This is a list of notable Louisiana Creole people.
To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Louisiana Creoles or must have references showing they are Louisiana Creoles and are notable.
List
Arts, culture, and entertainment
Don Albert (1908–1980) – jazz trumpeter and bandleaderJames Lincoln Collier, Jazz: The American Theme Song, Oxford University Press, 1993, pg. 193 Fernest Arceneaux (1940–2008) – zydeco accordionist and singer from Louisiana Alphonse "Bois Sec" Ardoin (1915–2007) – accordionist Amede Ardoin (1898–1942) – zydeco musician Chris Ardoin (born 1981) – zydeco accordionist and singer Sean Ardoin (born 1970) – zydeco musician and singer K.D. Aubert (born 1978) – actress and fashion model Vernel Bagneris (born 1949) – playwright, actor, director, singer, and dancer; named after his cousin Vernel FournierWhitney Balliett, Collected Works: A Journal of Jazz 1954–2001, St. Martin's Press, 2002, pp. 792–793 Louis Barbarin (1902–1997) – New Orleans jazz drummer Paul Barbarin (1899–1969) – New Orleans jazz drummer, usually regarded (along with Baby Dodds) as one of the best of the pre-Big Band era jazz drummers Achille Baquet (1885–1955) – jazz clarinetist and saxophonist George Baquet (1881–1949) – jazz clarinetist, known for his contributions to early jazz in New Orleans Blue Lu Barker (1913–1998) – jazz and blues singer; her better known recordings included "Don't You Feel My Leg" and "Look What Baby's Got For You" Danny Barker (1909–1994) – jazz banjoist, singer, guitarist, songwriter, ukulele playerHoward T. Weiner, Early Twentieth-Century Brass Idioms: Art, Jazz, and Other Popular Traditions, Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2009, pg. 16Louise McKinney, New Orleans: A Cultural History, Oxford University Press, 2006, pp. 26–27 Richmond Barthé (1901–1989) – sculptor Dave Bartholomew (1918–2019) – musician, band leader, composer and arranger, prominent in the music of New Orleans throughout the second half of the 20th century Jon Batiste (born 1986) – singer, multi-instrumentalist, educator, and bandleader from Kenner, Louisiana; music director and bandleader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and its band Stay Human Lionel Batiste (1931–2012) – jazz and blues musician and singer from New Orleans Sidney Bechet (1897–1959) – jazz saxophonist, clarinetist and composer
Troian Bellisario (born 1985) – actress; stars as Spencer Hastings in the ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars E.J. Bellocq (1873–1949) – photographer Jimmy Bertrand (1900–1960) – jazz and blues drummerLee Collins, Mary Spriggs Collins, Frank Gillis, John W. Miner, Oh, Didn't He Ramble: The Life Story of Lee Collins, University of Illinois Press, 1989, pg. 80 Alex Bigard (1899–1978) – jazz drummer. He was the brother of Barney Bigard and cousin of Natty Dominique and A.J. Piron, and was involved for decades with the New Orleans jazz scene.
