Northshore Soundtrack

New Orleans and St. Tammany Parish musicians are the playlist for your scenic Causeway Bridge drive.

BY ROBERTA CARROW JACKSON

THE NORTHSHORE IS A GREAT place for fans of live music, with a diverse and vibrant music scene of up-and-coming local acts and established musicians performing at a variety of venues—shady parks, riverside stages, cool nightclubs, cozy coffee shops and street corners during small town block parties. Whether you prefer dancing with the crowds at a festival scene, music that sets the atmosphere while you dine, or a listening room experience in an historic venue, there’s a place for everyone to find their groove.

Artists perform a variety of genres, including rock, country, American roots and of course, jazz and rhythm and blues. St. Tammany Parish is deeply connected to these New Orleans traditions, as many musicians in the area have roots in the city's famous music scene. There is much cross-pollination, as it is common for local musicians to sit in with bands in addition to their own—and it shows. If the Northshore has a sound, it’s bluesy rock with a funky edge and, depending on the artist, a dash of straight-ahead jazz, pop country, indie or soul.

Festivals and outdoor concert series feature high-energy dance bands performing a mix of rock and pop hits while smaller venues spotlight singer-songwriters, nurtured by opportunities to perform at events like the Ozone Songwriter Festival. The Northshore has been home to numerous musicians who gained national recognition for their unique styles and powerful performances, among them ’50s icon Louis Prima and the “Night Tripper” himself, Dr. John.

When coming to St. Tammany Parish via the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, a 24-mile trip that takes about 30 minutes, it’s good to have a soundtrack to accompany your trip across the world’s longest bridge over open water. So, we’ve put together a playlist for your ride. It includes those above, along with a sampling of what you can hear here. Fans of the HBO series Tremé will recognize the soulful crooning of vocalist John Boutté and the unique sound of 4-string banjo virtuoso Don Vappie, recipient of the prestigious Steve Martin Banjo Prize. There’s Cajun fiddler and singer Amanda Shaw, country singer-songwriter Greg Barnhill, hoodoo bluesman Coco Robicheaux and country rockers Cowboy Mouth and Christian Serpas & Ghost Town.

Also, a little lagniappe: pianist Professor Longhair. Though born in Bogalusa, just a few miles north of St. Tammany, his rumba-boogie style helped shape the sound of rhythm and blues across Greater New Orleans since the ’40s, so no Louisiana playlist is complete without “Fess.”

YOUR CAUSEWAY PLAYLIST

“Oh, Marie” - Louis Prima (1956)
“Eh La Bas” - Don Vappie (2019)
“Getaway” - Dr. John (Mac Rebennack) (2012)
“Walking with the Spirit” - Coco Robicheaux (Curtis Arceneaux) (1995)
“Blue Holiday” - Greg Barnhill (2021)
“Louisiana Lowdown” - Cowboy Mouth (1996)
“There She Goes” - Christian Serpas & Ghost Town (2016)
“Holiday” - Amanda Shaw (2018)
“The Eternal Now” - John Boutté (2008)
“Tipitina” - Professor Longhair (Henry Roeland Byrd) (1979)