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Key Information

Fird Eaglin Jr. (January 21, 1936[1][2] or 1937[3][4] – February 18, 2009), known as Snooks Eaglin, was an American guitarist and singer based in New Orleans. In his early years he was sometimes credited under other names, including Blind Snooks Eaglin, "Lil" Snook, Ford Eaglin, Blind Guitar Ferd.

His vocal style was reminiscent of that of Ray Charles; in the 1950s, when he was in his late teens, he sometimes billed himself as "Little Ray Charles". He played a wide range of styles of music within the same concert, album, or even song: blues, rock and roll, jazz, country, and Latin.[5] In his early years, he also played acoustic blues.[5]

His ability to play a wide range of songs and make them his own earned him the nickname "The Human Jukebox." Eaglin claimed in interviews that his musical repertoire included some 2,500 songs.[1]

At live shows, he usually did not prepare set lists and was unpredictable, even to his bandmates. He played songs that came to him on stage, and he also took requests from the audience.

Early life

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Eaglin lost his sight not long after his first birthday, having been stricken with glaucoma, and spent several years in the hospital with other ailments. Around the age of five he received a guitar from his father and taught himself to play by listening to and playing along with the radio. A mischievous youngster, he was given the nickname "Snooks" after a radio character named Baby Snooks.[6]

Career

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Early years

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In 1947, at the age of 11, Eaglin entered a talent contest organized by the radio station WNOE and won it with his performance of "Twelfth Street Rag."[1][7][8] Three years later, he dropped out of a school for the blind to become a professional musician. In 1952, he joined the Flamingoes, a local seven-piece band started by Allen Toussaint. The Flamingoes did not have a bass player, and according to Eaglin, he played both the guitar and the bass parts simultaneously on his guitar. He stayed with the Flamingoes for several years, until the group disbanded in the mid-1950s.

As a solo artist, his recording and touring were inconsistent, and for a man with a career of about 50 years, his discography is rather slim. His first recording was in 1953, playing guitar at a recording session for James "Sugar Boy" Crawford.

The first recordings under his own name were made by Harry Oster, a folklorist from Louisiana State University, who found Eaglin playing in the streets of New Orleans and recorded him in seven sessions between 1958 and 1960.[6] For these recordings, Eaglin played in a country blues style, accompanying himself on an acoustic guitar, without a band.[6] These recordings were later released by several labels, including Folkways, Folk-Lyric, and Prestige/Bluesville.[9]

1960s and 1970s

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From 1960 to 1963, Eaglin recorded for Imperial.[5] He played electric guitar in sessions for Imperial, with backup from a band including James Booker on piano and Smokey Johnson on drums. He recorded 26 tracks for Imperial (available on The Complete Imperial Recordings), many of which were songs written by Dave Bartholomew. Unlike the Harry Oster recordings, these works on Imperial are New Orleans R&B in the style for which he is widely known today.[5] After Imperial, in 1964, he recorded alone at his home with a guitar for the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation; these recordings were released on the album I Blueskvarter 1964: Vol. 3.[10] For the remainder of the 1960s, he apparently made no recordings.

His next recorded work was for the Swedish label Sonet in 1971. Another album, Down Yonder, with Ellis Marsalis on piano, was released in 1978. Apart from his own work, Eaglin took part in recording sessions with Professor Longhair in 1971 and 1972 (released on the album Mardi Gras in Baton Rouge). He also played guitar on the first album by the Wild Magnolias, recorded in 1973.

Black Top and later years

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Eaglin joined Nauman and Hammond Scott of Black Top Records in the 1980s and obtained a recording contract with the label.[5] Eaglin's years with Black Top were the most consistent years of his recording career. Between 1987 and 1999, he recorded four studio albums and a live album and appeared as a guest on a number of recordings by other Black Top artists, including Henry Butler, Earl King, and Tommy Ridgley.

After Black Top Records closed, Eaglin released the album The Way It Is for Money Pit Records, produced by the Scott brothers of Black Top. In 1997, Eaglin's version of "St. James Infirmary" was featured in a UK television advertisement for Budweiser lager.[11]

Eaglin appears in performance footage in the 2005 documentary film Make It Funky!, which presents a history of New Orleans music and its influence on rhythm and blues, rock and roll, funk and jazz.[12] In the film, he performs "Come On (Let the Good Times Roll)" with guest George Porter Jr. and the house band.[13]

Death

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Eaglin died of a heart attack at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans on February 18, 2009.[4][14][15] He had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008 and had been hospitalized for treatment.[14][16] He was scheduled to make a comeback appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in the spring of 2009.[4][14] In honor of his contributions to New Orleans music, he was depicted in an artist's rendering on the cover of the "Jazz Fest Bible" edition of Offbeat magazine, for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2009.

