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Malcolm John Rebennack (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019), better known by his stage name Dr. John, was an American singer and songwriter. His music combined blues, pop, jazz, boogie-woogie and rock and roll.

Active as a session musician from the late 1950s until his death, he gained a following in the late 1960s after the release of his album Gris-Gris and his appearance at the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music. He performed a lively, theatrical stage show inspired by medicine shows, Mardi Gras costumes and voodoo ceremonies. Rebennack recorded more than 20 albums and in 1973 produced a top-10 hit, "Right Place, Wrong Time".

The winner of six Grammy Awards, Rebennack was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by singer John Legend in March 2011. In May 2013, Rebennack received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Tulane University.

Filmography

• The Last Waltz (1978) ... Himself (performs Such A Night)
• Blues Brothers 2000 (1998) ... Himself
• Top Chef (2013) ... Himself, Guest Judge
• HBO Series “Treme” - as himself
• Touched by an Angel Template:Fact

Discography

As leader

• Gris-Gris (1968) (Atco 33-234 (monaural)/SD 33-234 (stereo))
• Babylon (1969) (Atco, SD 33-270)
• Remedies (1970) (Atco, SD 33-316)
• The Sun, Moon & Herbs (1971) (Atco, SD 33-362)
• Dr. John's Gumbo (1972) Atco, SD 7006)
• In the Right Place (1973) (Atco, SD 7018)
• Desitively Bonnaroo (1974) (Atco, SD 7043)
• Cut Me While I'm Hot: The Sixties Sessions (1975) (DJM, 2019) [session work compilation]
• City Lights (1979) (Horizon/A&M, SP-732)
• Tango Palace (1979) (Horizon/A&M, SP-740)
• Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack, Vol. 1 (1981) (Clean Cuts, 705; CD: 720)
• Loser For You Baby [AKA Love Potion] (1982) (Accord, 7118)
• The Brightest Smile In Town (Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack, Vol. 2) (1983) (Clean Cuts, 707; CD: 722)
• In a Sentimental Mood (1989) (Warner Bros., 25889)
• ZuZu Man (1989) (Trip Records, TLP-9518) [studio outtakes compilation]
• Goin' Back to New Orleans (1992) (Warner Bros., 26940)
• Mos' Scocious: The Dr. John Anthology (1993) (Rhino, 71450) 2-CD set
• Television (1994) (GRP/MCA, 4024)
• Afterglow (1995) (Blue Thumb/GRP/MCA, 7000)
• Anutha Zone (1998) (Virgin/EMI, 46218)
• Duke Elegant (2000) (Blue Note/Parlophone/EMI, 23220) [a tribute to Duke Ellington]
• Creole Moon (2001) (Blue Note/Parlophone/EMI, 34591)
• N'Awlinz: Dis Dat or d'Udda (2004) (Blue Note/Parlophone/EMI, 78602)
• Sippiana Hericane (2005) (Blue Note/Parlophone/EMI, 45687)
• Mercernary (2006) (Blue Note/Parlophone/EMI, 54541) [a tribute to Johnny Mercer]
• City That Care Forgot (2008) (429/Savoy, 17703)
• Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas - Music From The Motion Picture (2009) (429/Savoy, 17748)
• Tribal (2010) (429/Savoy, 17803)
• Locked Down (2012) (Nonesuch/WEA, 530395)
• Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch (2014) (Concord/UMe, 35187)

With Bluesiana Triangle

• Bluesiana Triangle, with Art Blakey and David Newman (Windham Hill, 1990)
• Bluesiana II, with David Newman and Ray Anderson (Windham Hill, 1991)

Live albums

• Hollywood Be Thy Name (1975) (United Artists, UA-LA552G)
• Such a Night! Live in London (1984) (Spindrift, SPIN 107)
• On a Mardi Gras Day (1990) (Great Southern, GS-11024) – with Chris Barber
• Trippin' Live (1997) (Wind-Up/Surefire, 13047)
• All By Hisself: Live at The Lonestar (2003) (Skinji Brim/Hyena, 9317) [recorded December 22–23, 1986]
• The Musical Mojo of Dr. John: Celebrating Mac and His Music (2016) (Concord/UMe, 00216 [UPC: 888072009820]) 2 CD [recorded May 3, 2014]

