Edgar Blanchard

A guitarist and band leader, Blanchard was a permanent feature of the New Orleans music scene from the 40s to the 60s. By 1947 he was in charge of the resident band at the Down Beat Club on Rampart Street, with Roy Brown as one of the vocalists. Blanchard's most well-known band was the Gondoliers. An early version had a two-guitar line-up with Ernest McLean, while in the 60s, the group included Dimes Dupont (alto saxophone), Alonzo Stewart (drums), Frank Fields (bass) and Lawrence Cotton (piano). The band was renowned for its stylistic versatility. Although he frequently playe...