Forgotten Faces or just a reminder .....
Lost Legends
Professor Longhair (born in Bogalusa, Louisiana.
1918, he died January 30, 1980, New Orleans) The professor was an American
singer and pianist who helped shape the sound of rhythm and blues from
the mid-1940s.
As a young boy living in New Orleans, Henry Roeland Byrd (His real name) he learned the rudiments of music from
his mother. He built his own instruments and played in the
streets for tips. But when he found an old discarded piano, he
patched it up and mastered it by watching barrelhouse pianists such as Sullivan
Rock and Kid Stormy Weather. His first and only hit song was Bald Head,
recorded in 1950.
While the professor enjoyed limited popularity during his
career, his signature piano style, characterised by a boogie-woogie bass
and syncopation influenced figures as Fats Domino, Allen Toussaint—who
called him the Bach of Rock and
Roll.
It was not until the 1970s, some 30 years into his career, that Professor
Longhair attained greater recognition. After producing the album Live on
the Queen Mary (1978) with Paul McCartney, Henry and his professional
band, the Blues Scholars, were a huge success on tours of Europe and the United
States. Professor Longhair topped off his career with the critically
acclaimed Crawfish Fiesta (1980), and in 1992 he was inducted into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.