For many years, Eaglin lived in St. Rose, a suburb of New Orleans, with his wife, Dorothea. Though he did not play many live shows, he regularly performed at Rock 'n' Bowl in New Orleans and at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.[5]

Discography

[edit]

Original albums

[edit]
  • 1958, New Orleans Street Singer, recordings made by Harry Oster, of Louisiana State University, March 1958
  • 1959, New Orleans Street Singer (Smithsonian Folkways 2476)
  • 1960, Message from New Orleans (Heritage 1002)
  • 1961, That's All Right (Prestige/Bluesville 1046)
  • 1971, The Legacy of the Blues, Vol. 2 (Sonet 625)
  • 1978, Down Yonder – Snooks Eaglin Today (Sonet 752)
  • 1987, Baby, You Can Get Your Gun! (Black Top 1037)
  • 1989, Out of Nowhere (Black Top 1049)
  • 1992, Teasin' You (Black Top 1072)
  • 1995, Soul's Edge (Black Top 1112)
  • 1996, Soul Train from Nawlins: Live at the Park Tower Blues Festival '95 (P-Vine)
  • 1997, Live in Japan (Black Top 1137), US release of Soul Train from Nawlins
  • 2002, The Way It Is (Money Pit 1111)

Compilation albums

[edit]
  • 1959, Possum Up A Simmon Tree (Folk-Lyric 107)
  • 1961, New Orleans Washboard Blues (Folk-Lyric 107) reissue
  • 1964, Blues from New Orleans, Vol. 2 (Storyville 140)
  • 1964, Portraits in Blues, Vol. 1 (Storyville 146)
  • 1983, New Orleans 1960–61 (Sundown 709-04)
  • 1995, The Complete Imperial Recordings (Capitol/EMI 33918)
  • 1996, Heavy Juice (The Blues Collection, Vol. 75) (Orbis BLU 075)
  • 2003, Best of Snooks Eaglin (Grammercy 182)
  • 2004, The Blues of Snooks Eaglin and Boogie Bill Webb (Storyville 8054)
  • 2010, ABC of the Blues, Vol. 10 (Intense Media 233168)
  • 2022, The First Decade 1953–62 (Acrobat ADDCD3452) 2-CD

Harry Oster recordings

[edit]
  • 1991, Country Boy Down in New Orleans (Arhoolie 348)
  • 1994, New Orleans Street Singer (Storyville 8023)
  • 1994, That's All Right (Prestige/OBC 568)

Singles

[edit]
  • Yours Truly / Nobody Knows (Imperial 5671, 6/60)
  • That Certain Door / By The Water (Imperial 5692, 9/60)
  • If I Could / Guess Who (Imperial 5736, 4/61)
  • My Head Is Spinnin' / Travelin' Mood (Imperial 5765, 7/61)
  • Going To The River / I'm Slippin' In (Imperial 5802, 12/61)
  • Nothing Sweet As You / Don't Slam That Door (Imperial 5823, 3/62)
  • I've Been Walking / Would You (Imperial 5857, 6/62)
  • People Are Talking / Reality (Wake Up) (Imperial 5866, 8/62)
  • Long Gone / Willy Lee (Imperial 5890, 11/62)
  • Little Eva / Cover Girl (Imperial 5946, 5/63)
  • Country Boy / Alberta (Storyville 45056, ?/63)
  • Sweetness / Cheetah (Fun 303, ?/64)

Filmography

[edit]
  • 199? Snooks Eaglin & George Porter Jr at Lone Star Roadhouse 1998 VHS (details not known, songs appear on YouTube and elsewhere)
  • 2005 The Blues of Snooks Eaglin (Storyville 16041, DVD) – recorded live, October 23, 1985, Storyville Jazz Hall, New Orleans. Also released as Jazz Icons: Snooks Eaglin.
  • 2005 Make It Funky! (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment 11952, DVD) – appears in performance footage with George Porter Jr.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Snooks Eaglin

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from Grokipedia
Snooks Eaglin (January 21, 1936 – February 18, 2009) was an American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter from New Orleans, , celebrated for his vast repertoire spanning , R&B, , and beyond, which earned him the enduring nickname "the Human Jukebox." Blinded by in early childhood, Eaglin was born Fird Eaglin Jr. and taught himself to play guitar by listening to the radio, developing a distinctive finger-picking style on both six- and twelve-string instruments. Eaglin's career began in his early teens when he dropped out of a school for the blind to join the street-performing group in 1952, quickly establishing himself in New Orleans' vibrant music scene alongside figures like and . In the early , he recorded singles for Imperial Records, blending traditional with the city's rhythmic and influences. Throughout the and , he released albums on labels such as Folkways, , and Heritage, showcasing his melodic, orchestrally rich arrangements and eclectic covers from sources like , , and pop standards. In the 1980s and 1990s, Eaglin revitalized his profile through recordings on Black Top Records, including standout tracks like "Funky Malaguena," and collaborations with artists such as the Wild Magnolias, Ellis Marsalis, and , while becoming a staple at the . His improvisational prowess and genre-blending approach drew admiration from rock luminaries including , , , and , cementing his legacy as a foundational pillar of New Orleans' musical heritage despite limited mainstream commercial success. Eaglin, who was married to Dorothea Eaglin for over 30 years and had one daughter, died of a heart attack in New Orleans following a battle with .

