Background
He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
musician pianist singer-songwriter
He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
By about 1952, he had joined the Hawkettes, but left before they recorded, being replaced in the group by Art Neville. He then formed his own band, Li'l Millet and the Creoles, who played clubs in Louisiana and Mississippi. The band comprised Millet (vocals, bass), Edgar Myles (vocals, trombone), Lee Allen (tenor sax), Ernest Mare (guitar), Bartholomew Smith (drums), James Victor Lewis (tenor sax) and Warren Myles (piano).
They were heard playing at a club in Thibodaux, Louisiana by Bumps Blackwell of Specialty Records, who signed them to a contract and first recorded them at Cosimo Matassa's J&M Studios in September 1955. Their first single, "Rich Woman" / "Hopeless Love", was released in November 1955. Millet recorded again in 1956, but the results were unissued until the 1980s or later.
He also worked as a songwriter, co-writing "All Around the World", which was recorded by Little Richard as the B-side of his 1956 hit "The Girl Can't Help It". Millet's demo version of the song was unissued until 1993. Li'l Millet and the Creoles continued to perform locally until the 1980s.
After the dissolution of his band, Millet worked as a bus driver in the 1990s and played a few charity events. He died of cancer in 1997.