He is a singer, percussionist and composer born in New
Orleans, Louisiana, to an extremely successful family of musicians.When he was 19 years old he began
his professional musical career as a singer and joined up with two of his
brothers, Aaron and Art, in Art Neville and the Neville Sounds.He and Aaron formed their own group
at the end of the 1960s/beginning of the 1970's called Soul Machine and in
1970 he released his first record as a solo artist, "Gossip", with Art's
group The Meters providing the backing.Soul Machine moved to Nashville, followed by New York,
but still not seeing the success they wanted, he became a member of The
Meters who were busy in the studio and touring with The Rolling Stones.In 1976, after The Meters were
starting to go their own separate ways, he and his brothers Aaron, Art and
Charles put together The Neville Brothers after having appeared with them
in The Wild Tchoupitoulas.They have since become a very popular outfit that have toured
nationally and internationally and released many acclaimed albums.Continually working outside the
group he has established bands such as Endangered Species Band and the
Uptown Allstars Band and released his own album recordings.His albums include The Fire This
Time, New Orleans Cookin' and Suolo as well as Cabbage Alley,
Fire on the Boyou, New Directions and Trick Bag with The Meters
and Family Groove,Neville-ization, Walkin' in the Shadow of Life
and Yellow Moon with The Neville Brothers and as a guest artist
he has appeared on Fever for the Bayou by Tab Benoit, Picture
Perfect Morning by Edie Brickell, Hot Water by Jimmy Buffett, Goin'
Back to New Orleans by Dr. John, Oh Mercy by Bob Dylan, Teatro
by Willie Nelson, Orchid in the Storm by Aaron Neville and Storyville
by Robbie Robertson. In the
movies he has appeared as a guest on the documentary New Orleans Music
in Exile that was made following Hurricane Katrina and written music for
Follow Me Home,Maangamizzi: The Ancient One and The Shot Heard
'Round the World. On
the business side of things he founded the New Orleans Musicians
Organisation, which gives advice to local artists, and established the record
label Endangered Species.