Early life

Childhood and family

Fird Eaglin Jr., later known as Snooks Eaglin, was born on January 21, 1936, in New Orleans, , to Fird Eaglin Sr., a working-class harmonica player, and his wife, whose name is not widely documented in available records. The Eaglin family resided in New Orleans, exposing young Fird to the city's rich cultural sounds and rhythms from an early age, though economic constraints shaped a challenging environment. As an infant, Eaglin was diagnosed with and a , undergoing that resulted in complete blindness by 19 months of age; this necessitated a prolonged 2.5-year stay and fundamentally altered his early development. The onset of blindness compelled Eaglin to depend heavily on auditory cues for learning, navigation, and interaction, leading him to attend the School for the Blind in Baton Rouge, where he honed skills in listening and memory that later influenced his life path. Limited public records exist regarding siblings or extended family, with no specific details confirmed in biographical accounts. This auditory reliance from childhood served as an early coping mechanism, fostering a deep engagement with sounds that transitioned into musical interests.

Musical beginnings

Fird Eaglin Jr. received his first guitar as a gift from his father, a harmonica player, when he was five years old. Blinded by in infancy, Eaglin relied heavily on his ears for learning, becoming self-taught by age 11 through careful listening to songs broadcast on the radio and played on records, often jamming along with his father using an acetate recording machine. In 1947, at the age of 11, Eaglin made his earliest public debut by winning first place and $200 in a talent contest sponsored by New Orleans radio station WNOE, where he performed an instrumental rendition of on guitar. This victory marked a pivotal moment, boosting his confidence and encouraging further practice. His playful and mischievous personality during these years earned him the nickname "Little Snooks," inspired by the impish radio character Baby Snooks from the popular comedy series. As a blind child musician in New Orleans, Eaglin soon began informal street performing in areas like the , entertaining tourists and locals while developing his foundational guitar techniques by imitating a wide array of artists heard on the radio. These early experiences laid the groundwork for the eclectic and adaptable style that would define his later career, emphasizing versatility across genres through ear-based replication rather than formal instruction.

Career

Early career

At the age of 16, Eaglin joined the Flamingoes, a seven-piece band founded by teenage pianist in New Orleans. The group, which lacked a dedicated bass player, featured Eaglin performing on guitar and occasionally bass during local gigs focused on R&B material. He remained with the Flamingoes for several years until the band disbanded in the mid-1950s following the death of his father, who had helped manage the group, and Toussaint's departure. Eaglin made his first professional recording in 1953 as the for James "Sugar Boy" Crawford and His Cane Cutters on the track "Jock-A-Mo," a Mardi Gras-inspired song later popularized as "." Released on , the single marked Eaglin's entry into the New Orleans recording scene and highlighted his supportive role in backing local R&B artists. Following the Flamingoes' dissolution around 1955, Eaglin worked as a in various New Orleans clubs, accompanying R&B performers, and occasionally busked solo on the streets to supplement his income. Born Fird Eaglin Jr., he adopted the stage name "Snooks" during this period, drawn from the mischievous radio character Baby Snooks, reflecting his playful personality despite his blindness. His early live sets earned a reputation for improvisational flair, as he drew from an extensive repertoire of covers across , R&B, and pop styles to engage audiences. In 1958, folklorist Harry Oster from encountered Eaglin busking in the and began recording him in informal field sessions that continued through 1960. These field recordings, later issued on the album New Orleans Street Singer, captured Eaglin's raw, acoustic performances, often solo on guitar, showcasing his versatile fingerpicking and vocal interpretations of traditional material.

1960s and 1970s

In 1960, Snooks Eaglin signed with Imperial Records, where he recorded a series of singles under the name Ford Eaglin, produced by . These tracks, released through 1963, blended with New Orleans R&B elements, featuring songs such as "No No No" and "That Certain Door." In 1964, Eaglin traveled to for radio broadcasts and live performances with the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation, including a session recorded on at Karlaplansstudion in , which introduced his eclectic style to European audiences. Following his Imperial period, Eaglin entered a recording hiatus in the mid-to-late , shifting focus to local New Orleans gigs as the local music scene evolved toward and influences. His early sideman experience with various artists had honed his adaptability, allowing him to navigate these changes through versatile club performances. Eaglin returned to recording in 1971 with the album Message from New Orleans on Sonet Records, emphasizing acoustic rooted in traditional New Orleans sounds. Throughout the , he engaged in notable collaborations, including guitar work on Professor Longhair's 1971-1972 sessions for Mardi Gras in Baton Rouge and contributions to the Wild Magnolias' Indian music tracks on their 1974 album. On a personal note, Eaglin met his wife, Dorthea "Dee," in 1959 and married her in 1961; they remained married until his death in 2009, providing essential stability, enabling his touring and performances during this era.

