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Neville, Art (17th December 1937-22nd July 2019)

He was 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 he was then 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 uncle’s 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 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 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.

In the 2000s he could 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.

He announced his retirement in December 2018 after being in the music industry for over six decades.

He passed away in July 2019 when he was 81 years old.

Sources:

  1. http://www.funkymeters.com/bio.html#art_neville
  2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Neville
  3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Meters
  4. http://www.nevilletracks.com/art.htm
  5. http://www.paulmccartney.com/news.php?filter=2007-09&id=51#
  6. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=ART|NEVILLE&sql=11:wifpxqr5ld6e~T1
  7. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wifpxqr5ld6e~1~T40B
  8. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wifpxqr5ld6e~2~T40B