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COCO ROBICHEAUX

Biography

Coco Robicheaux, born Curtis John Arceneaux on October 25, 1947, in Merced, California, was a celebrated American blues musician and artist whose roots trace back to Ascension Parish, Louisiana. His father was of Acadian (Cajun) descent, and his mother brought a diverse heritage including English, Norwegian, Scottish, German, Dutch, Welsh, and Mohawk ancestry. Robicheaux spent part of his youth in France, where his Air Force father was stationed, and some of his childhood in the French countryside, experiences that contributed to his eclectic worldview and musical style[1][2][3].

Robicheaux began fronting his own band at age 13 and was performing on Bourbon Street by 15. He secured his first record contract at 18, but his recording career did not take off until the mid-1990s, when he released the well-received album 'Spiritland.' He was deeply influenced by Louisiana folklore, taking his stage name from a local legend about a child abducted by a werewolf, and his music blended blues, voodoo mysticism, and New Orleans rhythms. His albums, including 'Louisiana Medicine Man,' 'Hoodoo Party,' 'Yeah, U Rite!,' 'Like I Said, Yeah, U Rite!,' and 'Revelator,' showcased his unique style and earned him accolades such as Offbeat Magazine’s Best Blues Album by a Louisiana Artist[1][3].

Robicheaux was a fixture of the New Orleans music scene, performing at venues across the city and at festivals worldwide, including eight consecutive years at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and annual appearances at the French Quarter Festival. He also appeared in television shows such as HBO’s 'Treme' and the USA Network’s 'The Big Easy.' Robicheaux died on November 25, 2011, at age 64, in his favorite bar, the Apple Barrel on Frenchmen Street. His legacy endures through musical tributes, second-line parades, and continued recognition in New Orleans culture[1][2][3].

Fun Facts

  • Robicheaux took his stage name from a Louisiana legend about a child abducted by a werewolf, and the name appears in Dr. John's song 'I Walk on Gilded Splinters.'
  • He was a direct descendant of Sarah Cloyce, one of the accused Salem witches, through his mother's lineage.
  • Robicheaux appeared as himself in four episodes of HBO’s 'Treme' and was featured in the documentary 'Chasing the Groove: A New Orleans Funkumentary.'
  • After his death, the official 2012 French Quarter Festival poster featured Robicheaux replacing Andrew Jackson on horseback in Jackson Square.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

  • Dr. John (Mac Rebennack) - Robicheaux claimed to have played regularly with Dr. John in the early 1960s, sharing interests in metaphysics and voodoo mysticism. (Live performances, referenced in Dr. John's 'I Walk on Gilded Splinters') [Early 1960s]

Key Collaborators

  • Spiritland label musicians - Robicheaux worked with various New Orleans musicians for his albums released on the Spiritland label. ('Yeah, U Rite!' (2005), 'Like I Said, Yeah, U Rite!' (2008), 'Revelator' (2010)) [2005–2010]

Artists Influenced

  • New Orleans blues and roots musicians - Robicheaux's blend of blues, voodoo, and folklore inspired younger artists in the New Orleans scene, though specific proteges are not widely documented. (Influence seen in local blues and roots acts) [1990s–2010s]

Connection Network

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Collaborators
Influenced
Mentors
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Discography

Albums

Title Release Date Type
Spiritland 1995-12-12 Album
Louisiana Medicine Man 1998 Album
Hoodoo Party 2000-10-12 Album
Get You A Healin' Special Anniversary Re-Release 2010-08-24 Album
Revelator 2010-06-22 Album
Like I Said, Yeah U Rite! 2008-04-22 Album
Yeah, U Rite! 2005-01-11 Album
Get You A Healin' 1999-09-28 Album

Top Tracks

  1. Walking with the Spirit (Spiritland)
  2. 3: 33 Blues (Louisiana Medicine Man)
  3. Louisiana Medecine Man (Louisiana Medicine Man)
  4. Spiritland (Spiritland)
  5. Cottonmouth (Louisiana Medicine Man)
  6. Pit Bull (Spiritland)
  7. Broken String (Spiritland)
  8. Working Man (Spiritland)
  9. Saturday Night Before Christmas (Spiritland)
  10. St. John's Eve (Spiritland)

References

  1. fromthevaults-boppinbob.blogspot.com
  2. churchofneworleans.com

Heard on WWOZ

COCO ROBICHEAUX has been played 10 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.

DateTimeTitleShowSpotify
Dec 25, 202519:31saturday night before christmasfrom SpiritlandR&Bw/ Your Cousin Dimitri
Dec 24, 202512:55Saturday Night Before Christmasfrom SpiritlandNew Orleans Music Showw/ Missy Bowen
Dec 23, 202511:14SATURDAY NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMASNew Orleans Music Showw/ Cole Williams
Dec 19, 202521:38saturday night before christmasMusic of Mass Distractionw/ Black Mold
Dec 2, 202511:05SPIRITLANDNew Orleans Music Showw/ Cole Williams
Nov 15, 202516:08make it fast, make it slowfrom make it fast, make it slowWorld Journeyw/ Logan
Oct 24, 202513:25SPIRITLANDNew Orleans Music Showw/ Black Mold or Bill DeTurk
Oct 21, 202511:07SPIRITLANDNew Orleans Music Showw/ Cole Williams
Oct 17, 202513:23Cottonmouthfrom Louisisana Medicine ManNew Orleans Music Showw/ Black Mold or Bill DeTurk
Oct 7, 202511:55I Knew Without Askingfrom SpiritlandNew Orleans Music Showw/ Cole Williams