The Night Tripper,” a persona steeped in New Orleans voodoo mysticism and Mardi Gras tradition. His catalog includes enduring classics such as “Right Place, Wrong Time” and “I Walk on Guilded Splinters,” songs that remain deeply familiar to audiences along the Gulf Coast.
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Joining Dr. John on the bill is the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, another New Orleans institution. Founded in 1977, the group is widely credited with helping to modernize the traditional New Orleans brass band sound, fusing jazz, funk, and R&B into a style that has influenced generations of musicians in the Crescent City and beyond.
The combination of national headliners and local favorites promises a memorable afternoon and evening of music on one of Alabama’s most beloved barrier islands.