29.9548° N, 90.0749° W

NEW ORLEANS

Most Famous People Born in New Orleans, United States

Notable people
1,804
Peak decade
1940s
Median birth year
1943
Most distinctive
Bandleader 45.7×

The birthplace of jazz, and the numbers make it obvious. New Orleans's distinctive professions are bandleaders, rappers, and musicians at concentrations unmatched by any other city in the dataset — the statistical footprint of Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Fats Domino, Louis Prima, and the Marsalis family all growing up within a few streetcar stops of each other, with Lil Wayne and Master P extending the line into hip-hop. Baseball and basketball round out the sporting bench, and Truman Capote, Anne Rice, and Lillian Hellman hold down the literary side.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in New Orleans during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1940s with 198 notable births.

What New Orleans Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Football is New Orleans's biggest profession — 13% of all notables (233).

New Orleans over-indexes on bandleader45.7× the global rate.

New Orleans under-produces painter — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Football233
  2. Music175
  3. Actor133
  4. Politician125
  5. Singer94
  6. Lawyer94
  7. Basket80
  8. Baseball77
  1. Bandleader2345.7×
  2. Rapper2814.2×
  3. Music1756.8×
  4. Baseball773.8×
  5. Basket803.5×
  6. Lawyer943.0×
  7. Singer942.5×
  1. Painter250.5×
  2. Politician1250.6×
  3. Writer400.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of New Orleans's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

175018001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Music
  • Politics & Law
  • Film & TV
  • Writing
  • Art & Design
  • Other
All1,804
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1,804 notable people

0301 BASKET

Randy Livingston

Born 1975

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0302 NOVELIST

Charles Gayarré

1805 - 1895

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0303 SINGER

Bryan Hymel

Born 1979

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0304 SINGER

Al Bernard

1888 - 1949

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0305 RAPPER

Magic (rapper)

1975 - 2013

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0306 BASKET

Robert Pack (basketball)

Born 1969

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0307 POLITICIAN

Joseph R. West

1822 - 1898

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0308 MUSIC

George Brunies

1902 - 1974

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0309 MUSIC

John Stirratt

Born 1967

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0310 MUSIC

Herlin Riley

Born 1957

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0311 COMPOSER

Mia X

Born 1970

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0312 BASKET

Jaren Jackson

Born 1967

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0313 COMPOSER

Louis Varney

1844 - 1908

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0314 SINGER

Norman Treigle

1927 - 1975

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0315 MUSIC

Alphonse Picou

1878 - 1961

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0316 MUSIC

Gudda Gudda

Born 1983

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0317 CLARINET

Irving Fazola

1912 - 1949

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0318 PHYSICIST

Edward Kolb

Born 1951

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0319 PIANIST

Henry Ragas

1891 - 1919

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0320 BASKET

Temeka Johnson

Born 1982

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0321 ACTOR

Larry Shue

1946 - 1985

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0322 ACTOR

Shae Marks

Born 1972

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0323 MUSIC

Lionel Batiste

1931 - 2012

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0324 BASKET

Tweety Carter

Born 1986

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0325 PHYSICIST

James Charles Phillips

Born 1933

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0326 AUTHOR

Raymond Arroyo

Born 1970

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0327 SCREENWRITER

Victor Miller (writer)

Born 1940

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0328 MUSIC

Alvin Batiste

1932 - 2007

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0329 POLITICIAN

Charles Dominique Joseph Bouligny

1773 - 1833

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0330 MUSIC

Alvin Tyler

1925 - 1998

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0331 SINGER

Luke James

Born 1983

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0332 CLARINET

Eddie Miller (jazz saxophonist)

1911 - 1991

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0333 ACTOR

Kim McGuire

1955 - 2016

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0334 ACTOR

Cheryl Holdridge

1944 - 2009

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0335 BASKET

Carldell Johnson

Born 1983

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0336 ACTOR

Maurice Compte

-

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0337 MUSIC

Lee Young

1914 - 2008

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0338 PROFESSOR

Henry Manne

1928 - 2015

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0339 FOOTBALL

Landon Collins

Born 1994

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0340 MUSIC

Ernie K-Doe

1936 - 2001

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0341 BANDLEADER

Sharkey Bonano

1904 - 1972

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0342 PRIEST

Gregory Michael Aymond

Born 1949

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0343 RAPPER

Big Mike (rapper)

