Who Is Allen Toussaint? Age, Biography and Wiki
Allen Toussaint was born on January 14, 1938, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a renowned American musician, songwriter, and record producer known for his significant influence on the music scene, particularly in the genres of R&B, funk, and jazz. With a career spanning over five decades, Toussaint's work included compositions and productions for notable artists, solidifying his legacy as one of the most important figures in American music history. He passed away on November 10, 2015, but his influence continues to reverberate through the music industry.
| Occupation | Songwriter |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | January 14, 1938 |
| Age | 77 Years |
| Birth Place | Gert Town, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 10 November, 2015 |
| Died Place | N/A |
Popularity
Allen Toussaint's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details about Allen Toussaint’s height and weight were not widely publicized, he was known for his elegant presence and charismatic persona. His physical attributes were often overshadowed by his immense talent and the larger-than-life contributions he made to music.
In 1987, he was the musical director of an off-Broadway show, Staggerlee, with a score composed of songs from his catalog, which ran for 150 performances. Like many of his contemporaries, Toussaint found that interest in his compositions was rekindled when his work began to be sampled by hip hop artists in the 1980s and 1990s.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Though Allen Toussaint was a public figure, he maintained a degree of privacy regarding his personal life. He was married to his wife, who played an integral role in supporting his career. Throughout his life, Toussaint focused heavily on his music and legacy rather than continuously documenting his personal relationships. As of his passing, he was remembered as someone who cherished family values and built a beautiful life alongside his loved ones.
His father, Clarence, worked on the railway and played trumpet. Allen Toussaint learned piano as a child and took informal music lessons from an elderly neighbor, Ernest Pinn. In his teens he played in a band, the Flamingos, with the guitarist Snooks Eaglin, before dropping out of school.
A significant early influence on Toussaint was the syncopated "second-line" piano style of Professor Longhair. Toussaint was raised Catholic.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his passing, Allen Toussaint’s estimated net worth was in the millions, primarily due to his successful career as a musician and producer. His royalties from songwriting, album sales, and production credits contributed significantly to his wealth. Though exact figures vary, he had carved a niche in the music industry that ensured financial stability and recognition.
Career, Business and Investments
Allen Toussaint’s career began in the 1950s and saw him rise to prominence in the 1960s and beyond. His songwriting credits include classics such as "Working in the Coal Mine" and "Southern Nights." Toussaint worked with a range of artists, including Elvis Costello, The Rolling Stones, and Aaron Neville.
In addition to music, he also ventured into the business side of the industry, owning his record label and production company. His investments in the music scene and his innovative approaches to music production left a lasting impact, influencing countless artists and producers even after his passing.
In 1973 Toussaint and Sehorn created the Sea-Saint recording studio in the Gentilly section of eastern New Orleans. Toussaint began recording under his own name, contributing vocals as well as piano. His solo career peaked in the mid-1970s with the albums From a Whisper to a Scream and Southern Nights.
During this time he teamed with Labelle and produced their acclaimed 1974 album Nightbirds, which contained the number one hit "Lady Marmalade". The next year, Toussaint collaborated with Paul McCartney and Wings for their hit album Venus and Mars and played on the song "Rock Show".
In 1973, his "Yes We Can Can" was covered by The Pointer Sisters for their self-titled debut album; released as a single, it became both a pop and R&B hit and served as the group's introduction to popular culture.
Two years later, Glen Campbell covered Toussaint's "Southern Nights" and carried the song to number one on the pop, country, and adult contemporary charts. Toussaint's song "I'll Take A Melody" figured permanently in the repertoire of the Jerry Garcia Band.
Social Network
Though social media platforms were less prominent during Allen Toussaint's height of popularity, he embraced technology in his later years. Posthumously, his legacy is celebrated across various social networks, including dedicated fan pages on Facebook and Instagram, where music enthusiasts share his contributions and celebrate his profound influence on the music industry.
Education
Allen Toussaint was initially trained in music through his exposure to local New Orleans culture. However, he was mainly a self-taught musician. His natural musicality and understanding of rhythm, harmony, and melody, nurtured in the vibrant musical environment of his hometown, paved the way for his exceptional career.
Toussaint was drafted into the United States Army in 1963 but continued to record when on leave. After his discharge in 1965, he joined forces with Marshall Sehorn to form Sansu Enterprises, which included a record label, Sansu, variously known as Tou-Sea, Deesu, or Kansu, and recorded Lee Dorsey, Chris Kenner, Betty Harris, and others.
Dorsey had hits with several of Toussaint's songs, including "Ride Your Pony" (1965), "Working in the Coal Mine" (1966), and "Holy Cow" (1966).
The core players of the rhythm section used on many of the Sansu recordings from the mid- to late 1960s, Art Neville and the Sounds, consisted of Art Neville on keyboards, Leo Nocentelli on guitar, George Porter Jr on bass, and Zigaboo Modeliste on drums. They later became known as The Meters.
Their backing can be heard in songs such as Dorsey's "Ride Your Pony" and "Working in the Coal Mine", sometimes augmented by horns, which were usually arranged by Toussaint.
The Toussaint-produced records of these years backed by the members of the Meters, with their increasing use of syncopation and electric instrumentation, built on the influences of Professor Longhair and others before them, but updated these strands, effectively paving the way for the development of a modern New Orleans funk sound.
