grammy winner in family

However, we were strength in numbers.  Therefore, to uphold our family values and traditions, I started trying to build a musical family.  The first thing I did was change my attitude about my younger brother Michael.  I used to think he was too young for us older boys.  When I gave him a chance as my mother had asked me, I saw the most talented bassist I had met.  Not only that, Mom said help him to become a singer, so I asked him to sing songs I wrote.  He did and became a great singer.  The next member I worked with was Peter.  While being introduced to come on stage and do a song, he would be featured as a solo act.  One day he asked me if he should join another local band.  I said yes and develop your skills and come back and join us.  In the seventies, Peter did that.  Eventually, David, Michael and Peters children would play with the band, along with my Son—Travis— and other family members.”

“Professional Musicians on the Road 

Earlier, we were a backup band accompanying artist.  We were teenagers and Ernie K-Doe came to our house to get us to back him up on a gig out of town in Beaumont Texas.  That gig was at a place that had a sign high on top of the front of the building that said, “Home of the Boogie Kings.”  The club had named the “Boogie Kings” the house band.  This was the first time I had learned about “house band.” 

   Ernie K-Doe was famous for “Mother In Law.” a popular hit of the sixties.  Then, Tony Owens’ sessions were turntable hits. ”

Excerpt From

(Gon' be Dat) New Orleans Music-Memoirs of PAB

Paul A. Batiste

https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=0

This material may be protected by copyright.Excerpt From

(Gon' be Dat) New Orleans Music-Memoirs of PAB

Paul A. Batiste

https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=0

This material may be protected by copyright.

“Today, my coworker asked “who Antoine Batiste is playing in the movie?”  I said, I don’t know.  He said, “I saw Treme on television last night and I was wondering who he is.”  I explained, I thought Antoine was a fictional character, but Kermit Ruffins is playing himself and others are playing themselves, and I said jokingly, we should be able to play ourselves.   This morning when the subject was brought up, I said Kermit, Donald Harrison and other locals are collecting a pay check.  I wrote, “(Gon’ be Dat) New Orleans Music” with that purpose in mind.  “Treme” is an excellent opportunity for our city’s music to get prime time.  I continued with, the nation is watching and we have a chance to hold that audience”

“ Today, a coworker asked me if we are the Batiste they are talking about in the movie “Treme.”  I didn’t know how to answer her, and she asked if I was one of the large Batiste families.  I said yes.  She continued with is he playing you?  I laughed.

”Excerpt From

(Gon' be Dat) New Orleans Music-Memoirs of PAB

Paul A. Batiste

https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=0

This material may be protected by copyright.

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"If I round it off between people I forgot, 25," he laughs. "The youngest baby is my heart ... and everybody's saying he's got music in him."

All the Batistes, really, have music in them. The family, which comprises enough players and singers to have millions of possibilities for combinations of the Batiste Brothers Band, is responsible for raising artists like Jonathan Batiste, Jamal Batiste, David Batiste, Russell Batiste Jr. and Damon Batiste. Look further into the family tree, and they're also connected to others who came before, "Uncle" Lionel Batiste, Milton Batiste of the Olympia Brass Band and the family of Harold Battiste.

New Orleans Musical Families

See photos of New Orleans' musical families, and watch them perform together.

In an interview with Stephen Colbert, Jonathan Batiste, who serves as the bandleader on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," talked about his sizable musical family.

"I have over 30 cousins that play," he said.

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Paul Batiste, though, who operates as an unofficial historian for the family and who co-published a book about the same, has a theory as to how all that talent could come from one bloodline.

"I've thought about that a lot of times, because I know this is the reason: Captive audience," he laughs. "It's that simple."

Growing up "two people shy of a baseball team," Batiste and his six brothers were hearing their parents play music before they could sit at a piano or a set of drums themselves. His parents, Estella and Jean Batiste, met in New York but moved to New Orleans, where they owned a grocery store and a hardware store in the Ninth Ward. They bought the children their first instruments and, with neighbors who were likewise capable of playing, the Batiste boys were quickly indoctrinated into the New Orleans music scene. Four of them went on to become professional musicians.

"I used to get a call from Mom everyday, so we were constantly talking. ... Every Thanksgiving, we had seven boys there. If someone was in the military, they'd have to fly in," explains Batiste. "It provides a sort of energy."

Now, with new generations of Batistes, the family has grown exponentially, and family reunions are often spent making music. Performances themselves are reunions, whether they're at the Kids Tent at Jazz Fest or out-of-town spreading New Orleans music.

JON BATISTE JAMAL BATISTE TRAVIS BATISTE STARTED AS THE BATISTE KIDS

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