Local Legend and Louisiana Hall of Fame recipient, Coco Robicheaux passed away last night around 6 p.m., November 25, 2011, while talking to friends at his beloved Apple Barrel Bar on Frenchmen Street. Close sources confirmed that Robicheaux collapsed after talking about great times spent with his granddaughter during the Holiday while laughing & smiling and that it was a quick affair. He was rushed by ambulance to Tulane Medical Center but could not be revived while en route.
Facebook went into overload with comments from friends and fans who were shocked and saddened by the loss of this mystical New Orleans figure. His life has touched many and he will be truly missed by all who knew him. Born Curtis Arceneaux he died at age 64 and leaves behind a long list of songs which he often performed at the Apple Barrel during his Saturday night residency at the bar. He was a constant on Frenchmen Street and everyone who knew him was in one way or another mesmerized. He was an entrancing character and one that made you believe in the magic of New Orleans.
A few interested tidbits about Coco Robicheaux are that he was also an artist and sculpted the very well known "FessHead" sculpture (Professor Longhair) at the main entrance of Tipitina's Uptown on Napoleon Ave. I know many visitors have rubbed that FessHead as well as taken pictures with it. As stated on the Tipitina's website:
"Since his (Professor Longhair) passing a beautiful brass bust of Fess was constructed, by local musician and artisan Coco Robicheaux, located near the front door where patrons enter and admire Fess to this day". Simply put, it's the stuff made legends are made of.
New Orleans is full of lovable characters who are celebrated & revered where in other places they might be shunned or ridiculed. Many folks across the world were introduced to Coco through the HBO hit show "Treme" 1 season, 2nd episode where he is interviewed by Davis Mcalary and sings his hit song "Walking with the Spirit".
Robicheaux is also mentioned repeatedly in Dr. John's classic 1967 recording of "I Walk with Guilded Splinters".
In an introduction to music historian Ned Sublette's 2008 interview with Coco he states the following:
"There’s a spot on “I Walk on Guilded Splinters,” the track that put Dr. John on the map in 1967, where you can hear the young Dr. John call out very clearly, chanting in rhythm: Co-co Ro-bi-cheaux. I used to wonder if that “Coco Robicheaux” had been some legendary figure of New Orleans voodoo, like the original Dr. John, the Senegalese charm-maker described by Lafcadio Hearn from whom Mac Rebennack took his stage name. But no, that shouted-out Coco Robicheaux—born Curtis Arceneaux—was the same guy you can hear on Saturdays at the Apple Barrel. When Rebennack cut “Guilded Splinters,” Coco was 20, and already someone to conjure"
Maybe it's the superstitious side of my New Orleans upbringing which leads me to believe the Spirit of Coco Robicheaux will live on at the bar at Apple Barrel reveling and enjoying the company of those he loved so. This city likes to hold onto it's legends and as far as legends go, Robicheaux was in a class of his own. I look forward to feeling his presence up & down Frenchmen St. The Celebration of his life which will surely be of historic proportions reminds me of the Kermit Ruffins song "When I Die -You Better Second Line"
"When I die, you better second line.
When I die, you better monkey shine.
You better put my coffin on top of the bar,
Put the jukebox on “a closer walk”,
When I die, you better second line."-KERMIT RUFFINS