Born 1971

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0344 ACTOR

Yvonne Suhor

1965 - 2018

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0345 MATHEMATICIAN

Edward J. McShane

1904 - 1989

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0346 CIVIL RIGHTS

Stormé DeLarverie

1920 - 2014

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0347 POLITICIAN

Benjamin Stark

1820 - 1898

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0348 MUSIC

Marie Bryant

1919 - 1978

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0349 MUSIC

Leroy Jones

Born 1958

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0350 BANJOIST

Nappy Lamare

1907 - 1988

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0351 COMPOSER

Rachel Potter

Born 1984

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0352 MUSIC

Lionel Ferbos

1911 - 2014

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0353 MUSIC

Chris Kenner

1929 - 1976

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0354 MUSIC

Eddie Edwards (musician)

1891 - 1963

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0355 LAWYER

Amy Coney Barrett

Born 1972

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0356 BASKET

Ryan Brooks

Born 1988

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0357 SCREENWRITER

James Duff (writer)

Born 1955

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0358 POLITICIAN

José de Villamil

1789 - 1866

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0359 PROFESSOR

Brander Matthews

1852 - 1929

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0360 MUSIC

Tom Brown (trombonist)

1888 - 1958

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0361 NUN

Henriette DeLille

1813 - 1862

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0362 COMPOSER

Harold Battiste

1931 - 2015

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0363 POLITICIAN

Jean Noel Destréhan

1759 - 1823

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0364 SPRINT

Vernon Norwood

Born 1992

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0365 SONGWRITER

Lil' Fizz

Born 1985

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0366 ACTOR

Kristara Barrington

Born 1965

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0367 MUSIC

Jesse Davis

Born 1965

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0368 FOOTBALL

Deion Jones

Born 1994

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0369 ACTOR

Cameron Dye

Born 1959

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0370 SONGWRITER

Wardell Quezergue

1930 - 2011

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0371 BANDLEADER

Michael White (clarinetist)

Born 1954

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0372 FOOTBALL

Tyson Jackson

Born 1986

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0373 PHOTOGRAPHER

George Dureau

1930 - 2014

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0374 POLITICIAN

John Howard Dalton

Born 1941

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0375 MARTIAL ART

Derrick Lewis (fighter)

Born 1985

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0376 MODEL

Neferteri Shepherd

Born 1980

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0377 SPRINT

Emmett Toppino

1909 - 1971

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0378 FOOTBALL

BenJarvus Green-Ellis

Born 1985

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0379 PAINTER

Ida Kohlmeyer

1912 - 1997

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0380 MUSIC

Noah Howard

1943 - 2010

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0381 BASKET

James Ray (basketball)

Born 1957

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0382 CLARINET

George Baquet

1881 - 1949

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0383 SONGWRITER

Leo Nocentelli

Born 1946

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0384 BASEBALL

Rod Dedeaux

1914 - 2006

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0385 FOOTBALL

Jacoby Jones

Born 1984

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0386 ECONOMIST

Donald J. Boudreaux

Born 1958

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0387 BANDLEADER

Willie Bryant

1908 - 1964

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0388 MUSIC

Benny Powell

1930 - 2010

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0389 BANDLEADER

Kid Thomas Valentine

1896 - 1987

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0390 NOVELIST

Karen Essex

-

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0391 CHEMIST

Ruth R. Benerito

1916 - 2013

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0392 RAPPER

Choppa

Born 1980

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0393 SUPREMACIST

Samuel Bowers

1924 - 2006

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0394 COMPOSER

Moses Hogan

1957 - 2003

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0395 MUSIC

Willie Tee

1944 - 2007

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0396 POLITICIAN

Marc Morial

Born 1958

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0397 MUSIC

Honoré Dutrey

1894 - 1935

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0398 SINGER

John Boutté

Born 1958

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0399 POLITICIAN

Bernard de Marigny

1785 - 1868

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0400 LINGUIST

Joan Bybee

Born 1945

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0401 POLITICIAN

Jacques Dupré

1773 - 1846

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0402 ENGINEER

Harold Rosen (electrical engineer)

1926 - 2017

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0403 CLARINET

Boyd Atkins

1900 - 1965

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0404 BANDLEADER

Paul Mares

1900 - 1949

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0405 ACTOR

Peggy Fears

1903 - 1994

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0406 MUSIC

Charles Neville (musician)

