John Boutte is a delightful entertainer currently working in New Orleans - with his gospel background, and resulting faith, he peppers every song he delivers with a verve and (above all) an honest sense of humor that can only come from seeing "the Big Picture". He puts the song across in a way that makes the audience forget all else that came before, and just enjoy the moment. That is all that matters. That is the mark of a great entertainer; it's not the singer, not the song, but Life itself that is experienced.

Here, listed below, are the goals of the John Boutte manifesto, and a RealAudio sample below each listed as an example. Click on it to hear it (you'll need the RealAudio player installed on your system) -

 

To Entertain

  "At the Foot of Canal Street..."

 

To Inspire

  "My Eyes Have Seen The Glory..."

 

To Interpret

  "The Melody Haunts My Reverie..."

 

To Delight

  "I just found joy..."

 

To Love

  "Hallelujah I just love her so..."

 

To Tempt

  "..Just Don't Ever Make Her Mad"

 

To Move

  "Mardi Gras Mambo Down in New Orleans!"

 

NOTE - I received this e-mail from the man himself, dated 3/27/01:

Robert,

I just had to let you know I stumbled across the manifesto today and was humbled by the kind words and thoughtful site you created. Thank you! Be encouraged. Love, Peace, and Music Always!!!

John Boutte

Thank you for the acknowledgement, John!

 
Post-Hurricane Note -
For those who might be worried about John and his family in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, he posted a message for his fans at the guestbook at his website - he and his family are fine. The Louisiana Music Factory seems to have escaped serious damage as well - their store on Decatur Street is above sea level, though with the forced evacuation of New Orleans it will be a while before they can open for business again.