N is for the Neville Brothers

Got to see the Neville Brothers on Thursday, August 6, 2009 at
River Front Park in Albany,

NevilleBrothersThe Neville Brothers, an American soul/funk/rhythm and blues group, was formed in 1977 in New Orleans, Louisiana, consisting of Art (b. 1937), Charles (b. 1938), Aaron (b. 1941), and Cyril (b. 1948).

But long before then, the brothers were involved in music. The Meters formed in 1965, led by Art on keyboards and vocals, and later including percussionist/vocalist Cyril. They had some R&B hits, but they were best known for backing other artists, for which they were thrice nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including this past year.

Meanwhile, Aaron had hits going back to 1960. His biggest solo record was Tell It Like It Is [LISTEN], a #2 pop smash in 1967.

The first Neville Brothers music I heard regularly was the second LP, Fiyo on the Bayou, from 1981. I didn’t know then that, of the three songs that got lots of airplay on my favorite radio station at the time, Q104, two – Hey Pocky Way [LISTEN] and Fire on the Bayou [LISTEN] – had been Meters songs; the third song was Sweet Honey Dripper [LISTEN].

They were never a hits group but were a very popular touring band. Their albums from 1989, Yellow Moon, and 1990, Brother’s Keeper, were the most successful; LISTEN to the title track of Yellow Moon [LISTEN].

Aaron, by contrast, WAS more commercially successful, as a solo artist. His duet with Linda Ronstadt, Don’t Know Much [LISTEN], went to #2 in 1989.

Got to see the Neville Brothers on Thursday, August 6, 2009, at River Front Park in Albany, doing a mixture of Meters, Neville Brothers, and Aaron Neville songs, plus covers such as the Temptations’ Ball of Confusion [LISTEN].


ABC Wednesday – Round 14

Author: Roger

I'm a librarian. I hear music, even when it's not being played. I used to work at a comic book store, and it still informs my life. I won once on JEOPARDY! - ditto.

16 thoughts on “N is for the Neville Brothers”

  1. I’ve always enjoyed their music, especially Aaron’s singing.

    Leslie
    abcw team

  2. Great post Roger, about a musical family , which I may meet by your post for the first time! Thanks for that.
    Have a great week!
    Wil, ABCW Team.

  3. One of my favorite memories of New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 1994 – Aaron Neville singing a capella at the gospel tent – incredible!! Also saw the Neveille Brothers band at The House of Blues during the same trip to NOLA.

  4. Blues is my favorite music to listen to. I’ll enjoy listening to all your links this week.
    Ann

  5. Oh shoot, Roger – I thought I knew Yellow Moon, but when I listened it wasn’t the Yellow Moon I was familiar with. Wrong generation again!

  6. Nice post; I haven’t heard much from the Neville Brothers as a group, actually. There’s a gap there for me, but I like what you linked. I do love the Meters. “I Don’t Know Much” was ALL over the radio when I was 13.

  7. Just catching up after your technical glitch. Only a couple of days before this week’s ABC they played the Linda Ronstadt/Aaron Neville on the radio and of course my first thought was I wonder if that will be Roger’s N. Yay.

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