ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION - Key Persons
Andrew Richard Ambrose, born Andrew Greefe on August 27, 1963 in Washington DC, died on September 27, 2019 in Great Falls, Montana at the age of 56 due to complications with liver cancer. His last name changed when his mother remarried, and he was adopted by famed historian Stephen E. Ambrose. Andy "The Jammer" Ambrose was a fixture of the New Orleans music community for decades as a singer of songs, percussionist and bandleader. He also worked behind the scenes with many bands including touring with the Radiators and Walter "Wolfman" Washington and the Roadmasters. During his stint with "Wolfman" he sat in dozens of times on congas including multiple appearances at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Andy's career as a musician dates back to the early 1980s. He often played at the sorely missed Benny's Bar and Checkpoint Charlie sitting in with numerous bands including N.O.B.D. (the New Orleans Blues Department), Irene and the Mikes and Mike Ward and Reward. Andy was the frontman for a well-regarded cover band-Zodiac Jukebox-and played numerous weddings, riverboat cruises and private parties. Later in his career he played with several adventurous bands including PLUM with Dave Easley and Tom Worrell; Live Animals with Kevin O'Day, Jason Stewart and Ian McPhail; and GPS with "Mean" Willie Green, Reggie Scanlan, Renard Poche and Brian Coogan. Some of his final performances at the end of his life were at DMac's Bar and Grill. Upon graduating high school Andy joined the US Army and trained as a medic. He was honorably discharged after completing his tour of duty, and it was that decision which provided for his medical needs until the end. Over the past few years, Andy had begun writing a memoir and set about conducting interviews with family and friends across the United States in his recreational vehicle. He is survived by his two children Jordan and Kenneth, two ex-wives (Anne and Chelle) and three siblings (Stephenie, Barry and Grace).
Barbara Wick was an avid participant in the New Orleans community. She was a longtime Girl Scout leader who inspired many young women. She was active in the Catholic Church. Her obituary was in the Times Picayune on November 4, 2010.
Starting in the late 1960s, Matthews helped define New Orleans' self-image. His signature characters, Vic and Nat'ly Broussard, were the embodiment of insular old-time New Orleans values. He also loved the local music scene and was involved in it for many years, from working at record stores to managing performers. See full obituary and other versions below:
Will Bunn "Bunny" Matthews III, an artist and writer whose cartoons summoned a quintessential bit of New Orleans' collective character, died June 1, 2021, at Wynhoven Health Care Center in Marrero. He was 70 and died due to complications from cancer, according to his son Jude.
George Hocutt, a key force in the evolution of national independent label distribution from a patchwork of regional distributors, died of natural causes in Santa Clarita, California, on April 13. He was 92.
Hocutt was chairman and CEO of Independent National Distributors Inc. (INDI), a company launched in July 1991 by a group of investors that acquired three independent distribution companies to form a national distribution network. Hocutt's California Record Distributors was the first one acquired and, with that move, he was with put in charge of building out the the vision of a national distribution company. About a year later, Billy Emerson's Big State in Dallas was acquired, followed by the Long Island City, New York-based indie distributor Malverne.
By October 1992, the company had built its cross-country network. Hocutt told Billboard at the time that INDI could give labels as-needed services, from regional distribution in one territory to distributing them in three out of four regions that the company serviced (in addition to the national distribution they were known for). The important thing was to give independent labels an alternative in other markets, he said.In September 1993, a Tower Records letter said companies like INDI were "the wave of the future" while announcing that the company would change how it bought music released independently. In doing so, Tower effectively made INDI its main supplier of independent music, said competitors who complained to Billboard at the time.Hocutt was born on May 4, 1927, in Birmingham, Ala. Soon after, his family relocated to Jasper, Ind., and then to St. Louis, Mo. From an early age he was fascinated by swing music, according to an autobiographical document titled A Life Sprinkled With Jazz that Hocutt's family supplied to Billboard. The piece cites his favorite bands as Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Harry James and Andy Kirk, among others.During World War II, Hocutt joined the U.S Navy when he was 16 years old. During his three years of service, he began a life-long love affair with New Orleans because of its rich musical history, eventually buying a second home there after leaving INDI.
With a career spanning more than 40 years and six decades in the music industry beginning in 1949, Hocutt was an anchor player and top executive in independent distribution through the mid-1990s. Along the way, he was the first co-president of National Association of Independent Record Distributors - a predecessor to indie label trade group to A2IM - and was inducted into that organization's Hall of Fame, according to his son Richard.
Hocutt began his music business career working as a record salesman in St. Louis for the Artophone Company, selling to indie labels and the major label Columbia. By 1952, he had moved to California where, according to a 1974 Billboard article, he began working for Capital Records. Three years later, he opened a record store in Redondo Beach, Calif. called Cataline Music, which he sold in 1965. By then, he was also president of Quality Record Sales, which owned and ran the four-store Sam's Jazz chain.
After the sale of the record stores, Hocutt began working for the original California Record Distributors and briefly moved from there into music publishing, before opening his own independent record company with a partner called Rare Records Distribution (R&R Distribution), which specialized in what was called at the time "nostalgic marketing," distributing re-issued music from indie labels. When California Record Distributors closed, Hocutt acquired the right to that name and rechristened his company as CRD, according to his son Rick.
As the leading California indie distributors started failing because big independent labels - including A&M, Motown ABC, Stax and 20th Century Fox - began switching to major label distribution, Hocutt "was the survivor of independent distribution in the Los Angeles area," says Emerson. He worked alongside Hocutt at INDI after folding Big State, which was founded by his father, into the indie distribution conglomerate. "He never had any big labels… other than Fantasy, so he was forced to run a tight ship," he adds. "Then along came the rap revolution, and we all inherited these little upstart rap labels that went on to revolutionize not only indie distribution, but the industry in general. I will tell you one thing: My dad and George Hocutt are the two men in the industry that I respected the most."
Besides being a retailer and distributor for the jazz genre, Hocutt even got to produce some records during his career. After leaving INDI, which was sold to Alliance Entertainment, he began splitting his time between living in Los Angeles and New Orleans, working with artists like the Silver Leaf Jazz Band, Scott Black, Jacques Gauthe and Duke Heitger. Hocutt was a co-producer on the Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton, album which was nominated for the Grammy for best jazz individual performance group or duo in 1997 and contained "Stardust," named the best jazz instrumental solo winner that year.
Late in his life, Hocutt began facing health complications arising from throat cancer, and passed away surrounded by his family while listening to Louis Armstrong. He is survived by his wife Joan, his children Richard (Rick) and Chris, and two grand children Thomas and Cindy.
James Barney Kilpatrick passed away on December 3, 2021, at the age of 65. Barney was born September 21, 1956, in Snyder, TX, but was raised in New Orleans, LA. He fell in love with music from an early age, taking piano lessons from the legendary Roosevelt Sykes and working backstage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festival while in high school.
Barney studied journalism at LSU and law at Tulane, while DJ-ing for the Tulane radio station, WTUL, and New Orleans' WTIX and WLTS. He was also promoting and managing New Orleans acts such as The Radiators. His first step in the national music industry was in local and then national radio promotion and marketing at IRS Records in Los Angeles. He moved to Warner Bros Records and eventually became their Sr VP of Promotion and Marketing. He worked closely with artists like REM, Seal, Van Halen, Madonna, and Prince. In 2000, started his own record label in Atlanta, later adding artist management and booking lines of business. In 2016, he and his wife Valerie returned to New Orleans where worked with artists such as Blane Howard, The New Orleans Suspects, Nefesh Mountain, Perpetual Groove, and others.
Barney is remembered as being dedicated, loyal, and genuine. He threw himself wholeheartedly into helping others, rolling up his sleeves to taking on projects like rescuing struggling restaurants, filling neglected potholes on New Orleans streets, or being an ad hoc social worker and legal guide. He went out of his way to remember everyone's name and something special about them, no matter who they were or how they met. He was particularly proud of his children and made sure to instill in them his love of music, history, and unusual humor. Words barely touch the depth of his love for his family, his friends, and the City of New Orleans.
Barney is survived by his wife, Valerie, and their four children: Jimmy, Katherine, Charlie, and Mary.
Barney fought depression and anxiety throughout his life. His death was the result of losing that battle. In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made in Barney's honor/memory to the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic suicide prevention program and/or to the AFSP Suicide Prevention Program, LA Chapter. Read his obituary on Offbeat.com.
Louis Aloysius Wilson, Jr. loved people, parties, art, music, fishing, winning the argument, and telling a good story. He was a leading attorney and a supporter of the arts. You were as likely to find Louis at an art gallery or Jazz Fest as at a museum fundraising gala or the table having the most fun in any restaurant in New Orleans. A longtime New Orleanian, Louis had a distinguished career with the law firm Adams and Reese.
Louis was always active in the New Orleans community and the arts. He contributed his time and leadership to the firm's grassroots philanthropy program, HUGS. He served on the boards of the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, the New Orleans Museum of Art, where he chaired the Odyssey Ball, and the Contemporary Arts Center, where he was president of the board. Louis was a member of the Krewe of Alla, serving as maharajah in 1988. An avid art collector, Louis was also a friend to many artists and musicians, including George Rodrigue, Luis Colmenares, George Dureau, and Rockin Dopsie.
Ron was a WWOZ show host for almost 10 years, serving as a substitute host for several years, before settling into Saturday mornings as the host of Weekend New Orleans. Ron loved music, especially New Orleans music, and cared deeply about WWOZ and his show, always trying to connect to his listeners on more than just a surface level. He worked hard on the air to encourage positivity, especially during the pandemic last year. He was devoted to his mother, Joyce, in North Carolina and featured her on his show. He will be missed by his friends and by his WWOZ family, and he will be remembered well. Our thoughts go out to his family and all who knew him.
While in recent years, guitarist Todd Duke was, rightfully, most recognized as the tasteful guitarist with vocalist John Boutte's band, the New Orleans-born artist enjoyed a rather stylistically diverse career.
His resume includes playing rhythm and blues with Yufus Hawkins at Basin Street's Colt 38 in the early 1990s and recording with the renowned vocalist Germaine Bazzle on her 2017 release, Swingin' at Snug. "Jazz guitar really bit me," Duke remembered in a 2009 interview when he was inducted into New Orleans magazine's Jazz All-Stars. The well-loved and highly respected Todd Duke died on January 6, 2019 at the age of 48.
Duke's interest in music was sparked by his parent's record collection that ranged from Fats Domino to the great Bobby "Blue" Bland and the modern jazz of trumpeter Miles Davis. He took up the guitar, naturally going the rock and roll direction of the time. "I liked the sound of the guitar and thought it looked cool and like a lot of fun," he once said. It was during his tenure at Slidell High School and while attending the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (NOCCA), where he studied with guitar master Hank Mackie that Duke's interest turned to jazz. The discovery of such guitar greats as George Benson and Kenny Burrell sealed the deal.The guitarist gained greater recognition when he began playing at the now defunct Donna's Bar & Grill. Duke was onboard at drummer Bob French's popular Monday night sets and it was at the club that he met and eventually performed with musicians including trumpeter Leroy Jones and drummers Shannon Powell and Bunchy Johnson. Through Johnson, he was introduced to bandleader and composer Wardell Quezergue that led to a spot in his big band.
It was 20 years ago that Boutte met Duke through one of the guitarist's student. It was a relationship that took the two around the world and led to Duke's fine guitar on some five of the vocalist's albums. "I loved his musicality and versatility," Boutte offers. "Todd wasn't stuck in one style because he couldn't do that with me. The first thing I told him was ‘Man, you have to listen to some Danny Barker.' He adhered to Danny Barker's advice: ‘Keep all your pockets open.' That's your gospel pockets, your jazz pockets, bebop and country western pockets. He was just able to switch over where some guys are just like, ‘I'm not playin' that.'"
Todd Duke was truly a humble man who knew how to listen and let all those around him and the music shine. See the Legacy.Com obituary.
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