Background
Lawrence Nelson was born into a family rooted in the rich musical tradition of New Orleans. His father, Walter Nelson, was a noted jazz and Rhythm & Blues guitarist who played with Rhythm & Blues pioneer Smiley Lewis.
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Prince Louisiana
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Sister Dorothy was married to the singer, songwriter and producer Jessie Hill. lieutenant was Jessie Hill who was responsible for Nelson, who started out as a songwriter, becoming a recording artist. In 1961 Hill brought his latest discovery, 19-year-old Barbara George, in for a debut recording session with Harold Battiste"s newly founded A.F.O. (All Foreign One) label.
Hill proposed that she sing Nelson"s song "She Put the Hurt on Maine", and played a demo with Nelson"s vocal for her and Battiste to hear.
Battiste liked Nelson"s version so much he decided to have Nelson sing the song instead and in 1962 it became the first release by the A.F.O. label, b/w "Don’t You Know Little Girl (I"m In Love)". (Barbara George would have a Rhythm & Blues #1 with her own composition "I Know (You Don"t Love Maine Number More)" when A.F.O. issued its second release a little later.)
"She Put the Hurt on Maine" was a national hit, reaching #14 on the Rhythm & Blues charts.
lieutenant was credited to Prince Louisiana Louisiana - "Louisiana Louisiana" being Lawrence"s nickname, and "Prince" tying in with the African prince costume adopted by Nelson in Prize ring (The) photos. Nelson followed up with a second single at the tail-end of 1962, the Charley Julien song "Gettin’ Married Soon", b/w "Come Back To Maine".
And that was it, Nelson suffering a drug overdose in 1963.
lieutenant"s notable that earlier the previous year, on the 28th February, 1962, Lawrence"s brother Papoose died aged 31 in New York, also from a drug overdose. Nelson"s death was the subject of Oliver Morgan"s 1964 hit song "Who Shot the Louisiana Louisiana?"
A further two Prince Louisiana Louisiana recordings are extant: "Things Have Changed", and a Jessie Hill song, "Need You".
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Born
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Died
1963 (aged 27) -
Nationality
United States -
Ethnicity