Alison Fensterstock

Big Freedia, shown performing in 2019 in New Orleans, is part of our starter kit for the queer music of New Orleans.

How Queer Tastemakers, Movers And Shakers Shaped The Music Of New Orleans

Alison Fensterstock

No single lineage can contain New Orleans music. But one central thread is the legacy of queer performers and tastemakers — from Bobby Marchan to Big Freedia — who steered the sounds and the scenes.

A second line in the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans, photographed on April 15, 2018. The parades, along with much else in the city, have been suspended amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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NOLA Amidst COVID: Learning From A Tough Past To Cope With An Uncertain Future

Alison Fensterstock

The city has recovered from its fair share of disasters and displacements, but the situation it currently finds itself in is unprecedented.

A sign marks an intersection of Highways 61 and 49 near Clarksdale, Miss.

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Bessie Smith At The Crossroads

Alison Fensterstock

Clarksdale, Miss. is home to both the crossroads where Robert Johnson allegedly sold his soul and the site of Bessie Smith's death. But in the legend of the genre, not every tale gets the same care.

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Dave Bartholomew, A Father Of Rock And Roll, Dead At 100

Alison Fensterstock

The Louisiana native became a mentor to Fats Domino, transitioning from well-regarded horn player to producer and arranger of some of rock and roll's bedrock artists.

Dr John, photographed in Glasgow, Scotland in 2005. The beloved fixture of New Orleans music died June 6, 2019.

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Dr. John, Legend of New Orleans, Dead At 77

Alison Fensterstock

Over a career stretching back to the 1950s, Malcolm John Rebennack came to be a living symbol of the city of New Orleans and its bottomless musical character.

Big Freedia performs during the 2018 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans.

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Big Freedia Is The 21st Century's Ambassador Of Freedom

Alison Fensterstock

Big Freedia has always repped New Orleans, becoming famous by insisting on being her sui generis self. How could you see someone who loves herself so much and not follow her to the dance floor?

Candi Staton's <em>Unstoppable</em> comes out Aug. 24.

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Candi Staton's 'Unstoppable' Talks The Real Talk

Alison Fensterstock

The Southern soul survivor has made an album about strength: a holistic shot in the arm to help you find the fortitude to fight.