Barney Bigard (1906–1980) – jazz clarinetist Esther Bigeou (1895–1936) – blues singer; billed as "The Girl with the Million Dollar Smile"; one of the classic female blues singers popular in the 1920sLinda Dahl, Stormy Weather: The Music and Lives of a Century of Jazz Women, Limelight Edition, 1995, pg. 110 Eddie Bo (1930–2009) – singer and pianist from New OrleansRobert Baron, Ana C. Cara, Creolization as Cultural Creativity, University Press of Mississippi, 2011, pg. 58 Peter Bocage (1887–1967) – cornet player; also played violin professionally, as well as sometimes trombone, banjo, and xylophone; cousin of New Orleans R&B musician Eddie BoWilliam Carter, Preservation Hall: Music from the Heart, Bayou Press Ltd, 1991, pg. 52Thomas Brothers, Louis Armstrong's New Orleans, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2006, pg. 195 Denise Boutte (born 1982) – actress and model John Boutté (born 1958) – jazz singer Wellman Braud (1891–1966) – jazz upright bassist Jeffery Broussard (born 1967) – zydeco musician John Brunious (born 1940) – jazz trumpeter Wendell Brunious (born 1954) – jazz trumpeter Calvin Carriere (1921–2002) – fiddler Joseph "Bébé" Carrière (1908–2001) – fiddler Chubby Carrier (born 1967) – zydeco musician Roy Carrier (1947–2010) – zydeco musician Blue Ivy Carter (born 2012) - dancer Inez Catalon (c. 1913–1994) – Creole singer Papa Celestin (1884–1954) – jazz bandleader, trumpeter, cornetist and vocalist Leah Chase (1923–2019) – chef, author and television personality Boozoo Chavis (1930–2001) – musician and one of the pioneers of zydeco music Clifton Chenier (1925–1987) – zydeco musician C.J. Chenier (born 1957) – zydeco musician and son of the Grammy Award-winning "King of Zydeco", Clifton Chenier Ralph Chessé (1900–1991) – artist, muralist, puppeteer, theater owner, actor Frank Christian (1887–1973) – early jazz trumpeter Savannah Churchill (1920–1974) – singer of pop, jazz, and blues music Robert Colescott (1925–2009) – painter Warrington Colescott (1921–2018) – artist Florestine Perrault Collins (1895–1988) – photographer Charles Connor (1935–2021) – drummer, best known as a member of Little Richard's bandCharles Connor , Legendarydrummer.tv. Retrieved September 12, 2014Charles Connor – The Original Drummer for Little Richard , Notinhalloffame.com. Retrieved September 12, 2014 Louis Cottrell, Jr. (1911–1978) – jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist Coline Creuzot (born 1985) – singer and Sony ATV songwriter; granddaughter of Percy Creuzot Jr, founder of Frenchy's Chicken, a popular creole restaurant chain based in Houston Joe Darensbourg (1906–1985) – jazz clarinetist and saxophonist notable for his work with Buddy Petit, Jelly Roll Morton, Charlie Creath, Fate Marable, Andy Kirk, Kid Ory, Wingy Manone, Joe Liggins and Louis ArmstrongKurt E Armbruster, Before Seattle Rocked: A City and Its Music, University of Washington Press, 2011, pg. 127 Damita Jo DeBlanc (1930–1998) – actress, comedian, and lounge music performer Edmonde Dede (1829–1903) – composer
Edgar Degas (1834–1917) – artist famous for his paintings, sculptures, prints, and drawings; cousin of Norbert Rillieux; eldest of five children of Célestine Musson De Gas, a Creole from New Orleans, and Augustin De Gas, a banker Harold Dejan (1909–2002) – jazz alto saxophonist and bandleaderMatt Sakakeeny, Roll With It: Brass Bands in the Streets of New Orleans, Duke University Press, 2013, pg 17
Geno Delafose (born 1972) – zydeco accordionist John Delafose (1939–1994) – zydeco accordionistDavid Evans, Ramblin' on My Mind: New Perspectives on the Blues, University of Illinois Press, 2008, pg. 386 Louis Nelson Delisle (1885–1949) – Dixieland jazz clarinetist Sidney Desvigne (1893–1959) – jazz trumpeter.Arthur Bradley, On and Off the Bandstand: A Collection of Essays Related to the Great Bands, the story of jazz, and the years when there was non-vocal popular music for adults, iUniverse Inc., 2005 Faith Domergue (1924–1999) – television and film actressIvy Crane Wilson, Hollywood in the 1940s: the stars' own stories, Frederick Ungar Pub. Co, 1980, pg. 123 Natty Dominique (1896–1982) – jazz trumpeter Fats Domino (1928–2017) – classic R&B and rock and roll singer, songwriter and pianist Rockin' Dopsie (1932–1993) – leading zydeco musician and button accordion player who enjoyed popular success first in Europe and later in the United States Peter DuConge (1903–1967) – jazz reedistJames Lincoln Collier, Louis Armstrong: An American Genius, Oxford University Press, 1983, pg. 253Barney