Dr. John

Decades before the deep South became known for its dirty crunk, ma-and-pop studios in New Orleans were cranking out R&B hits from the likes of Fats Domino, Little Richard, Lee Dorsey and Professor Longhair. Present in those studios was a lone white boy, the gifted young studio guitarist named Mac Rebennack. The impressionable youth soaked up those early influences -- especially Longhair's rollicking piano style -- and combined them with psychedelic rock, Mardi Gras craziness and a fascination with voodoo mysticism to become Dr. John. Though his freelance session work dwarfs his own discography, which varies in quality and consistency, his résumé as a hired gun speaks volumes about the gruff-voiced boogie-woogie pianist's talent and influence. Spiritualized, the Blues Explosion, the Allman Brothers, Van Morrison and even Sonny and Cher have employed Dr. John's talents to kick up their own works. On his own, Dr. John is one of the few remaining links to early New Orleans soul.