John Boutté (born November 3, 1958)John Boutte biography at All About Jazz is an American jazz singer based in New Orleans, Louisiana, who has been active since the mid-1990s. He is known for a diverse music style that goes beyond jazz to R&B, gospel, Latin, and blues. He is the younger brother of the jazz and gospel singer Lillian Boutté, and a relative of cartoonist George Herriman.
Life and career Boutté was born into a 7th Ward Creole-Catholic family in New Orleans. Exposed to the local culture such as Mardi Gras parades and jazz funerals since childhood, Boutté also grew up listening to R&B music of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and the like. He played trumpet and cornet in marching bands in his junior high and high school days. During this time, he also formed an a cappella group and sang on the streets.
Boutté studied business at Xavier University of Louisiana where he was in ROTC. After he graduated, he was commissioned in the U.S. Army where he served for the next four years. When he returned, he started to work for a credit union instead of entering into the music industry. When he met Stevie Wonder, he started to seriously consider becoming a professional singer. Wonder acknowledged his talent and recommended him to pursue career in music. He soon joined Lillian on her tour to Europe, and his professional career started.
He was a featured vocalist on Lillian's live album, Gospel United, released in 1994. In 1996, he released his debut album titled Through the Eyes of a Child.
He was the featured guest vocalist on Cuban group Cubanismo!'s Mardi Gras Mambo, recorded in New Orleans.
Boutté has been working with ex-Cowboy Mouth guitarist and singer, Paul Sanchez which led to a collaborated effort Stew Called New Orleans, released in 2009. Boutté was also featured on John Scofield's 2009 album, Piety Street, singing the lead on three tracks.
Singers Tricia Boutté (Sister Teedy) and Tanya E. Boutté are John's nieces.
Boutté's "Treme Song" on his Jambalaya album is the theme song of HBO's series, Treme. Boutté appears in Treme'''s season 1 finale, serenading Kim Dickens' character before she leaves New Orleans. He also appears in season 2, episode 1, performing several songs (including "Accentuate the Positive"), and he sings onstage in Treme season 3, episode 10.
Awards and honors
OffBeat's Best of The Beat Awards +YearCategoryWork nominatedResultRef.2000Best Latin Music AlbumMardi Gras Mambo (with Cubanismo featuring the Yockamo AllStars)2002Best Male Vocalist2006Best Male Vocalist2007Best Male Vocalist2008Best Traditional Jazz AlbumGood NeighborBest Male Vocalist2009Song of the Year"Hey God" (with Paul Sanchez)Best Male VocalistBest County/Folk/Roots Rock AlbumStew Called New Orleans (with Paul Sanchez)2010Song of the Year"Treme Song"2011Best Male Vocalist2012Best Male Vocalist2014Best Male Vocalist2015Best Male Vocalist2019Best Male Vocalist2020Best Male Vocalist2021-22Best Male Vocalist2023Best Male Vocalist
Discography
Albums 1996: Through the Eyes of a Child (Dinosaur) 1997: Scotch and Soda ( Boutteworks johnboutte.com) 1998: Friends 2001: At the Foot of Canal Street (Boutteworks johnboutte.com) 2003: John Boutté & Uptown Okra / Carry Me Home (Boutteworks johnboutte.com)) 2003: Jambalaya (Boutteworks johnboutte.com) 2007: John Boutté and Conspirare (Boutteworks johnboutte.com) 2008: Good Neighbor (Boutteworks johboutte.com) 2009: John Boutté and Paul Sanchez / Stew Called New Orleans (Threadhead) 2012: All About Everything (Boutteworks johnboutte.com) 2019: A "Well Tempered" Boutté (Boutteworks johnboutte.com)
Guest appearances 1994: Lillian Boutté with Gospel United / Live at Odense Koncerthus (Gospel United Production) 2000: Cubanismo / Mardi Gras Mambo (Rykodisc) 2002: Doc Houlind Ragtime Band meets John Boutte / Live At FEMO (Music Mecca) 2008: Paul Sanchez / Exit to Mystery Street (Threadhead) 2009: Glen David Andrews / Walking Through Heaven's Gate (Threadhead) 2009: John Scofield / Piety Street (Universal Classics) 2009: Tom McDermott / New Orleans Duets (Rabadash) 2009: Doug Cox & Salil Bhatt / Slide To Freedom 2 (NorthernBlues Music) 2010: Galactic / YA-KA-MAY 2016: John was the charity singer in the movie When the Bough Breaks 2017: Todd Rundgren / Beginning(Of the End)'' / (Cleopatra Records)
References
External links
John Boutte, New Orleans Jazz Vocalist (Official site)
John Boutté John Boutté MusiCodex Page