Malcolm John Michael Creaux “Mac” Rebennack, better known by the stage name Dr. John, created a signature blend of blues, pop, jazz, zydeco, boogie woogie and rock and roll. Active as a session musician since the late 1950s, he gained a cult following in the late 1960s following the release of his album Gris-Gris. He performed a wildly theatrical stage show inspired by medicine shows, Mardi Gras costumes and voodoo ceremonies.
Dr. John’s musical legacy includes recording over 20 albums and a top-20 hit with “Right Place Wrong Time”. He’s the winner of six Grammy Awards, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is the recipient of an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Tulane University jokingly referred to by Tulane’s president, Scott Cowen, as “Dr. Dr. John.”
Dr. John’s prescription for risk taking is good medicine for entrepreneurs and reinventors:
“I’ve been thinking a lot lately about taking chances, and how it’s really just about overcoming your fears. Because the truth is, every time you take a big risk in your life, no matter how it ends up, you’re always glad you took it.”
Listen to excerpts from Garrison’s classic interview with Dr. John: