Dorothy LaBostrie
Encyclopedia
Dorothy LaBostrie alternatively La Bostrie or Labostrie, later Dorothy LaBostrie Black, was an American
songwriter, best known for co-writing Little Richard
's 1955 hit "Tutti Frutti
".
; some sources incorrectly claim a birth year of 1938 rather than 1928. Her parents were Amos and Orelia C. LaBostrie. She was raised in Mobile, Alabama
, and in 1951 moved to New Orleans, Louisiana
, to seek out her father's Creole
relatives. She started working as a cook and waitress, wrote poems, and began frequenting the jazz
and blues
clubs on Rampart Street
.
In September 1955 — though details of the story vary — she was contacted by record producer Bumps Blackwell of Specialty Records
, who needed someone to rewrite and tone down the lyrics of a ribald song performed by Little Richard. LaBostrie went to Cosimo Matassa
's studio, where Little Richard was recording, and reportedly rewrote the words of the song in 15 minutes. "Tutti Frutti" is regarded as one of the defining songs of rock and roll
, and has been recorded by many later artists. She was credited as co-writer of the song, with Little Richard (Penniman), but later claimed that she had written it in its entirety.
She laughed at little Richard's claim to have written the song by himself, and that he has been cheated out of royalties for years. "Little Richard didn't write none of 'Tutti Frutti'." She was still receiving royalty checks on the average of $5,000 every three to six months from the song in the 80s.
Also in 1955, she contributed another song to Specialty, "Rich Woman
", co-written and performed by McKinley "Li'l" Millet
. Although not successful at the time, it was later recorded by Canned Heat
among others, and most notably by Robert Plant
and Alison Krauss
, whose recording of it won the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
.
She later worked as a songwriter for Joe Ruffino, owner of the local record labels Ric and Ron. She wrote the song "I Won't Cry" in 1958, and persuaded Ruffino to allow her neighbor, Johnny Adams
, to record it. The record, produced by teenager Mac Rebennack (Dr. John), was a local hit and started Adams' successful career. She also wrote Irma Thomas
' first record, "(You Can Have My Husband But Please) Don't Mess With My Man", which reached the national R&B chart in 1960. Her working relationship with Ruffino later deteriorated over royalty
payments. She signed a songwriting contract with Matassa's White Cliffs publishing company, reportedly writing hundreds of songs over the following years, but none had the commercial success of her earlier songs.
and broke her ties with the music business. In the 1980s, she was reported to be living a quiet life, receiving regular royalty payments from the continued popularity of "Tutti Frutti".
Dorothy LaBostrie Black died while visiting friends in Atlanta, Georgia
on 4 November 2007, aged 79. Her death seems to have passed unreported by the media at the time.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songwriter, best known for co-writing Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
's 1955 hit "Tutti Frutti
Tutti Frutti (song)
"Tutti Frutti" is a 1955 song by Little Richard, which became his first hit record. With its opening cry of "A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bop-bop!" and its hard-driving sound and wild lyrics, it became not only a model for many future Little Richard songs, but also one of the...
".
Early life and songwriting career
She was born in Rayland, KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
; some sources incorrectly claim a birth year of 1938 rather than 1928. Her parents were Amos and Orelia C. LaBostrie. She was raised in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, and in 1951 moved to New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, to seek out her father's Creole
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
relatives. She started working as a cook and waitress, wrote poems, and began frequenting the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
clubs on Rampart Street
Rampart Street
Rampart Street is a historic avenue located in New Orleans, Louisiana.The upper end of the street is in the New Orleans Central Business District...
.
In September 1955 — though details of the story vary — she was contacted by record producer Bumps Blackwell of Specialty Records
Specialty Records
Specialty Records was an American record label based in Los Angeles. It was originally launched as Juke Box Records in 1946, but later renamed by its owner Art Rupe when he parted company with a couple of his original partners...
, who needed someone to rewrite and tone down the lyrics of a ribald song performed by Little Richard. LaBostrie went to Cosimo Matassa
Cosimo Matassa
Cosimo Matassa is an Italian-American recording engineer and studio owner responsible for many R&B and early rock and roll recordings....
's studio, where Little Richard was recording, and reportedly rewrote the words of the song in 15 minutes. "Tutti Frutti" is regarded as one of the defining songs of rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
, and has been recorded by many later artists. She was credited as co-writer of the song, with Little Richard (Penniman), but later claimed that she had written it in its entirety.
She laughed at little Richard's claim to have written the song by himself, and that he has been cheated out of royalties for years. "Little Richard didn't write none of 'Tutti Frutti'." She was still receiving royalty checks on the average of $5,000 every three to six months from the song in the 80s.
Also in 1955, she contributed another song to Specialty, "Rich Woman
Rich Woman
Rich Woman is a song written by Dorothy LaBostrie and McKinley Millet and most notably recorded by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss on their 2007 album Raising Sand.It won the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals...
", co-written and performed by McKinley "Li'l" Millet
Li'l Millet
McKinley James Millet was an American rhythm and blues pianist, bass player, singer and songwriter, best known for co-writing and first performing the songs "Rich Woman" and "All Around the World" with his group, Li'l Millet and the Creoles.-Life and career:He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana...
. Although not successful at the time, it was later recorded by Canned Heat
Canned Heat
Canned Heat is a blues-rock/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965. The group has been noted for its own interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest in this type of music and its original artists...
among others, and most notably by Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
and Alison Krauss
Alison Krauss
Alison Maria Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer, songwriter and fiddler. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in...
, whose recording of it won the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop songs on which singers collaborate...
.
She later worked as a songwriter for Joe Ruffino, owner of the local record labels Ric and Ron. She wrote the song "I Won't Cry" in 1958, and persuaded Ruffino to allow her neighbor, Johnny Adams
Johnny Adams
Laten John Adams , known as Johnny Adams, was an American blues, jazz and gospel singer, known as "The Tan Canary" for the multi-octave range of his singing voice, his swooping vocal mannerisms and falsetto...
, to record it. The record, produced by teenager Mac Rebennack (Dr. John), was a local hit and started Adams' successful career. She also wrote Irma Thomas
Irma Thomas
Irma Thomas is an American Grammy Award-winning soul and rhythm and blues singer from New Orleans. She is known as the "Soul Queen of New Orleans"....
' first record, "(You Can Have My Husband But Please) Don't Mess With My Man", which reached the national R&B chart in 1960. Her working relationship with Ruffino later deteriorated over royalty
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
payments. She signed a songwriting contract with Matassa's White Cliffs publishing company, reportedly writing hundreds of songs over the following years, but none had the commercial success of her earlier songs.
Later life and death
At some point she married Clyde Black, and had two daughters. In 1970, after being injured in a road accident, she moved to New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and broke her ties with the music business. In the 1980s, she was reported to be living a quiet life, receiving regular royalty payments from the continued popularity of "Tutti Frutti".
Dorothy LaBostrie Black died while visiting friends in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
on 4 November 2007, aged 79. Her death seems to have passed unreported by the media at the time.
External links
- http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?page=1&blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&fromrow=1&torow=25&affiliation=BMI&cae=16938960&keyID=190742&keyname=LA%20BOSTRIE%20DOROTHY&querytype=WriterID Dorothy LaBostrie songwriting credits at BMIBroadcast Music IncorporatedBroadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
]