Buddy Boudreaux

John Landry “Buddy” Boudreaux (December 27, 1917 – June 13, 2015) was an American big band and jazz musician. He was born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. He played saxophone and clarinet. Since 1934, he directed and played in a number of bands that have toured the southern United States and drawn nationally known performers to Baton Rouge.

The State-Times newspaper called him “the city’s sound of big band.”[1] His bands backed such artists as Andy Williams, Bernadette Peters, Doc Severinsen, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Burt Bacharach, Johnny Mathis, The Four Tops, Bob Hope, George Burns and Joan Rivers. He opened shows for Tony Bennett, Tony Orlando, Louise Mandrell, The Beach Boys and Bill Cosby.[2] He was co-author—with his barber, Michael T. Abadie—of “My Baton Rouge,” which in 1998 was declared the city’s official song.[2][3]

Boudreaux died at the age of 97 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

References

  1. Pennington, Judy (June 28, 1991). Living life at his own tempo. Baton Rouge, LA: State Times. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Boudreaux, Buddy". Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians. jazz.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved Sep 14, 2014.
  3. Resolution 27239, Metropolitan Council of the Parish of East Baton Rouge and City of Baton Rouge, March 23, 1998