Deacon John got it rollin’ with a new recording, an honorary doctorate and a birthday bash

28th May 2019   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

“It’s not really pop anymore when Deacon John do it,” vocalist/guitarist Deacon John Moore declares with a laugh referring to his brand new video and recording. The much loved New Orleans icon, who built his reputation primarily on jump blues, blues and rhythm and blues, has stepped out of those zones to dig into the songbook of the Australian band Crowded House for a “CD single” that includes two tunes, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and “Something So Strong.” Produced by Cyril Vetter, who was responsible for Deacon John’s Jump Blues masterpiece, the package is cleverly titled Crowded Shotgun House.

Whatever the genre, Deacon John makes a song his own as heard and seen in the video on the emotionally delivered “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” written by Crowded House leader Neil Finn. It’s a beauty and seems as if it was composed for him and for now.

“The song really caught my attention because it inspires hope in people,” Deacon offers mentioning the lyrics, “They come, they come to build a wall between us. We know they won’t win.”

“It’s really significant on what’s going on in today’s world. There’s a big wall between us – Black, white, democrats, republicans. Then the wall (on the border) of Mexico. There are so many implications.”

“I really felt I had to do something different now,” Deacon continues on his latest venture. “We did a different spin on it and you can hear New Orleans in the song – gospel, the rhythm and blues. Oh, and my voice is a little different,” he adds again with a laugh that often punctuates his conversations.

“We’ve been talking for years about ways to showcase his talent in a different, non-traditional way,” says Vetter. “More than anything, it shows his range.”

That New Orleans style is solidly in the mix with Herlin Riley at the drums. He sets the tempo of “Don’t Dream” with the tap of his sticks. “The drum part sounds like ‘It Ain’t My Fault,” Deacon suggests. Producer Vetter declares, “I just don’t do sessions unless Herlin Riley is the drummer. He was on all of the ‘Jump Blues’ projects.”

The gospel element that helps give the tune its celebratory and optimistic flair is provided by organist and pianist Craig Adams who also directs the choir, the Craig Adams Singers. As an indication of Adams’ talent, Deacon points out that he was the only organ player that the late, great Sammy Berfect would send in if he needed a replacement. The gospel ensemble lifts the spirit when it sings along with Deacon the repeated words, “Hey now, hey now, don’t dream it’s over.”

Naturally, Deacon’s brother Charles Moore adds his fine bass and the band is filled out by two guitarists from Nashville, Tennessee, Will Kimbrough and Clay Coleman. The saxophone of Jim Hoke was added to “Something So Strong,” which Vetter chose because, he says, “It’s just one of those nice uptempo things that Deacon does so well.”

Even though there are two more tracks in the can, it was decided to release the CD single and video in order to, according to Vetter, “gauge the reaction to Deacon doing these pop songs. I love working with Deacon and I love this project and I hope we can get some traction with it because we both want to do more.”

Hilariously, yet with a touch of his own truthful perception on the recordings, Deacon John laughingly declares, “For the first time in my life, I’ll look like the music. I drew that conclusion by observation.”

Dr. Deacon John

“I started crying when I read the letter,” Deacon John clearly remembers. The correspondence was from Tania Tetlow, the president of Loyola University asking him if he would accept an honorary doctorate from the esteemed institution. “I was just shocked because I never thought that somebody like me was qualified for it. I wasn’t a cultural ambassador traveling all over the world and all those things that people get honorary degrees for. What I did in my career is great but it just pales in comparison to some of the other recipients like Allen Toussaint, Ellis Marsalis, Dr. John, Herbie Hancock. I didn’t think I was in that kind of company. They (the university) didn’t feel that way. They felt I made enough significant contributions to the people of New Orleans and the New Orleans music community (for the recognition). This guy that never got famous.

On May 11, 2019, Deacon John Moore donned a cap and gown and received an honorary doctorate in music at Loyola’s commencement ceremony. “It was a historic moment because it was presented by Tania who is the first female and layperson to be president of Loyola University.”

“It was a thrill of a lifetime,” says Deacon seemingly still awed by the honor. After being presented with the degree, the now Dr. Deacon John was asked to sing a song. “I sang ‘Ave Maria’ – what else? – in a medley with ‘For All We Know’ and ‘A Change Is Gonna Come.’”

“He sang ‘Ave Maria’ in Latin and the Loyola faculty and the people on the dais were amazed,” says Vetter, who attended the occasion.

Deacon John’s wonderfully exuberant roll continues when he hosts his annual birthday bash on June 22 at Tipitina’s. Of course he’ll be showcasing his new songs and favs from through the decades. “When my birthday comes up I like to focus on the way we were and bring it on up to the way we are or the way I am.”

This article originally published in the May 27, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.