{{Short description|American blues and jazz singer (1953–2020)}} [[Image:LarsBigAl16Dec05Cropped.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Big Al Carson (right), with pianist Lars Edegran (left)]] '''Alton''' "'''Big Al'''" '''Carson''' (October 2, 1953 – April 26, 2020) was an American blues and jazz singer from New Orleans. He performed with his band, the Blues Masters, in New Orleans, and with other bands.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Swenson |first1=John |title=Fest Focus: Big Al Carson |url=http://www.offbeat.com/articles/fest-focus-big-al-carson/ |website=OffBeat Magazine |access-date=12 February 2019 |date=1 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Spera |first1=Keith |title=Big Al Carson takes a break from Bourbon Street to celebrate new CD |url=https://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2010/08/big_al_carson_takes_a_break_fr.html |access-date=12 February 2019 |work=NOLA.com |date=20 August 2010}}</ref>
thumb|Carson on sousaphone with Dr. Michael White's Liberty Jazz Band, 1990|left
In addition to singing, he played tuba (or more specifically Sousaphone), including with such New Orleans brass bands as the Eagle Brass Band,<ref>[https://jazzology.com/item_detail.php?id=BCD-170 The Last of the Line - The Eagle Brass Band], Jazzology.com</ref> the Spirit of New Orleans Brass Band <ref>[https://jazzology.com/item_detail.php?id=BCD-247 The Spirit Of New Orleans Brass Band], Jazzology.com</ref> and the Young Tuxedo Brass Band.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/music-and-freedom-on-the-streets-of-kyiv | title=Music and Freedom on the Streets of Kyiv, 1990 |website=Folklife.si.edu}}</ref> Carson performed and recorded with multiple jazz and brass bands in New Orleans, including under the leadership of Doc Paulin,<ref>[https://jazz.tulane.edu/sites/default/files/jazz/docs/jazz_archivist/Jazz_Archivist_vol23_2010.pdf “Dr. Michael White: The Doc Paulin Years” by Michael G. White], Jazz.tulane.edu</ref> Lars Edegran,<ref>[https://www.nola.com/music/2010/12/a_creole_christmas_at_pres_hal.html Preservation Hall's St. Peter Street All-stars, led by guitarist, pianist and banjoist Lars Edegran] Nola.com</ref><ref>[https://jazzology.com/item_detail.php?id=BCD-471 Lars Edegran New Orleans Jazz], Jazzology.com</ref><ref>[https://jazzology.com/item_detail.php?id=BCD-425 CRESCENT CITY CHRISTMAS: LARS EDEGRAN & HIS SANTA CLAUS REVELERS], Jazzology.com</ref> and Dr. Michael White.
In 1994, he traveled to Europe on a New Orleans music tour, where he performed for the Dutch royal family. The tour included Aaron Neville and Ernie K-Doe.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bluesartstudio.at/NeueSeiten/AL%20CARSON.html |title=Big Al Carson |website=Bluesartstudio.at |date=1953-10-02 |access-date=2016-08-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219193416/http://www.bluesartstudio.at/NeueSeiten/AL%20CARSON.html |archive-date=2015-12-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
He died on April 26, 2020, at the age of 66 after a heart attack.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/music/article_90a15e0e-8810-11ea-bc88-8fcc67eabd6b.html |title="Big Al" Carson, New Orleans bluesman and Bourbon Street singer, dies at 66 | Music |website=Nola.com |date= 26 April 2020|access-date=2020-04-27}}</ref> {{-}} ==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20041210153456/http://bigalcarson.com/ Official website at Internet Archive] * {{Discogs artist|Big Al Carson}}
{{Commons category|Big Al Carson}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Carson, Big Al}} Category:1953 births Category:2020 deaths Category:20th-century African-American male singers Category:20th-century American male singers Category:20th-century American singers Category:American blues singers Category:Singers from Louisiana Category:American jazz singers Category:Musicians from New Orleans