Capital One Bank: Celebrating What Makes New Orleans Special
Capital One Bank proud to return as presenting sponsor of the French Quarter Festival

Capital One Bank is the presenting sponsor of the 2011 French Quarter Festival, marking the second consecutive year the bank has served in this important role. Capital One bankers take an active role in the New Orleans community, working to build strong, lasting relationships with consumers, small business owners and commercial clients and to
understand their financial needs.

We offer a full range of products and services to meet those needs — all available from our
branches conveniently located throughout New Orleans and Louisiana.

“In addition to celebrating those things which make the French Quarter so special — world-class music, architecture and food – the French Quarter Festival Presented by Capital One Bank continues to positively impact the New Orleans economy,” said Capital One Bank Greater New Orleans Market President Steve Hemperley. “As a local bank that serves businesses and residents throughout the French Quarter, Capital One Bank is pleased to support an event that benefits this historic neighborhood, our city and the state of Louisiana.”

Click here to view the list of artists from the 2011 BMI Singer Songwriter Stage

Connie Jones and the French Quarter Festival All Stars featuring Pete Fountain

Connie Jones is a master trumpeter and cornet player as well as a member of French Quarter Festival’s entertainment committee. He first picked up a bugle while in military school, and he began playing trumpet at the age of ten. When he was just 18, Connie got his professional start playing traditional New Orleans jazz on Bourbon Street. Last year, Connie debuted a duet album, Creole Nocturne, with pianist Tom McDermott highlighting his improvisational talents. Connie Jones and his French Quarter Festival All Stars open up the French Quarter Festival for the 10th year in a row on Friday, April 8, 2011 at 11:00 am on the Jackson Square Stage. Alongside other well known artists, Connie is joined by Pete Fountain, his long-time friend and musical colleague along with clarinetist Tim Laughlin. The French Quarter Festival All Stars are backed by the rhythm section of Otis Bazzon, John Royen, Ed Wise, and Bryan Barberot.

Tim Laughlin is a native of New Orleans who started playing the clarinet at the age of nine. He discovered New Orleans-style jazz shortly after and immersed himself in recordings from many of the greats. After high school, he began performing with his own band around town as well as working as a sideman and quickly made a name for himself. He’s played with dozens of bands including The Dukes of Dixieland, Al Hirt, Connie Jones and Pete Fountain. He is also known for writing his own compositions, including his most requested song, “The Isle of Orleans.” Currently he has a dozen solo recordings. His latest recording featuring Connie Jones is set to be released at this year’s 2011 French Quarter Festival.

Pete Fountain was born in New Orleans and started playing clarinet, heavily influenced first by Benny Goodman and then Irving Fazola. Early on he played with the bands of Monk Hazel – The Dukes of Dixieland and Al Hirt. With his long time friend, trumpeter George Girard, Fountain founded The Basin Street Six in 1950. In 1957, Fountain was hired to join the Lawrence Welk orchestra and became well known for his many solos on The Lawrence Welk Show. Fountain returned to New Orleans, and opened his own French Quarter Jazz club in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1977, he acquired ‘Pete Fountain’s Jazz Club’ at the Riverside Hilton, New Orleans. The New Orleans Jazz Club presented ‘Pete Fountain Day’ on October 19, 1959, with celebrations honoring the pride of their city concluding with a packed concert. His band, ‘Pete Fountain’s Quintett’ was made up of his studio recording musicians, Don Bagley, Godfrey Hirch, Merle Koch and Jack Sperling. Fountain brought these same players together in 1963 when they played the Hollywood Bowl. Pete would continue the trek to Hollywood, appearing on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson 59 times. In 2003 Fountain closed his club at the Hilton with a performance before a full house. He then began performing two nights a week at Casino Magic in Bay St. Louis, where he had a home (later destroyed by Hurricane Katrina). In 2006 he helped reopen the casino (now Hollywood Casino) and regularly performed there. Fountain is a founder, and the most prominent member of the ‘Half Fast Walking Club’ one of the best known walking Krewes that parade in New Orleans on Mardi Gras Day. Fountain’s clarinet work is noted for his “Fat” sound. He has recorded over 100 LPs and CDs under his own name. Loyola University New Orleans awarded Fountain an honorary Doctorate of Music degree in 2006. On March 18, 2007, Pete Fountain was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Longtime friend Connie Jones and his French Quarter Festival All Stars featuring Pete Fountain, open French Quarter Festival each year on the Jackson Square stage.

Click here to order your tickets online now!

TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Festival!) Kickoff Party
Annual Fundraiser for French Quarter Festival

New Location! House of Blues
225 Decatur Street

Wednesday, April 6, 2011
7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Featuring Rockin Dopsie in the Music Hall and Little Freddie King in the VooDoo Garden

Special performance by the NOLA Jitterbugs

$55 through April 1st ($65 after April 1)

Little Freddie King has been playing the blues in New Orleans for over 50 years. Little Freddie King (born Fread E. Martin) was born in 1940 in McComb, Mississippi. His style was so often compared to his mentor, blues legend Freddie King, that he earned the nickname “Little Freddie King”. The son of a blues-man, the young King taught himself to play guitar. He moved to New Orleans at the age of 14 where developed his own style of “gut-bucket” blues in juke joints. During the 1950’s he played with the likes of Polka Dot Slim, Guitar Grady, Guitar Ray, Snooks Eaglin, Billy Tate, Rev.Charles Jacobs, Harmonica Williams, Boogie Bill Webb and Eddie Lang. He recorded the 1969 electric blues album, Harmonica Williams and Little Freddie King, in New Orleans. He toured Europe with Bo Diddley, Texas Alexander and John Lee Hooker in 1976. King’s most recent album, Gotta Walk With Da King was released in 2010 to high praise. King was inducted to the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in October, 2010.

Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr. and The Zydeco Twisters are considered Zydeco’s royal family. The legendary Rockin’ Dopsie, Sr., (Alton Rubin), was known around the world as the “crown prince of Zydeco”. He died in 1993, performing the classic Creole accordion until his death. His sons vowed to keep the memory of their father alive by continuing the music tradition they grew up watching their father perform. Wash-board player, David Rubin, a.k.a. Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr. fronts the band that includes brothers Tiger, (Alton Rubin, Jr.), on drums and Anthony on button accordion. Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr. is well known for his explosive dance moves and charismatic stage presence. The band has performed for President Bill Clinton, shared the stage with Tina Turner, Bonnie Raitt, BB King, The Neville Brothers, Dr. John, and Jimmy Buffet. Dopsie and his brothers performed with Britney Spears and Mystikal on MTV’s two-hour Mardi Gras special in 2000 as well as recording with Paul Simon, Cindy Lauper and Bob Dylan. Rockin’ Dopsie and The Zydeco Twisters have brought their unique style of Zydeco rhythms across the country and all over the world.

Celebrating New Orleans Culture and Heritage since 1984!