He is a singer and keyboardist born Arthur Neville in
New Orleans to a highly successful musical family.While at school he worked in a
record shop and formed his own doo-wop group and in 1953 he became a member
of The Hawkettes, who also later featured his brother Aaron, and appeared
on their popular song "Mardi Gras Mambo".Releasing many of his own singles such as "Cha Dooky Do",
"Lover of Love", "My Dear Dearest Darling" and "Oooh-Whee Baby" throughout
the 1950s and then was taken into military service for two years with the
US Navy Reserve around 1959.He
became a co-founder of The Meters in the late 1960s, where he was joined by
George Porter Jr. and his brothers Aaron and Cyril and performed with them
until their disbandment in 1977.He was also a member of his uncles The Wild Tchoupitoulas in 1976
and in 1978 he and his brothers Aaron, Charles and Cyril formed The Neville
Brothers who became extremely well known and at the same time he worked
extensively as a session musician as a solo artist, with The Meters and
with The Neville Brothers.Artists
he has worked with include Lee Dorsey, Dr. John, Etta James, Little Richard,
Paul McCartney, Zachary Richard, The Rolling Stones, Janis Siegel, Brian
Stoltz and Larry Williams and he was a musician on the hit single "Lady
Marmalade" by Labelle.The recordings
he has appeared on are many and include his own Mardi Gras Rock 'n' Roll
and That Old Time Rock 'n' Roll, as well as Cabbage Alley, Cissy
Strut and Look-Ka Py Py by The Meters, Brothers Keeper,Fiyo
on the Bayou, Tell It Like It Is, Treacherous, Uptown and Yellow
Moon with the Neville Brothers, Hot Water by Jimmy Buffett, Congratulations...I'm
Sorry by The Gin Blossoms, Seven Year Itch by Etta James, Addictions,
Vol. 2 by Robert Palmer and Allen Toussaint Collection by Allen
Toussaint to name just a few. His
daughter Arthel is a TV personality and journalist and his son Ian performs
with him in The Funky Meters.Today he can still be heard performing with some of the members of
The Meters in the spin-off, The Funky Meters as well as with his family
band, The Neville Brothers.
