News for October 2007

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

News for October 2007

News

Oct. 10 2007 - Pete Fountain Back on His Feet
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

METAIRIE - Famed New Orleans Pete Fountain musician was back at home this weekend after spending seven days in East Jefferson General Hospital due to a mild stroke. Pete says he's feeling fine after suffering what's called a pin stroke. "I'm all back...all together...both legs, both arms. Now the brain will never be the same...'cause it was never the same before," jokes Fountain.

But like before, the 77-year-old Fountain will be back performing in Bay St. Louis soon. "Oh yeah, not this Tuesday, but the following Tuesday...Tuesday and Wednesday I'll be at the Hollywood Casino. You know, my talking is good...everything is fine, really."

The famed jazz clarinetist was upset that he couldn't attend and perform at the funeral for Sheriff Harry Lee, but had to be taken to the hospital. "I went to sit in my chair and then all of a sudden I couldn't talk," says Fountain.

But now, he's looking forward to performing again and looking forward to next year's Mardi Gras with his Half-Fast Walking Club. "I'll be there, that's for sure," says Pete. "I'll be on my wagon."
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Oct. 6 2007 - Pete Fountain Hospitalized
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

METAIRIE - Jazz Clarinetist Pete Fountain Has Been Admitted to a Suburban New Orleans Hospital for Tests.

Jazz clarinetist Pete Fountain has been admitted to a suburban New Orleans hospital for tests. His son-in-law, Benny Harrell, says Fountain was feeling ill Thursday and that Fountain's doctor admitted him to East Jefferson General Hospital for tests. Harrell declined to describe the nature of Fountain's illness but says he doesn't expect Fountain to be hospitalized long.

Fountain was who was scheduled to perform "Just A Closer Walk With Thee" at the funeral for Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee Friday. Harrell says the 77-year-old Fountain was upset he had to miss Lee's memorial. The two had been friends for decades.
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Click here to check out my visit to the Hollywood Casino on Oct 2, 2007 to see Pete perform. It was a really enjoyable show, got to met Pete, chat with him. He played very well, good to see him still "tootin".
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Getting near the end of my collection to post. The next batch will be my 10" 33 1/3 collection. I have the original Basin Street Six collections on Mercury, and a couple of Phil Zito's Dixieland Express 10" records on Columbia with Pete on them. I already posted the Tony Almerico 10" and 12" records I have, I have one more 10" to go. They have Pete playing with Tony Almerico and his Dixieland Jamboree All Stars at on Royal Street at the New Orleans' Parisian Room. All vintage early Pete.

I will also be posting some CDs/LPs that Pete appeared on, such as Christmas collections, Jazz LPs, etc.

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Pete's Bio

Peter Dewey Fountain, Jr. was born July 3, 1930 in New Orleans, the cradle of American music, Jazz. He was a skinny kid who spent too much time hanging around the front stoop of the Top Hat Dance Hall near his home. The Top Hat was a stronghold of Dixieland Jazz and Jazz already had a strong hold on Pete Fountain. But, oh the sounds! This was music straight from the soul. Sounds that would never be written in stone, that would always be brand new because they were purely personal. Pete heard all the greats in New Orleans and he knew he wanted to play Jazz.

After endless hours of practicing and listening to the recordings of Benny Goodman and Irving Fazola, the personal sound of Pete Fountain began to emerge and it was "Fat." By the time Pete was 16, he had already gained a reputation on the street, Bourbon Street.

Through these formative years of his musical training, Pete performed with several sensational bands. One such band was the Junior Dixieland Band which performed in the famous Parisian Room-often performing for legendary jazz men. It was a heady time of life and Pete Fountain was savoring every moment.

A few years later Pete joined Phil Zito's International Dixieland Express. They were playing the El Morocco on the street. It was there he met Beverly. She had decided very young to marry a musician and Pete had decided very young to be a musician.

Pete was performing with some of the best known jazz bands in the country--The Basin Street Six, The Dukes of Dixieland, Al Hirt--and it was great.

Until 1956...Be-Bop and Rock & Roll were the hot new sounds, and the music that Pete loved could not provide him or anybody else with a living. Jazz, in its own birthplace New Orleans, was definitely asleep. He gave up music. He had no choice. With a wife and three small children to support, music was a luxury he could not afford.

All he really wanted to do was play music. All he needed was a band, a bandstand and a place to play.

In 1957, Lawrence Welk, host of the nation's most popular television program, wanted Pete on the show, and that kind of opportunity only comes once in a lifetime. For two years, Pete was the most famous Jazz musician on television. Pete Fountain became a household name and New Orleans Jazz made a comeback that has never faded.

After two years in California, Pete came home to New Orleans. He had learned what every New Orleanian has to accept as a fact of life. you can leave New Orleans, but it never leaves you. The cuisine, the sights and the sounds.

Pete immediately opened his own jazz club in the heart of the French Quarter. His national fame and fans followed him to New Orleans which allowed Pete's club to expand, through the past 34 years, into the largest jazz club in the city.

Pete has always been considered an ambassador of New Orleans Jazz as he performs his music on guest appearances on network television and specials. Some of the highlights have been such classics as the Ed Sullivan, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Andy Williams specials. More recently his credits include A Close up of Pete Fountain, Super Bowl Saturday Night and the National Memorial Day Concert. He also performed 59 times on Johnny Carson's "The Tonight Show."

Pete has performed at four U.S. State Dinners by command performance for four Presidents of the United States. He has also performed for Pope John Paul II at the New Orleans Papal Mass with an attendance of over 400,000 people.

During Pete's career, he has recorded 56 albums and has been a featured performer on 44 additional albums for a total of 100 recordings. Three of Pete's albums have gone gold, "Pete Fountain's New Orleans," "The Blues," and "Mr. New Orleans." He also received a gold record for his hit single "Just A Closer Walk With Thee."

Through Pete's career he has received numerous awards and honors including a Doctorate of Music from the College of Santa Fe; he was voted the #1 Jazz Clarinetist for 13 consecutive years in the Playboy Readers Poll; he was King of Bacchus; he received an Emmy for the 1990 Super Bowl Pre-Game Music; and he was awarded the 1993 Louisiana Legends Award.

Pete has performed with music legends ranging from Louis Armstrong and Harry James to Harry Connick, Jr. Yet to this day his greatest thrill is taking the stage and performing the music he loves, watching as it works its irresistible magic on the audience. Straight to the soul.

Pete Fountain and his wife, Beverly, have three children and five grandchildren. He divides his DAYS between his family, various charitable organizations and his favorite fishing hole.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007