Other contributions

• Living the Blues, Canned Heat (Liberty, 1968)
• Future Blues, Canned Heat (Liberty, 1970)
• Exile on Main St., Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones Records, 1972)
• The Weapon, David Newman (Atlantic, 1973)
• Triumvirate, with Mike Bloomfield and John Hammond, Jr. (Columbia, 1973)
• Levon Helm and The RCO All-Stars, Levon Helm (ABC, 1977)
• Playin' Up a Storm, The Gregg Allman Band (Capricorn, 1977) - piano and clavinet, songwriting credits on "Let This Be a Lesson to Ya'".
• A Period of Transition, Van Morrison (Warner Bros., 1977)
• Inphasion, Papa John Creach (DJM, 1978) - piano and organ on "All the World Loves a Winner" and "Southern Strut".
• Casey's Shadow - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Columbia, 1978) - performing "Jolie Blonde" and "Coon-Ass Song".
• In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record (various artists) (Warner Bros., 1980) - duet with Libby Titus on "The Sailor and the Mermaid".
• In Harmony 2 (various artists) (Columbia, 1981) - performing "Splish Splash".
• Twilight Time, Bennie Wallace (Blue Note, 1985) - piano and organ; also features Stevie Ray Vaughan as a guest on guitar.
• Christmas Island, Leon Redbone (Rounder, 1987) - duet with Redbone on "Frosty the Snowman".
• Accidentally on Purpose, Gillan & Glover (Virgin, 1988) - piano on "Can't Believe You Wanna Leave".
• 20, Harry Connick Jr. (Columbia, 1988) - organ and duet with Connick on "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans".
• Night Beat, Hank Crawford (Milestone, 1989)
• Groove Master, Hank Crawford (Milestone, 1990)
• Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band, Ringo Starr (EMI, 1990; CD: Rykodisc RCD-10190)
• Indian Blues, Donald Harrison (Candid, 1991)
• New Orleans Gumbo, Donald Harrison (Candid, 1991 [rel. 2013])
• Trash Talk, Take it Back Foundation (Atlantic, 1992)
• Boogie to Heaven, Gayle Wynters (VWC Records, 1995) - featuring Dr. John and Roger Kellaway
• Perfect Day (BBC corporate film and charity release, 1997) - featuring amongst others, Dr. John (performing Lou Reed's "Perfect Day").
• Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, Spiritualized (Dedicated Records, 1997) - piano and vocal on "Cop Shoot Cop".
• Blues Brothers 2000 - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Uptown/Universal, 1998) - performing "Season of the Witch" with the Blues Brothers Band.
• The Skiffle Sessions – Live in Belfast 1998, Van Morrison/Lonnie Donegan/Chris Barber (Point Blank/Virgin/EMI, 2000). Dr. John was playing Belfast the same night, and after his own concert had finished, turned up to play on the last few tracks.
• The Max Weinberg 7 (Hip-O, 2000) - piano and vocal on "Catch 'Em in the Act".
• My Kind of Christmas, Christina Aguilera (RCA, 2000) - duet with Aguilera on "Merry Christmas, Baby".
• Dot Com Blues, Jimmy Smith (Blue Thumb/Verve, 2001) - piano and vocal on "Only in It for the Money", piano on "I Just Wanna Make Love to You".
• Jools Holland's Big Band Rhythm & Blues, Jools Holland (Rhino, 2002) - performing "The Hand That Changed Its Mind".
• Sousafunk Ave., Kirk Joseph's Backyard Groove (Audible Vision, 2005) - vocal on "I Can't Get Started".
• Our New Orleans 2005 (various artists) (Nonesuch/WEA, 2005) - performing "World I Never Made".
• The Disney Standards, Steve Tyrell (Disney/Hollywood, 2006) - duet with Tyrell on "You've Got a Friend in Me".
• The New Orleans Social Club: Sing Me Back Home (various artists) (Burgundy/Sony BMG/Honey Darling Records, 2006) - performing "Walking to New Orleans".
• Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (various artists) (Vanguard, 2007) 2-CD set - performing "Don't Leave Me This Way".
• One Kind Favor, B.B. King (Geffen, 2008) - on piano.
• Let Them Talk, Hugh Laurie (Warner Bros., 2011) - duet with Laurie on "After You've Gone".
• Use Me, David Bromberg (Appleseed, 2011)
• Low Country Blues, Gregg Allman (Rounder, 2011)
• Renaissance, Marcus Miller (Concord/UMe, 2012) - vocal on "Tightrope".
• The Rough Guide to Voodoo (various artists) (World Music Network, 2013)
• Son of Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys (ANTI-/Epitaph, 2013) - performing "In Lure of the Tropics".
• Cracking The Code, Stephen Dale Petit (333 Records, 2013) - piano and organ on "Get You Off" and "Hubert's Blues".
• Decisions, Bobby Rush with Blinddog Smokin' (Silver Talon, 2014) - duet with Rush on "Another Murder in New Orleans".