Black Top era and later years

In 1987, Snooks Eaglin signed with Black Top Records, marking a significant resurgence in his recording career after years of sporadic activity. His debut album for the label, Baby, You Can Get Your Gun!, showcased his style through covers of New Orleans R&B classics, including tracks like "Lavinia" by Tommy Ridgley and "Profidia." This release, produced by Hammond Scott, revitalized Eaglin's presence in the blues scene, reaching new audiences with its energetic interpretations. Eaglin's output with Black Top continued steadily through the 1990s, emphasizing his command of and a broad repertoire drawn from New Orleans traditions. Key releases included Out of Nowhere in 1989, featuring songs by and Benny Spellman; Teasin' You in 1992, with nods to Earl King's compositions; Soul's Edge in 1995; and the live recording Live! At the Crawfish Festival in 1998. These albums highlighted his versatility, blending with R&B and rock elements, and solidified his reputation as a staple of the label's roster. During this period, Eaglin also contributed as a on Black Top projects, providing guitar on Henry Butler's Blues After Sunset (1993), Earl King's Hard River to Cross (1993), and Tommy Ridgley's Since the Blues Began (1995). After Black Top ceased operations, Eaglin released his final studio album, The Way It Is, in 2002 on Money Pit Records, produced by the Scott brothers from Black Top. This effort featured collaborations with bassist George Porter Jr. of The Meters and pianist Jon Cleary, capturing Eaglin's enduring electric blues sound in tracks like "Can You Hear Me?" and "Boogie Rambler." Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, he maintained a steady schedule of live performances in New Orleans clubs and at festivals, drawing on his vast repertoire—estimated at over 1,000 songs—to adapt to diverse audiences. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Eaglin demonstrated resilience by returning to the stage, including appearances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2005, 2006, and 2008, helping sustain the city's musical spirit amid recovery efforts.

Musical style and influences

Playing technique and vocals

Snooks Eaglin employed a distinctive guitar technique, using his thumbnail to pick the strings rather than a , which enabled him to execute rapid and fluid solos with exceptional speed and precision. This bare-handed approach, involving an open right hand to pluck strings forcefully, also allowed him to incorporate rhythmic chord fills seamlessly between notes, enhancing the percussive drive of his performances. His self-taught style, developed from childhood by ear, emphasized this unorthodox method, which Allen described as highly unusual yet versatile. Eaglin demonstrated proficiency on both acoustic and electric guitars, adapting fluidly between the two throughout his career. In his early years, he often performed unamplified on acoustic guitar, creating an intimate sound suited to street and club settings in New Orleans. Later, he favored electric guitar with amplification, employing techniques like fast triplet pull-offs in the minor pentatonic scale and double-stop sequences to produce a rich, quirky melodic style with impeccable timing. Eaglin's vocals were characterized by a gravelly, emotive quality deeply rooted in New Orleans R&B traditions, blending raw shouts with smooth, laid-back phrasing. His throaty delivery conveyed soulful intensity, often underscoring the emotional depth of his renditions while maintaining an understated tone distinct from more bombastic styles. As a blind since infancy, Eaglin relied on memory-based for his performances, forgoing or visual cues in favor of auditory recall honed through years of listening to radio broadcasts. This adaptation not only shaped his vast repertoire but also contributed to the spontaneous, intuitive flow of his guitar work and vocal interpretations. Eaglin's vocal-guitar interplay drew comparisons to , particularly in how he balanced impassioned singing with instrumental solos to prioritize soulful expression over mere technical display. In the 1950s, he was occasionally billed as "Li'l Ray Charles" for his similar emotive fusion of voice and guitar, emphasizing rhythmic connection and heartfelt delivery.

Repertoire and influences

Snooks Eaglin earned the nickname "The Human Jukebox" due to his extraordinary repertoire, which he claimed encompassed over 2,500 songs spanning , R&B, , , , , and pop. This vast catalog allowed him to perform without set lists, often responding to audience requests with seamless improvisations that blended genres in live settings. His ability to pull from such diverse sources—ranging from standards and classics to funk numbers like "" and pop-mambo tunes such as ""—reflected the multicultural fabric of New Orleans, incorporating Latin rhythms and Cajun-zydeco elements into his arrangements. Eaglin's musical worldview was profoundly shaped by radio broadcasts during his youth, particularly the guitar tones of , the flamboyant showmanship of , and the rhythmic innovations of New Orleans pianist . These influences, absorbed through early listening experiences, informed his eclectic approach, enabling him to adapt covers across styles with melodic fluidity rather than rigid harmonic structures. In live performances, this manifested as spontaneous genre shifts, occasionally facilitated by his distinctive thumbnail-picking technique for rhythm and lead. Over his career, Eaglin's evolved from the acoustic folk-blues of his street-performing days in the to a mature electric R&B sound backed by full bands in the and beyond. This progression mirrored his immersion in New Orleans' vibrant scene, where he wove local traditions into broader , maintaining an improvisational spirit that kept audiences engaged across decades.

