The Hello again friends and welcome to episode 41 of soda jaker on songwriting and what an episode we have for you.

Joining us on the show today is a songwriter, pianist, vocalist, producer and arranger

hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana whose career has spanned over half a century.

He's a hugely influential figure in New Orleans R&B and popular music in general,

not to mention one of the most dapper gentlemen ever to grace the industry.

It's the King of Crescent City, the Southern

Knight himself, Mr Alan Tucson.

You may remember we briefly dipped our toe in the waters or should that be the bayou, the New Orleans

music scene when we chatted to Harry Shearer a few months back,

but this time we'll be stripping down to our trunks and having a good old dip.

We'll just give you a second to process that delightful mental image.

Okay, let's move on.

Born in 1938, Alan Tucson was raised in the Gertown neighborhood of New Orleans,

and like so many of our guests took to music at a very early age,

picking out melodies on the piano and quickly falling in love

with the instrument with which he will become most associated, developing a particular affinity

for artists like Professor Longhair and Fat Domino.

At his mother Naomi's encouragement,

the Tucson family home was kind of a musician's clubhouse

and numerous local instrumentalists and singers

descended upon it for jam sessions,

which needless to say say was at a great

...