Singer/songwriter/producer and funky piano player Allen Toussaint is one

of the most influential musicians to emerge from New Orleans. His work

also has been recorded by such pop stars as the Pointer Sisters, Three

Dog Night, Bonnie Raitt and Ringo Starr.

Toussaint was born Jan. 14, 1938, in New Orleans. He began playing piano

in school, following in the footsteps of his musical idol, '50s New Orleans

piano player Professor Longhair. The teenaged Toussaint entered the music

business playing with the vocal group the Flamingos.

In the '50s Toussaint worked on sessions by New Orleans recording artist

Dave Bartholomew, who arranged for Toussaint to play on Fats Domino sessions.

Toussaint soon became a regular on the city's music scene.

Under the name Tousan he released his first solo LP, The Wild Sounds

of New Orleans by Tousan, in 1958. Al Hirt had a 1964 hit with one

of Toussaint's first compositions, "Java."

Toussaint became Minit Records' house songwriter/arranger/producer. He

was behind many hits for the label, including Ernie K-Doe's "Mother-in-Law"

and Lee Dorsey's "Ya Ya." Toussaint also worked with Clarence "Frogman"

Henry, Aaron Neville and Irma Thomas. He became synonymous with the New

Orleans sound at the time — swinging, danceable music punctuated by

rollicking piano and horns.

In 1963 Toussaint entered the Army but formed another group, the Stokes,

to record his "Whipped Cream," which became a hit for Herb Alpert and

later was used as the theme song for TV's "The Dating Game."

After the Army, Toussaint and producer Marshall Sehorn began Sansu

Enterprises, comprising Marsaint Music Publishers and the Sansu, Amy and

Deesu record labels. Toussaint wrote and produced hits for artists such

as Dorsey, who was often backed by the funky rhythm section the Meters.

In 1972 Sansu opened Sea-Saint Recording Studios, which was used by

performers including Paul McCartney, Paul Simon and Sandy Denny. At

Sea-Saint, Toussaint produced Dr. John (including "Right Place, Wrong Time"),

Labelle ("Lady Marmalade"), John Mayall, Joe Cocker and others. He arranged

horns on The Band's Rock of Ages (1972) and the soundtrack music

for the 1978 film "Pretty Baby." Toussaint's own LPs of this period include

Southern Nights (1975) and Motion (1978).

Artists who have recorded Toussaint songs include the Pointer Sisters

(RealAudio

excerpt of "Yes We Can Can"), the Rolling Stones ("Fortune Teller"),

Three Dog Night ("Brickyard Blues"), Glen Campbell ("Southern Nights")

and Devo ("Working in a Coal Mine").

Toussaint wrote the music for the mid-'80s off-Broadway musical "Stagger

Lee." In 1989 he contributed to Elvis Costello's Spike (produced

by T Bone Burnett, also born today). In 1993 and 1994 he toured with other

singer/songwriters in a show called "In Their Own Words."

Toussaint was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. He

has worked on behalf of New Orleans Artists Against Hunger and Homelessness,

an organization he co-founded with Neville.

Toussaint co-founded NYNO Records in 1996. The label issued his Connected

(1996), which included "Pure Uncut Love."

Other birthdays Friday: Clarence Carter, 64; Jack Jones, 62; Lee Bell

(Archie Bell and the Drells), 54; T Bone Burnett, 52; John Avila (ex-Oingo

Boingo), 43; Chas Smash (Madness), 41; Geoff Tate (Queensrÿche), 41;

Mike Tramp (White Lion), 39; Patricia Morrison (Sisters of Mercy), 38;

Steve Bowman (ex-Counting Crows), 33; and Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters),

31.