In 2000 I set out to paint a painting of all the people I idolized in New Orleans Music. Being a Music Education Major at the time I wanted to show in my way appreciation to these Great Legends. It took between 2000 and 2004 to get every Legend I painted to sign this piece. Pictured from left to right starting at the top is Edward "KIDD" Jordan (my college professor), Antoine "FATS Domino Jr., Charmaine Neville, Edwin Harrell Hampton (my high school director), Dr. John, Terrance Blanchard, Kermit Ruffins, Aaron Neville, Dave Bartholomew, and Wynton Marsalis.
One thing that I loved the most about getting this painting signed by these artist was how friendly, loving, open, and genuine they all were to me. Here in New Orleans, Louisiana we are a friendly people but even the legends that I had just met when they signed it treated me like a family member. A couple of the legends I met at one of their shows like Charmaine Neville, FATS Domino, and Dr John. One morning I woke up turned on the news and saw that Wynton Marsalis was going to be on so I took the painting of the easel and went to the station. I went to Kermit Ruffins Club and asked him to sign the piece.Mr Hampton, Dave Bartholomew, and "Kidd" Jordan signed it at the unveiling. Finally Aaron Neville was walking in front of my house to quietly make his way to the famous Tipitinas and I spotted him. Mr Neville came into my living room and signed the picture and never met me a day of his life, I call that "NATUALLY NAWLINS"!