Art Neville

Art Neville (December 17, 1937 – July 22, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter, and keyboardist from New Orleans. He was a prominent figure in the New Orleans music scene for over five decades. Neville founded the funk band The Meters, known for their influential New Orleans funk sound. He also co-founded the rock-soul-jazz band The Neville Brothers and later formed the spinoff group The Funky Meters. Neville collaborated with renowned artists such as Labelle, Paul McCartney, Robert Palmer, and Dr. John. He received three Grammy awards throughout his career. Growing up in New Orleans, Neville was influenced by R&B artists like James Booker and Professor Longhair. He began his musical journey on piano and gained early recognition performing with his brothers in The Hawketts.