1938 - 2018

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0407 CONDUCTOR

Skip Sempé

Born 1958

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0408 BASKET

Jim King (basketball, born 1943)

Born 1943

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0409 SINGER

Jessie Hill

1932 - 1996

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0410 TRUMPET

Alvin Alcorn

1912 - 2003

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0411 MATHEMATICIAN

Edwin E. Moise

1918 - 1998

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0412 COSTUME DESIGNER

Lucinda Ballard

1906 - 1993

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0413 SPRINT

Audrey Patterson

1926 - 1996

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0414 COMPOSER

Edmond Dédé

1823 - 1901

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0415 PRIVATEER

Renato Beluche

1780 - 1860

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0416 POLITICIAN

Richard Baker (U.S. politician)

Born 1948

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0417 SAXOPHONIST

Pony Poindexter

1926 - 1988

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0418 ATHLETIC

Thomas Hill (athlete)

Born 1949

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0419 DESIGNER

Laura Bennett

Born 1963

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0420 SPORT

Greg Gumbel

Born 1946

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0421 ACTOR

Ronnie Barron

1943 - 1997

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0422 BASKET

Melvin Frazier

Born 1996

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0423 SINGER

Marguerite Piazza

1921 - 2012

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0424 ATHLETIC

Aaron Ernest

Born 1993

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0425 MUSIC

Gregory Slay

1969 - 2010

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0426 SINGER

Tommy Ridgley

1925 - 1999

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0427 POLITICIAN

John Edward Bouligny

1824 - 1864

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0428 WRESTLER

Sonny King (wrestler)

Born 1945

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0429 ACTOR

John St. Polis

1873 - 1946

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0430 GUITAR

Roy Montrell

1928 - 1979

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0431 WRITER

Parker Tyler

1904 - 1974

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0432 MUSIC

Blue Lu Barker

1913 - 1998

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0433 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Doris Zemurray Stone

1909 - 1994

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0434 JUDGE

John Minor Wisdom

1905 - 1999

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0435 ATHLETIC

Chelsea Hayes

Born 1988

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0436 CLARINET

Louis Nelson Delisle

1885 - 1949

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0437 POLITICIAN

Joseph Marshall Walker

1784 - 1856

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0438 WRITER

Albert Delpit

1849 - 1893

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0439 RESTAURATEUR

Leah Chase

1923 - 2019

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0440 BOXER

Ralph Dupas

1935 - 2008

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0441 POLITICIAN

Alcée Louis la Branche

1806 - 1861

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0442 COMPOSER

Emile Christian

1895 - 1973

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0443 BOXER

Edward Flynn (boxer)

1909 - 1982

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0444 WRITER

Sabrina Jeffries

Born 1960

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0445 ACTOR

Lara Grice

Born 1971

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0446 ACTOR

Don Costello

1901 - 1945

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0447 ACTOR

Tom Ligon

Born 1940

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0448 BASKET

Donald Royal

Born 1966

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0449 TRUMPET

Natty Dominique

1896 - 1982

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0450 ACTOR

Sam Theard

1904 - 1982

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0451 RAPPER

Magnolia Shorty

1982 - 2010

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0452 COMPOSER

Charles Lucien Lambert

1828 - 1896

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0453 TRUMPET

Wallace Davenport

1925 - 2004

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0454 MUSIC

Jonathan Moffett

Born 1954

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0455 FOOTBALL

Michael Mauti

Born 1990

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0456 BASKET

Dwayne Mitchell

Born 1982

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0457 RAPPER

Turk (rapper)

Born 1981

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0458 BANDLEADER

Marlon Jordan

Born 1970

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0459 PAINTER

George Fort Gibbs

1870 - 1942

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0460 BASKET

Aaron James (basketball)

Born 1952

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0461 ACTOR

E. H. Sothern

1859 - 1933

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0462 BASKET

Roneeka Hodges

Born 1982

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0463 MUSIC

Kenny Gradney

-

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0464 BASEBALL

Mel Parnell

1922 - 2012

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0465 HELLENIST

Stanley Lombardo

Born 1943

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0466 ECONOMIST

Michael C. Burda

Born 1959

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0467 FOOTBALL

Trai Turner

Born 1993

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0468 SINGER

Barbara George

1942 - 2006

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0469 COMPOSER

Chris Tilton

Born 1979

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0470 SINGER

Luther Kent

Born 1948

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0471 BOXER

Regis Prograis

Born 1989

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0472 FOOTBALL

D. J. Fluker

Born 1991

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0473 NOVELIST

Rosel George Brown

1926 - 1967

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0474 BASKET

Morlon Wiley

Born 1966

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0475 MUSIC

Clint Houston

1946 - 2000

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0476 MUSIC

Victor Goines

Born 1961

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0477 FILM

Elmo Veron

1903 - 1990

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0478 MUSIC

Santo Pecora

1902 - 1984

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0479 BASEBALL

Ryan Adams (baseball)