Death and legacy

Illness and death

In 2008, Snooks Eaglin was diagnosed with , which led to hospitalization for treatment and a significant reduction in his live performances. Despite his illness, he continued performing sporadically that year, including select appearances in New Orleans. Eaglin died on February 18, 2009, at the age of 73, from a heart attack at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, just months after his cancer diagnosis. His death deeply affected his family, particularly his wife of nearly 50 years, Dorothea "Dee" Eaglin (née Williams), whom he had met in 1958 outside a where she became his lifelong companion and manager. Eaglin's funeral on February 27, 2009, featured a traditional New Orleans jazz procession, beginning with a viewing and service at the nightclub, followed by a second-line through the streets. The event drew a large gathering from the local music community, including performers such as and , who honored him with music during the send-off.

Recognition and tributes

Snooks Eaglin received significant posthumous recognition at the 2009 , where he was honored with a statue in the Fair Grounds infield, a photograph displayed in the Blues Tent, and a second-line procession tribute during the event. These tributes underscored his status as a staple performer at the festival, where he had drawn crowds annually for decades with his versatile performances. Eaglin's influence extended to rock musicians, who admired his innovative guitar style and vast repertoire, often seeking him out during visits to New Orleans. Notable admirers included , who covered Eaglin's rendition of "Alberta" on his 1992 MTV Unplugged album, as well as , , and . His role in the New Orleans blues revival indirectly shaped broader rock traditions through the city's musical heritage. Regarded as one of New Orleans' most beloved musicians and a local legend, Eaglin's legacy endures through annual mentions and tributes at festivals, including his regular Jazz Fest appearances that highlighted his adaptability across genres. A 2024 article reaffirmed his enduring status, noting his inimitable finger-picking as a marvel that captivated audiences. His streetside in 2009, attended by the musical community, served as a poignant to his lifelong contributions to the city's sound. Ongoing annual tributes at the continue to celebrate his contributions as of 2025. Following in 2005, which destroyed his home in , Eaglin demonstrated resilience by continuing performances, including at the 2008 Jazz & Heritage Festival, helping to sustain and preserve New Orleans' musical culture during recovery efforts from 2005 to 2008. His vast repertoire, often called encyclopedic and key to his legendary adaptability, allowed him to embody the city's spirit in post-disaster shows.

Discography

Original albums

Snooks Eaglin's original albums represent his primary studio and live recordings, showcasing his evolution from acoustic to electric R&B-infused performances. These releases highlight his versatility as a and singer, often blending traditional New Orleans sounds with personal interpretations of classics. New Orleans Street Singer (1959, ) compiles early acoustic performances recorded in 1958, featuring solo guitar and vocals on traditional and folk songs like "Rock Island Line" and "Every Day I Have the ," capturing his street singer roots. That's All Right (1961, Prestige/Bluesville) presents acoustic with occasional band support, including tracks such as "That's All Right" and "Alberta," emphasizing Eaglin's fingerpicking style and vast . The 1971 album The Legacy of the Blues, Vol. 2 on is an acoustic collection featuring Eaglin with New Orleans friends on traditional and original songs, capturing his raw, intimate style in studio sessions. Down Yonder (1978, ) blends acoustic and electric elements in a mix of blues standards and R&B, produced by Sam Charters, highlighting Eaglin's growing eclectic influences. In 1987, Baby, You Can Get Your Gun! marked Eaglin's electric debut on Black Top Records, produced by Hammond Scott, with a focus on R&B covers like "Red Beans" and "," emphasizing his funky guitar riffs and energetic band interplay; it was praised for revitalizing his career with its vibrant New Orleans groove. The 1989 release Out of Nowhere on Black Top explored island-influenced tracks, incorporating calypso and elements in songs such as "Out of Nowhere" and "Wella Wella Baby-La," produced by Hammond Scott, and received acclaim for Eaglin's dexterous and rhythmic experimentation. The 1992 album Teasin' You on Black Top featured covers and originals like "Teasin' You," "," and "," produced by Hammond Scott, showcasing Eaglin's improvisational prowess and genre-blending in a studio setting. Soul's Edge (1995, Black Top) presented mature interpretations of and R&B standards, including "Soul's Edge" and "Down Yonder," with polished production by the Scott brothers, highlighting Eaglin's seasoned vocals and guitar tone; critics lauded its depth and emotional resonance. Live in Japan (1997, Black Top) captured Eaglin's live energy from performances at the 1995 Park Tower Festival in , with tracks like "Baby, Please Come Home" and "When It Rains It Pours," preserving his audience interaction and eclectic setlists. Eaglin's final original album, The Way It Is (2002, Money Pit), featured modern collaborations, including with George Porter Jr. on bass for songs like "One Kind Favor," produced by the Scott brothers, and was recognized for its contemporary edge while honoring his blues heritage, marking a poignant close to his recording career.

Compilation albums

Several compilation albums have been released featuring Snooks Eaglin's recordings, aggregating his early field recordings, singles, and outtakes into retrospective collections that highlight his versatile blues style across decades. One of the earliest compilations is Message from New Orleans, released in 1960 on the Heritage label (later reissued by Folkways and ), which compiles field recordings made by folklorist Harry Oster between 1958 and 1960 in New Orleans. This album captures Eaglin's raw acoustic performances, including tracks like "Everyday Blues," "Mamma, Don't You Tear My Clothes," and "Walkin' Blues," showcasing his fingerpicking guitar technique and vocal delivery in an unaccompanied street-singer format. In 1995, The Complete Imperial Recordings was issued on CD by Capitol/EMI, collecting all of Eaglin's singles and sessions for the Imperial label from 1960 to 1963. This 24-track compilation includes and R&B numbers such as "Yours Truly," "Nobody Knows (The Trouble I've Seen)," "By the Water," and "If I Could Reach Out (And Touch Your Hand)," providing a comprehensive overview of his mid-1960s commercial output with full band arrangements. The 2001 release The Crescent City Collection on Fuel 2000 serves as a Black Top Records retrospective, bundling tracks from Eaglin's and albums for the label along with previously unreleased outtakes and rarities. Spanning 54 minutes across 14 songs, it features selections like "" and "" in electric settings, emphasizing his New Orleans R&B influences and live energy from sessions recorded between 1987 and 1995. The Blues of Snooks Eaglin, a 2005 DVD-audio hybrid released by Storyville Records, compiles live performances recorded on October 23, 1985, at New Orleans' Storyville Jazz Hall. The audio tracks form a 40-minute set of blues standards including "Mustang Sally," "Let the Four Winds Blow," "Guess Who," and "Drop the Bomb," presented in a hybrid format that allows for both video viewing and standalone audio playback, highlighting Eaglin's improvisational guitar work in a club setting. Another 2005 compilation, Snooks Eaglin (The Sonet Blues Story) on Universal, reissues Eaglin's 1971 Sonet sessions with his New Orleans friends, remastered from the original Legacy of the Blues Vol. 2. This 15-track, 41-minute collection includes acoustic and electric blues like "Boogie Children," "Who's Been Talking," and "Every Day I Have the Blues," drawing from unissued alternate takes and emphasizing his early 1970s folk-blues phase.

Singles

Snooks Eaglin released a series of singles under the name Ford Eaglin for Imperial Records between 1960 and 1961, produced by Dave Bartholomew in New Orleans. These recordings blended blues, R&B, and rock influences, showcasing Eaglin's versatile guitar work and vocals, though they garnered primarily local airplay without national chart impact. Prior to his solo singles, Eaglin contributed guitar to several 1950s sessions for James "Sugar Boy" Crawford on Checker Records, including the 1954 single "Jock-A-Mo" b/w "I Don't Know What I'll Do," a Mardi Gras-inspired track that received regional attention and was later adapted into the 1961 hit "Iko Iko" by The Dixie Cups; no standalone singles under Eaglin's name from this era were issued, though some test recordings from 1949 on Opera Records remain unissued. The following table lists Eaglin's known standalone 45 RPM singles:
YearA-SideB-SideLabelCatalog No.Notes
1960Yours TrulyNobody Knows (The Trouble I've Seen)Imperial5671Released June 1960; white-label promo variant exists.
1960That Certain DoorBy the WaterImperial5692Released September 1960; featured Eaglin's acoustic .
1961If I CouldGuess WhoImperial5736Released April 1961; last Imperial single before label's New Orleans operations ceased.
No additional standalone singles from the 1963 Imperial sessions or 1970s European tours, including Swedish radio appearances, were commercially released as 45s.

Media appearances

Film and video

Snooks Eaglin appeared in the 2005 documentary Make It Funky!, directed by Michael Murphy, which explores the music and its global influence on genres like , , , and . The film includes performance footage and interviews with Eaglin alongside artists such as and , showcasing his contributions to the city's tradition through live demonstrations of his guitar technique. Released shortly after , the documentary underscores Eaglin's role in visually documenting New Orleans' musical resilience and . In the same year, Eaglin was featured in the DVD release The Blues of Snooks Eaglin, a solo performance video recorded live on October 23, 1985, at the Storyville Jazz Hall in New Orleans. Capturing his intricate fingerpicking and improvisational style on , the video highlights tracks that exemplify his eclectic repertoire, from traditional to R&B standards, providing an intimate visual record of his artistry. This release, produced by Storyville Records, serves as a key visual archive of Eaglin's live performances, emphasizing his status as a pivotal figure in history. Through these films and videos, Eaglin's appearances helped preserve and promote the visual narrative of , blending historical with dynamic performances that illustrate the genre's emotional depth and technical innovation.

Commercials and other media

In 1997, Snooks Eaglin's recording of "St. James Infirmary" was featured in a United Kingdom for lager, which helped elevate his profile among broader audiences beyond traditional blues circles. This commercial usage highlighted his versatile guitar work and vocal delivery in a mainstream , drawing on his signature improvisational style often likened to a human . Eaglin's radio presence extended internationally through recordings made for European broadcasts. On June 2, 1964, he recorded ten acoustic tracks at his home in New Orleans specifically for the Swedish radio series I Blueskvarter, produced and aired by the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation later that autumn; these solo performances, including songs like "Let Me Go Home, Whiskey" and "Careless Love," captured his folk-blues roots and were later compiled on the album I Blueskvarter 1964, Volume Three. Earlier, his live appearance at the inaugural American Folk Blues Festival on October 20, 1962, in Paris was documented with the track "Born and Livin' with the Blues," part of a touring event that included radio and television airings across Europe, showcasing Eaglin alongside other American blues artists to continental listeners. These broadcasts introduced his eclectic repertoire—spanning traditional blues standards and R&B—to international audiences during a period when he was transitioning from street performing to more formal recordings. Beyond advertisements and radio, Eaglin appeared in print and promotional media that documented his New Orleans scene contributions. The summer 1999 issue of Blues Access magazine featured a profile and titled "It's Snooks, Baby," in which Eaglin reflected on his , influences, and live improvisations, emphasizing his ability to adapt to audience requests on the spot. Such coverage, along with occasional album promotional materials from labels like Black Top Records in the , underscored his enduring role in preserving and evolving the city's blues tradition through diverse media outlets.

