Legendary New Orleans producer Allen Toussaint passed away early Tuesday morning after suffering a heart attack while on tour in Madrid. He was 77.
Since first learning to play the piano at age 7, Toussaint went on to become a pioneer of New Orleans R&B, soul, and funk, working with artists like Lee Dorsey and Irma Thomas, as well as Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney, and Eric Clapton later in his career. The Grammy-winning producer is responsible for multiple hits including "Working in the Coal Mine," "Lady Marmalade," and "Southern Nights."
In addition to his legacy as a songwriter and performer, Toussaint inspired artists like The Rolling Stones and The Doors to cover his songs and influenced countless others. Toussaint is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2012. Watch Toussaint perform "Southern Nights" below. Roxie Pell
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