Born 1987

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0480 MODEL

China Lee

Born 1942

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0481 SINGER

Karen Mason

-

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0482 ATHLETIC

Pamela Jiles (athlete)

Born 1955

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0483 DIPLOMAT

William Walton Butterworth

1903 - 1975

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0484 SINGER

Frankie Lee Sims

1917 - 1970

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0485 MUSIC

Steve Brown (bass player)

1890 - 1965

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0486 BANDLEADER

Fats Pichon

1906 - 1967

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0487 BASKET

Tony Zeno

Born 1957

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0488 LAWYER

William Henry Hunt (judge)

1857 - 1949

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0489 JUDGE

Hardy Cross Dillard

1902 - 1982

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0490 MUSIC

Sullivan Fortner

Born 1986

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0491 MUSIC

Walter Payton (musician)

1942 - 2010

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0492 SOCIOLOGIST

Lee Robins

1922 - 2009

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0493 FOOTBALL

Jerrel Wilson

1941 - 2005

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0494 BANJOIST

Bud Scott

1890 - 1949

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0495 SINGER

Baby Boy da Prince

Born 1986

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0496 KILLER

Delphine LaLaurie

1780 - 1842

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0497 PLAYER

Brandon Adams (poker player)

Born 1978

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0498 CLARINET

Tony Parenti

1900 - 1972

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0499 SAXOPHONIST

Herbert Hardesty

1925 - 2016

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0500 ACTOR

Gunner de Medici

Born 1980

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0501 BANDLEADER

Don Albert

1908 - 1980

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0502 BASKET

Harold Keeling

Born 1963

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0503 SINGER

Biff Rose

Born 1937

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0504 POLITICIAN

F. Edward Hébert

1901 - 1979

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0505 POLITICIAN

Duncan F. Kenner

1813 - 1887

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0506 BASKET

Eldridge Recasner

Born 1967

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0507 FOOTBALL

Michael Pittman

Born 1975

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0508 BASKET

Theresa Plaisance

Born 1992

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0509 BOXER

Andy Bowen

1867 - 1894

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0510 MILITAR

James Lawton Collins

1882 - 1963

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0511 MATHEMATICIAN

Peter Duren

Born 1935

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0512 MUSIC

Alcide Pavageau

1888 - 1969

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0513 PROFESSOR

Robert C. Clark

Born 1944

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0514 FOOTBALL

Marquise Hill

1982 - 2007

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0515 MUSIC

Kirk Joseph

Born 1961

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0516 COLUMNIST

Betty DeGeneres

Born 1930

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0517 ACTOR

Brittany CoxXx

1978 - 2016

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0518 BASKET

Janell Burse

Born 1979

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0519 PRIEST

John Favalora

Born 1935

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0520 BANDLEADER

Armand J. Piron

1888 - 1943

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0521 ACTOR

Gary Anthony Sturgis

Born 1966

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0522 BASKET

Joe Troy Smith

Born 1977

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0523 ACTOR

Michael Arata

Born 1966

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0524 POLITICIAN

Jean Clamageran

1827 - 1903

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0525 HISTORIAN

Henry Vignaud

1830 - 1922

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0526 ACTOR

Rebecca McFarland

Born 1966

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0527 TRADER

Jean-Pierre Chouteau

1758 - 1849

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0528 FOOTBALL

Quintin Mikell

Born 1980

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0529 PHYSICIAN

Stanhope Bayne-Jones

1888 - 1970

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0530 POLITICIAN

Caesar Antoine

1836 - 1921

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0531 POLITICIAN

Richard Alvin Tonry

1935 - 2012

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0532 ACTOR

Frank Darien

1876 - 1955

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0533 SINGER

Edna Hicks

1895 - 1925

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0534 DESIGNER

Bob Cato

1923 - 1999

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0535 BASKET

Bruce Seals

Born 1953

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0536 BASEBALL

Thomas Diamond

Born 1983

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0537 OFFICER

William D. Porter

1808 - 1864

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0538 MUSIC

Lillian Boutté

Born 1949

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0539 ACTOR

L. Rogers Lytton

1867 - 1924

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0540 BASKET

Julian Sensley

Born 1982

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0541 ACTOR

Lance E. Nichols

Born 1955

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0542 MUSIC

George Williams (musician)

