Jessie Hill

Life and career

Jessie Hill came into the world in New Orleans, Louisiana. As a teenager, he was already behind a drum kit for local acts, and in 1951 he started his own band, the House Rockers. After a stint as drummer for Professor Longhair and later for Huey "Piano" Smith, he revived the House Rockers in 1958, this time stepping out front as the singer. The song that made his name, "Ooh Poo Pah Doo," got its start from a tune by a local pianist known only as Big Four.

Hill wrote the lyrics and melody, then added an intro borrowed from Dave Bartholomew. He worked the number out onstage, cut a demo, and shopped it around town, eventually laying down the final version at Cosimo Matassa's studio with Allen Toussaint producing. Released on Minit Records in 1960, the track became a Mardi Gras staple, moving 800,000 copies and climbing to number 3 on Billboard's R&B chart and number 28 on the pop chart. Over the years, more than 100 artists have covered it, including the Shirelles and Ike and Tina Turner.

Hill's follow-up, "Whip It On Me," hit number 91 on the pop chart later that year. His subsequent New Orleans recordings didn't catch on, so he moved to California to work with fellow exiles like Harold Battiste and Mac Rebennack. Out west, he wrote songs for Ike and Tina Turner, Sonny and Cher, and Willie Nelson. A 1971 solo album on Blue Thumb flopped, and money troubles set in, made worse by a drinking problem.

He returned to New Orleans in 1977, but even benefit shows couldn't turn things around for him personally or professionally. Hill is also the grandfather of James and Troy Andrews.

Family members

Jessie Hill’s family tree is deeply rooted in New Orleans music. His grandsons include James Andrews and Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, who together played “Ooh Poo Pah Doo” on an episode of the HBO series Treme. Another grandson, Travis “Trumpet Black” Hill, was a promising New Orleans musician who passed away in Tokyo on May 4, 2015, from a tooth infection while touring. Hill’s brother-in-law was Walter “Papoose” Nelson, Fats Domino’s renowned guitarist. His daughter, Lois Nelson Andrews, was a celebrated cultural figure in the 6th Ward, known as the Queen of the Tremé.