Dr. John, the Grammy winner whose eclectic music was inspired by everything from his hometown of New Orleans to voodoo to his grandfather's vaudeville past, died Thursday from a heart attack. He was 77.
"Dr. John was a true Louisiana legend," Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said in a statement. "He showed the world Louisiana's rich musical heritage, and his passion for music has left a mark on the industry unlike any other." Born Malcolm John Rebennack Jr., he grew up playing the piano, before switching to the guitar; in 1960, he was shot in the finger and went back to the piano.
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