1917 - 1988

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0543 MUSIC

Kid Rena

1898 - 1949

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0544 JAZZ

Bob French (jazz musician)

1938 - 2012

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0545 BASEBALL

Andy Cannizaro

Born 1978

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0546 MUSIC

Steve Masakowski

Born 1954

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0547 WRITER

Hamilton Basso

1904 - 1964

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0548 MUSIC

Lucien Barbarin

1956 - 2020

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0549 COMPOSER

Edward Boatner

1898 - 1981

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0550 MUSIC

Sam Clayton

-

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0551 BASKET

Mitchell Robinson

Born 1998

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0552 FOOTBALL

Cortez Hankton

Born 1981

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0553 BASKET

Anthony Miles (basketball)

Born 1989

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0554 PAINTER

Julien Hudson

1811 - 1844

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0555 DIPLOMAT

George H. Proffit

1807 - 1847

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0556 MUSIC

Lee Collins (musician)

1901 - 1960

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0557 BASKET

Stanley Brundy

Born 1967

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0558 REPUBLICAN

Oscar Dunn

1820 - 1871

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0559 BANJOIST

Lawrence Marrero

1900 - 1959

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0560 PHILOSOPHER

Gary Smith (philosopher)

Born 1954

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0561 FOOTBALL

Cyril Richardson

Born 1990

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0562 SINGER

Marva Wright

1948 - 2010

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0563 BUSINESS

Charles Moorman

Born 1953

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0564 VOCALIST

George Huff (singer)

Born 1980

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0565 WRITER

Sovereign Syre

Born 1986

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0566 POET

Rodolphe Desdunes

1849 - 1928

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0567 MUSIC

Germaine Bazzle

Born 1932

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0568 FOOTBALL

Quinn Johnson

Born 1986

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0569 PAINTER

Carrie Ann Baade

Born 1974

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0570 MUSIC

Percy Humphrey

1905 - 1995

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0571 MUSIC

Chink Martin

1889 - 1981

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0572 PAINTER

Walter Inglis Anderson

1903 - 1965

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0573 SINGER

Paul Sanchez

-

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0574 MUSIC

Tuts Washington

1907 - 1984

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0575 MUSIC

Connie Jones

1934 - 2019

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0576 HISTORIAN

Michael L. Kurtz

Born 1941

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0577 FOOTBALL

Robert Kelley (American football)

Born 1992

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0578 BASKET

Brandon Brown (basketball)

Born 1985

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0579 POLITICIAN

Ernest L. Jahncke

1877 - 1960

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0580 PAINTER

Archibald Motley

1891 - 1981

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0581 PRIEST

René Henry Gracida

Born 1923

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0582 FOOTBALL

Lance Dunbar

Born 1990

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0583 BUSINESS

Samuel Israel III

Born 1959

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0584 PRODUCER

Stephanie Allain

Born 1959

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0585 LAWYER

George Eustis Jr.

1828 - 1872

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0586 BANDLEADER

Frank Froeba

1907 - 1981

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0587 MUSIC

Ransom Knowling

1912 - 1967

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0588 PAINTER

Alphonse Maureau

1840 - 1880

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0589 FOOTBALL

Isiah Robertson

1949 - 2018

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0590 FOOTBALL

Richie Petitbon

Born 1938

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0591 MUSIC

Cie Frazier

1904 - 1985

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0592 BASEBALL

Chad Jones (American football)

Born 1988

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0593 FOOTBALL

Lorenzo Doss

Born 1994

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0594 ASTRONOMER

William Lewis Elkin

1855 - 1933

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0595 ACTOR

Cora Urquhart Brown-Potter

1857 - 1936

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0596 HISTORIAN

Tad Jones

1952 - 2007

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0597 BANDLEADER

Manuel Perez (musician)

1871 - 1946

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0598 MUSIC

Louis Nelson

1902 - 1990

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0599 WRITER

Adrien Rouquette

1813 - 1887

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0600 MUSIC

Raymond Burke (clarinetist)

1904 - 1986

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