”The american musical family is the cornerstone of the music industry and it has perpetuated the entertainment world. It is the hallmark of an international market.”

-—Paul Batiste—   

Part 1

 Chapter one

Little Farms Kids

Jefferson Parish

The story starts with after coming home from work; Mom is sitting down at the donated upright piano with the hymnal in front of her singing and reading music from it.  Mom’s favorite artist was Mahalia Jackson—”He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”  Then, she gets up and cooks food for the family and Dad would come home after work and plays, “When You’re Smiling” on the piano.  Afterwards, he’d have a glass of Old Grand Dad, as he laughed and danced.  When he’d dance, he’d roll his hips and snap his fingers.  I never saw my Dad drunk.  Later, Uncle Pete walks in and plays, “Baby Please Don’t Go” and sings.  

When they left out of the room we called the “Front room,” the batiste kids would get on the piano with one on one end of the piano and one at the other end.  At age 5 to 7, I made up and created songs on the piano.  

    Well, the piano was bought for little or nothing from a woman who owned the corner store down the street from my Grandmother in New Orleans.  Everyday—as my Dad came from work there—he’d hear the woman practicing.  Well, when the woman was moving out of her house on Cambronne St., Dad asked her if he could buy the piano from her.  

    Later, Dad asked what we wanted for Christmas.  David said, “A set of drums” and I said, “A guitar.”  Dad took us to “Werlein’s for music” on Canal Street in the New Orleans French Quarter area and we picked out the instruments.  I got the sun burst acoustic guitar out of the two in the store that I liked.   

    In my Dad’s Grocery Store, there was a sweet shop.  This was a place people put money in the Juke Box and listen to music.  One day, while music was being played, my oldest brother—John who was attending St. Aug—walked in the room and said, “St. Aug is having a talent show and we are going to start a band and go on the show.”  Well, that was because everyday after work, Dad brought construction workers home with him and they liked to get on the piano and my guitar and perform.  One of them was Elli MaGee from Mississippi.  I used to like to hear him play “Rockin’ Pneumonia.”  That was one of the first things I learned on the piano.  The family and neighbors would listen to him entertain and he brought excitement to the room.  Before that, I saw Lloyd McGray and a bass or rhythm guitarist playing the guitars on his porch.  After that, I knew what instrument I wanted to play.  With musical instruments in the house, Dad’s workers came in and played often.  Another person I remember is a man who played my guitar with a drinking glass.  

David and the Gladiators

One day, one of John’s friends—Gerald Cheatham—painted on the drum head the name “David and the Gladiators.”   He used glitter dust and colors and it was his idea to come up with the name for the band.  Gerald was a bassist and played with us for a while.  Earl Greely is Gerald’s brother and we were in the same grade at Bunche Village, Jr. High School.  His mother was very sweet.  When Earl and I had lunch breaks, she would fix sandwiches for both of us.  Earl lived in the then newly built Bunche Village subdivision.  The neighborhood had a few middle class people.  Several teachers lived there including Mr. Hill, Mr. and Mr. Nero, Ms. Righteous, Ms. Wilson and others.  Mr. James was a teacher and electrician.  Mr. James used to have parties at his house in Bunche Village.  We always had a great time.  All of these people were great role models and they were accessible because they were in the neighborhood.

    First, Dad managed the band until he did a show that ended in a fight.  At the end of the dance, there was a second line.  In those days, it ended in a fight.  Well, my oldest brother—John—got George MaGee to play the drums and Sheila Allen to sing a song called “Gina.”  John and Dad started the band.  John began the rehearsals at the house.  One day while the band rehearsed, George got off of the drums.  I jumped on the drums and began to play while George sang.  John noticed me on the drums and shouted, “Let Paul play the drums and George can come out front and sang the duet with Sheila on the talent show.”  That was the day John put me in the band.  However, George played the drums on the rest of the songs.  We auditioned for the St. Aug talent show and were invited to participate.  Our talent show lineup was: Sheila singing a solo called, “My Man,” with me on the drums and George and Sheila singing an original song entitled, “Gina.”  Gloria Woods sang “I Know” by Barbara George.  William MaGee sang, “Do You Feel All Right?”  We practiced in the living room of our house and Gloria Woods’ house.  Dap played the guitar.  By that time, I was about eleven.  Also, David played the piano on a song Fredrick taught us called, “Cut Out.”   

Talent show

On the day of the talent show, my mother and the family was in the audience.  My Mom over heard people saying, “Who are the people from the country on the talent show?”  Nonetheless, we all won first place.  The school newspaper reads, “Batiste, Brimmer Top Talent.”  Also, John Longo won performing, “Flight of the Bumblebees” on the trumpet.  In addition, John played with the Ravens-big band. 

    As a young musician, I wanted to learn to play the guitar and read music, so I went around the corner to see Dap.  He was a local musician who played professionally.  I asked him to teach me to play the guitar.  When he said no, I was disappointed and went back home and told my mother.  She took the book and explained the lesson on note reading.  She said the whole note receives four counts.  Also, she went on to talk about rest.  My Mom turned the page to the first lesson.  It had a picture of a hand on the fingerboard of the guitar.  She taught me how to play the first note on the guitar and understand the relationship to the sheet music.  Later, Mom would teach me how to read on the piano “Silent Night” from the Hymnal.  With raising seven boys and all, Mom didn’t have much time, so I taught myself from the book and other guitarist in the neighborhood. 

    Afterwards, I would understand why Dap wouldn’t teach me.  When I asked him to teach me, I had the book in my hand.  That intimidated him.  When it comes down to music, guitarists are a different kind of animal.  Dap didn’t know how to read music, so he didn’t want to give me lessons from the book, but I learned from him when I played bass in the band and he played lead guitar.  My very first attempt to teach myself did not work.  After thinking I can’t play the guitar, I put it in the closet.