In popular culture

• Dr. John sings Iko Iko and "Such a Night" in the Second City Television SCTV "Polynesian Town" featuring John Candy and Catherine O'Hara
• Dr. John was featured in the third episode of the HBO series Treme, as well as three episodes of the second season and the final episode of the fourth season, playing himself in all of them.
• Dr. John was the inspiration for Jim Henson's Muppet character, Dr. Teeth.Template:Fact
• Dr. John sings "Huggy Can't Go Back" in the TV series, 'Starsky & Hutch'.
• Dr. John appeared as himself in the SCTV skit "Polynesiantown", opposite John Candy and Joe Flaherty, also performing "Such a Night" as the musical guest.
• Dr. John is mentioned in the 2003 musical comedy film The Fighting Temptations by the character Darrin Hill (played by Cuba Gooding, Jr.) who has multiple false identities and one of them is a doctor. Having lied about being a music producer, he claims that he's not an actual doctor but it's his stage name, similar to Dr. John and the rapper Dr. Dre
• Dr. John is also referenced in Reunion's 1974 pop song Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me).
• Dr. John was featured in the sixth episode of the 2014 mini-series Sonic Highways.
• "Right Place Wrong Time" was featured in the opening credits of the 2005 movie Sahara.
• Dr. John appears as himself in the 1st episode of the second season of NCIS: New Orleans, "Sic Semper Tyrannis", playing "Right Place, Wrong Time".
• Dr. John performs "The Bare Necessities" in the credits of The Jungle Book.
• An homage to Dr. John appeared in the December 2017 British comic strip Bad Machinery, when three of the girls use voodoo to raise the spirit of a musician who died under mysterious circumstances so as to bring his murderer to justice.
• Dr. John's unexpected performance on 20 June 1986 in Blairgowrie, Scotland is the subject of Michael Marra's song "Mac Rebennack's Visit to Blairgowrie" on his 2007 EP, Quintet. Upon being told of the song, Dr. John wrote Marra a cheque for "love and life."
• Dr. John's "Walk on Guilded Splinters" was featured in American Gods, Season 2 Episode 5 "Ways of the Dead" on Starz in 2019.

Recognition

Grammy Awards

• 1989 Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo Or Group - "Makin' Whoopee"
• 1992 Best Traditional Blues Album - Goin' Back To New Orleans
• 1996 Best Rock Instrumental Performance - "SRV Shuffle"
• 2000 Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals - "Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't (My Baby)"
• 2008 Best Contemporary Blues Album - City That Care Forgot
• 2013 Best Blues Album - Locked Down

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

• 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee