Giants of the Fest: Deacon John
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — It’s hard to find someone who has logged more performances at Jazz Fest than Deacon John.
In fact, the Jazz Fest database says he’s performed over 80 times and the fest is only a little over 50 years old.
“I’m one of the few entertainers alive today that has played every Jazz Fest since they started in Congo Square. I played for Quint Davis’ prom,” said Deacon John.
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A walking history of New Orleans R&B and a belly of laughs to back it up, Deacon John’s place in the pantheon of Jazz Fest giants is secure. A brilliant singer and guitarist, John had the good fortune of being a master in the studio playing guitar on a host of New Orleans R&B classics.
“I was on ‘Tell it Like It Is’, ‘It’s Raining,’ ‘Hitting on Nothing,’ ‘I Like it Like That,’ ‘Land of 1,000 Dancers,’ ‘Mother in Law,’ ‘Taint it The Truth,'” said Deacon John.
Believe it or not, Deacon John has never had his own hit recording or even a Grammy nomination.
“Your stature in show business largely depends on how many hit records you have. I don’t have none. I’m a legend in my own mind,” said Deacon John.
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But he’s a powerhouse on stage! He’s also a legend in our hearts, and always a joy to hear on stage, and, at 82, with no plans to go anywhere.
“It’s like Dizzy Gillespie told me, he said ‘Look Deac, just keep your health up, because the name of the game is you have to outlive the competition,’ he said. ‘And we are going to have all the gigs, laughs. Who are you going to call now?!” said Deacon John.
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