Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Pete Fountain to be inducted into Delta Music Hall of Fame - News

Pete Fountain to be inducted into Delta Music Hall of Fame in Ferriday

Courtesy of the Concordia Sentinel Newspaper Feb.21, 2008

New Orleans jazzman Pete Fountain will be inducted into the Delta Music Hall of Fame on April 5th in Ferriday during the annual Delta Music Festival.

"We just received word this past weekend," said museum director Judith Bingham. "We're very excited about it. We're working out all the details now." Bingham also noted that the new Arcade Theater is near completion. "They put in the theater lights and are putting in the sound," Bingham said. "Everything is really looking good inside and the stage is completed with a huge wooden floor." Bingham said Arcade will be dedicated during the festival and a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held prior to the event.

Born July 3, 1930 in New Orleans, Fountain performed with several bands during his career, including Junior Dixieland Band in the famous Parisian Room. A few years later, Fountain joined Phil Zito's International Dixieland Express. In 1957, Fountain appeared on the Lawrence Welk Show and became a household name.

After two years in California, Fountain came home to New Orleans. He opened his own jazz club in the heart of the French Quarter. His national fame and fans followed him to New Orleans which allowed Fountain's club to expand, through the past 38 years, into the largest jazz club in the city.

Fountain 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.

He has recorded over 90 albums. Three of Fountain'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."

No comments: