James Booker
James Booker | |
|---|---|
Booker in 1978 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Carroll Booker III |
| Also known as | Little Booker, The Black Liberace, The Bayou Maharajah |
| Born | December 17, 1939 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | November 8, 1983 (aged 43) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Genres | Rhythm and blues, jazz |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Keyboards, vocals |
| Years active | 1954–1983 |
James Carroll Booker III (December 17, 1939 – November 8, 1983) was an American New Orleans rhythm and blues keyboardist and singer. Flamboyant in personality and style, and a pianist of extraordinary technical skill, he was dubbed "the Black Liberace."
His 1960 recording "Gonzo" reached No. 43 on the Billboard magazine record chart and No. 3 in R&B, and he toured internationally in the 1970s. After being mainly a rhythm and blues artist, Booker later fused this genre with jazz and with popular music such as that of the Beatles, playing these in his signature backbeat. He profoundly influenced the New Orleans music scene, where his renditions and originals have been revived and are performed.