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Ernest Kador, Jr. (Feb 22, 1936 - July 5, 2001) was known as Ernie K-Doe, a colorful performer, who became the first artist from New Orleans to have a national charting #1 hit actually recorded in New Orleans (Mother-In-Law,#1 Pop, #1 R&B 1961). Doe was a self promotor extraordinaire, nicknaming himself “Emperor of The World” and “the Greatest Boy-Child ever conceived at Charity Hospital in New Orleans”. While never to top the charts again after his 1961 hit, he toured & recorded sporadically throughout the rest of his career until his last single, an anti violence plea “Children of the World” b/w “White Bo
Ernest Kador, Jr. (Feb 22, 1936 - July 5, 2001) was known as Ernie K-Doe, a colorful performer, who became the first artist from New Orleans to have a national charting #1 hit actually recorded in New Orleans (Mother-In-Law,#1 Pop, #1 R&B 1961). Doe was a self promotor extraordinaire, nicknaming himself “Emperor of The World” and “the Greatest Boy-Child ever conceived at Charity Hospital in New Orleans”. While never to top the charts again after his 1961 hit, he toured & recorded sporadically throughout the rest of his career until his last single, an anti violence plea “Children of the World” b/w “White Boy/Black Boy” in late 2000.
His most popular works are those from his early 1960’s Minit records years, when he was associated closely with producer/composer Allen Toussaint. During this period he was managed by a local radio DJ named Larry McKinley, the co-owner of Minit, whose other partner was A-1 records distributor Joe Banashak. Other tunes made during Doe’s 1961 chart attempts under Toussaint’s tutelage included “I Cried My Last Tear” (#69 Pop) b/w “A Certain Girl” (#71 Pop), and “Te-Ta-Te-Ta-Ta” (#53 Pop, #21 R&B. Prior to recording with Minit, Doe had started his professional career on the gospel circuit, eventually joining The Four Blazes, a gig that earned him his first recording session in late 1953 for United but the session went unreleased. His first record (“Honey Love”/”No Mercy”) came in 1955 with a group called The Blue Diamonds on Savoy. Solo releases on Specialty and Ember under the surnames Kador & Kado before finally becoming K-Doe were early career moves. After his Minit deal ran out he moved to the Instant & then Duke/Peacock labels, working again with Toussaint for an LP in 1970 on the Janus label.
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Tags: Soul (1), Jazz (1), Blues (1), R&B (1), Musician (1), Singer (1), Eccentric (1), Underrated (1), Pisces (1), Born 1936 (1), Died 2001 (1), Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame (1), Self Promotor Extraordinaire (1)
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