Bigard, Barry Martyn, With Louis and the Duke: The Autobiography of a Jazz Clarinetist, Macmillan Press, 1985 pg. 16 Lawrence Duhe (1887–1960) – jazz clarinetist and bandleader; member of Sugar Johnnie's New Orleans Creole Orchestra Honore Dutrey (1894–1934) – Dixieland jazz trombonist Ava DuVernay (born 1972) – film director, producer, screenwriter Sheila E. (born 1957) – percussionist, singer, composer and producer Mignon Faget (born 1933) – jewelry designer based in her native New OrleansSusan Tucker, Beth Willinger, Newcomb College, 1886–2006: Higher Education for Women in New Orleans, Louisiana State University Press, 2012 Lionel Ferbos (1911–2014) – New Orleans jazz trumpeter Lil' Fizz (born 1985) – rapper, former B2K member Canray Fontenot (1922–1995) – fiddle player Vernel Fournier (1928–2000) – jazz drummer Keith Frank (born 1972) – Zydeco musician Preston Frank (born 1947) – Zydeco musician D'Jalma Garnier (born 1954) – musician and composer Tony Garnier (born 1956) – bassist (both double bass and bass guitar), best known as an accompanist to Bob Dylan, with whom he has played since 1989 Virginie Amelie Avegno Gautreau (1859–1915) – model and socialite Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829–1869) – composer and pianist, known as a virtuoso performer of his own romantic piano pieces George Guesnon (1907–1968) – jazz banjoist, guitarist, composer, and singer
Joe Hall – la la and Cajun musician George Herriman (1880–1944) – cartoonist, known for his comic strip Krazy Kat Andrew Hilaire (1899–1935) – jazz drummer Marques Houston (born 1981) – singer and actor
Julien Hudson (1811–1844) – painter and art teacher Clementine Hunter (1886–1988) – self-taught folk artist from the Cane River region in Louisiana Queen Ida (born 1929) – zydeco accordion player Ice-T (born 1958) – musician and actor Michelle Jacques – singer and music educator Illinois Jacquet (1922–2004) – jazz tenor saxophonist, best remembered for his solo on "Flying Home", critically recognized as the first R&B saxophone solo Russell Jacquet (1917–1990) – trumpeter. He was the elder brother of well-known tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet, who he worked with through the years. Al Jarreau (1940–2017) – singer and musician. He received a total of seven Grammy Awards and was nominated for over a dozen more. Jarreau is perhaps best known for his 1981 album Breakin' Away.Jazz Forum: The Magazine of the International Jazz Federation, 1977, pg. 35 Beau Jocque (1953–1999) – zydeco musician Beverly Johnson (born 1952) – model, actress, and businesswoman Ty Granderson Jones (born 1964) – actor, screenwriter and producer Leatrice Joy (1893–1985) – actress most prolific during the silent film era Ernie K-Doe (1936–2001) – R&B singer best known for his 1961 hit single "Mother-in-Law" which went to No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart in the U.S. Freddie Keppard (1890–1993) – jazz cornetist
Beyoncé Knowles (born 1981) – R&B singer Solange Knowles (born 1986) – R&B singer Tina Knowles (born 1954) – fashion designer The Knux (born 1982 & 1984) – musicians, rappers, singers, record producers Dorothy LaBostrie (1929–2007) – songwriter, best known for co-writing Little Richard's 1955 hit "Tutti Frutti" Lenny LaCour (born 1932) – record producer, songwriter and performer, particularly active from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s Dorothy Lamour (1914–1996) – actress and singerB. James Gladstone, The Man Who Seduced Hollywood: The Life and Loves of Greg Bautzer, Tinseltown's Most Powerful Lawyer, Chicago Review Press, 2013, pg. 48 Vilayna LaSalle – model Charles Lucien Lambert (1828–1896) – pianist and composer Lucien-Léon Guillaume Lambert (1858–1945) – pianist and composer Sidney Lambert (born 1838) – pianist and composer Carmen De Lavallade (born 1931) – choreographer, actress Sabrina Le Beauf (born 1958) – actress; played Sandra on the television series The Cosby Show Jeni Le Gon (1916–2012) – dancer, dance instructor, and actress The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved November 17, 2013
Rosie Ledet (born 1971) – zydeco singer and accordion player Harry Lennix (born 1964) – actor; best known for his roles as Terrence "Dresser" Williams in the Robert Townsend film The Five Heartbeats and as Boyd Langton in the Joss Whedon television series Dollhouse George Lewis (1900–1968) – jazz clarinetistJames Lincoln Collier, Jazz: The American Theme Song, Oxford University Press, 1993, p. 193 Jules Lion (1809–1866) – photographer