My song “Struttin’ On Sunday” appears in the opening montage of Episode 8, of the HBO TV series, “Treme.” Super cool show about New Orleans, city I love so much.
Aaron Neville sings it, and Aaron is great as I’m sure you already know.

This record was recorded a long time ago. It was the first song of mine to be recorded and holds a special place in my heart. I so loved the music that was coming out of New Orleans when I was growing up. Everything was regional then. The RnB from Philly was totally different from Motown, or Memphis, and like the food there, the flavor of NOLA was like no other.

I wrote “Struttin’ ” up in Maine with my friend Andrew Kastner. Later I ended up in New Orleans working for my sister, in the kitchen at a dinner theatre out in Metairie.
I’d walk the levee road down to the Camellia Grill, Uptown, then take the streetcar down to the French Quarter. I remember going to a songwriter open mic at a bar there and not having the courage to get up and sing a song. I was an observer, taking it all in, trying to figure out how I was going to do whatever it was I was going to do.

One day I borrowed my sister’s car and drove to Allen Toussaint’s studio with my demo tapes. For some reason, they let me in the door and listened. I guess it’s true that God watches over the young. These days you can’t get past the security guard at the front door of a music office. But, this was a long time ago, and my song ended up being recorded by Aaron. This was post the “Tell It Like it Is” phase of his career and pre Neville Brothers fame, pre Linda Ronstadt singing his praises.

The song first appeared on a New Orleans compilation from the UK label, Charly Records called “Sehorn’s Soul Farm.”

With itunes, it’s easy to wander through an artist’s past catalogue and it seems likely that that is how this song ended up on the show. The song was also recorded by Johnny Adams, another New Orleans soul great. It’s actually the same backing track, though re-mixed. Check it out on itunes as well.