Allen Toussaint

American producer, songwriter, arranger, session pianist, solo artist, and label owner.

Born on 14 January 1938 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Died on 10 November 2015 in Madrid, Spain of heart attack while on European tour.

Active in New Orleans’ music industry since the late 1950s, he wrote, arranged and was the house producer with Minit, Instant Records (6), and Alon. His early production successes were the U.S. Top 5 “Ooh Poo Pah Doo” by Jessie Hill, and Ernie K-Doe’s 1961 no. 1 Hit ‎“Mother-In-Law” which he wrote. He has worked with artists such as Irma Thomas (“Ruler Of My Heart”, 1963), Lee Dorsey (“Working In A Coal Mine”, 1966), The Meters, Dr. John, The Band and Elvis Costello. Toussaint entered the U.S. service in 1963, serving at Fort Hood, Texas; he was discharged in 1965. After discharge he teamed up with Marshall E. Sehorn to form Sansu Enterprises Inc.. Their record labels Sansu Records, Tou-Sea Records, Deesu, and Kansu Records recorded Lee Dorsey, Chris Kenner, and Betty Harris, among others. In the 1970s he was producing at the Sea-Saint Studio with Sehorn. In 1996 Allen formed NYNO Records, with the goal to record New Orleans talent. From 1996-1998 NYNO released 15 projects on diverse artists from jazz, gospel, reggae, brass bands and R&B genres, including one on himself and a Christmas sampler from the label. Inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2013 he received the National Medal Of Arts from President Obama.