References

  1. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/arts/music/20eaglin.html
  2. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/feb/20/snooks-eaglin-obituary
  3. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/snooks-eaglin-mn0000753570
  4. https://musicrising.tulane.edu/discover/people/snooks-eaglin/
  5. http://www.bluesaccess.com/No_38/snooks.html
  6. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/snooks-eaglin-new-orleans-guitarist-and-singer-known-as-the-human-jukebox-1672586.html
  7. https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/music/new-orleans-guitarist-snooks-eaglin-dies-at-72/article_87b29695-e417-5eda-a18e-98162557788f.html
  8. https://veritenews.org/2024/11/11/snooks-eaglin-one-of-new-orleans-most-beloved-musicians/
  9. https://www.nola.com/300/1947-an-11-year-old-snooks-eaglin-makes-his-mark-on-new-orleans-music-scene/article_755cbd73-537a-53ec-88c7-9fb32d4b1428.html
  10. https://www.offbeat.com/news/james-sugar-boy-crawford-dies-at-77/
  11. https://www.the-independent.com/news/obituaries/snooks-eaglin-new-orleans-guitarist-and-singer-known-as-the-human-jukebox-1672586.html
  12. https://folkways.si.edu/snooks-eaglin/new-orleans-street-singer/blues/music/album/smithsonian
  13. https://folkways-media.si.edu/docs/folkways/artwork/SFW40165.pdf
  14. https://www.bear-family.com/eaglin-snooks-that-s-all-right.html
  15. https://www.discogs.com/release/13330933-Snooks-Eaglin-The-Complete-Imperial-Recordings
  16. https://www.wirz.de/music/eaglin.htm
  17. https://www.discogs.com/release/2531691-Various-I-Blueskvarter-1964-Volume-Three
  18. https://www.wwoz.org/378-snooks-eaglin-1936-2009
  19. https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-sonet-blues-story-1971-mw0000704184
  20. https://www.discogs.com/release/4323122-Snooks-Eaglin-The-Legacy-Of-The-Blues-Vol-2
  21. https://www.discogs.com/release/813066-Snooks-Eaglin-Baby-You-Can-Get-Your-Gun
  22. https://www.discogs.com/master/403513-Snooks-Eaglin-Out-Of-Nowhere
  23. https://www.discogs.com/release/6740794-Snooks-Eaglin-Souls-Edge
  24. https://www.offbeat.com/music/snooks-eaglin-teasin-you-hep-cat/
  25. https://www.discogs.com/master/1487486-Henry-Butler-Blues-After-Sunset
  26. https://www.discogs.com/release/4270070-Earl-King-Hard-River-To-Cross
  27. https://www.discogs.com/release/3273471-Tommy-Ridgley-Since-The-Blues-Began
  28. https://www.discogs.com/release/14115674-Snooks-Eaglin-The-Way-It-Is
  29. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/16/arts/music/new-orleans-will-hold-jazzfest-this-spring.html
  30. https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-snooks-eaglin24-2009feb24-story.html
  31. https://www.chicagotribune.com/1995/06/20/snooks-eaglin-picks-a-guitar-like-no-other/
  32. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/news/snooks-eaglin-blind-musician-was-a-new-orleans-legend/
  33. https://www.guitarworld.com/uncategorized/talkin-blues-keith-wyatt-electric-soul-snooks-eaglin-part-2
  34. https://downatthecrossroads.wordpress.com/2022/03/02/great-blues-albums-snooks-eaglin-new-orleans-street-singer/
  35. https://www.explorelouisiana.com/articles/famous-louisiana-blues-musicians
  36. https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-sonet-blues-story/1444199384
  37. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-09-19-ca-2323-story.html
  38. https://www.allmusic.com/album/complete-imperial-recordings-mw0000180570
  39. https://www.npr.org/2009/02/19/100877594/soul-guitarist-snooks-eaglin-dies-at-72
  40. https://www.sunjournal.com/2009/02/19/rb-jazz-guitarist-snooks-eaglin-dies/
  41. https://fromthevaults-boppinbob.blogspot.com/2024/01/snooks-eaglin-born-21-january-1937.html
  42. https://www.facebook.com/groups/Houston.Blues.Society/posts/10159058462370929/
  43. https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/music/new-orleans-guitarist-snooks-eaglin-gets-rousing-jazz-funeral-send-off-from-allen-toussaint-irma/article_13488b80-f263-50ba-8076-d8ddd1a9de0d.html
  44. https://www.wwno.org/latest-news/2009-02-27/snooks-eaglin-funeral
  45. https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/festivals/smith-and-eaglin-honored-at-jazz-fest/article_c8af42a5-2b57-55d7-aee8-d5f9056d0ced.html
  46. https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/r-b-guitarist-snooks-eaglin-dies-197359
  47. https://www.prosoundweb.com/remembering-snooks-a-giant-of-new-orleans-guitar-blues/
  48. https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/festivals/
  49. https://www.facebook.com/groups/494920233900397/posts/7140405412685146/
  50. https://www.jambase.com/article/jazz-fest-05-01-05-04-new-orleans
  51. https://www.allmusic.com/album/new-orleans-street-singer-mw0000866197
  52. https://www.allmusic.com/album/thats-all-right-mw0000866199
  53. https://www.discogs.com/release/897226-Snooks-Eaglin-The-Sonet-Blues-Story
  54. https://www.allmusic.com/album/down-yonder-mw0000866198
  55. https://www.allmusic.com/album/baby-you-can-get-your-gun-mw0000194716
  56. https://www.allmusic.com/album/out-of-nowhere-mw0000201277
  57. https://www.allmusic.com/album/teasin-you-mw0000678693
  58. https://www.allmusic.com/album/souls-edge-mw0000194717
  59. https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-japan-mw0001026154
  60. https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-way-it-is-mw0000550789
  61. https://www.allmusic.com/album/message-from-new-orleans-mw0000862126
  62. https://www.discogs.com/release/4801197-Snooks-Eaglin-Message-From-New-Orleans
  63. https://www.discogs.com/release/5243579-Snooks-Eaglin-The-Complete-Imperial-Recordings
  64. https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-crescent-city-collection-mw0000004238
  65. https://www.discogs.com/release/7779453-Snooks-Eaglin-The-Crescent-City-Collection
  66. https://www.discogs.com/release/15910420-Snooks-Eaglin-The-Blues-Of-Snooks-Eaglin
  67. https://www.discogs.com/artist/420622-Snooks-Eaglin
  68. https://www.louisianamusicfactory.com/product/james-sugar-boy-crawford-hey-now-classic-recordings-1953-1958-import-cd/
  69. https://www.discogs.com/release/9339846-Ford-Eaglin-Yours-Truly-Nobody-Knows
  70. https://www.discogs.com/master/1088806-Ford-Eaglin-Yours-Truly-Nobody-Knows
  71. https://www.discogs.com/master/1143279-Ford-Eaglin-That-Certain-Door
  72. https://www.45cat.com/record/x5736
  73. http://killerowl.com/snooksville/snooks/snooks_imperial.html
  74. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/make_it_funky
  75. https://tv.apple.com/fm/movie/make-it-funky/umc.cmc.2k76lia1ql04c0c8t173me4dr
  76. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/news/born-in-new-orleans-history-you-can-dance-tomake-it-funky-dvd/
  77. https://www.ebay.com/p/55629807
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