A leader of the Mardi Gras Indian tribe the Wild Magnolias for more than 45 years, Theodore Emile "Bo" Dollis has taken the music and traditions of New Orleans from community gatherings to festivals and concert halls in cities all over the world including New York City, London, Nice, and Berlin.
Widely believed to have started in the late 1800s as a way of honoring Native-American traditions, Mardi Gras Indian tribes are made up of neighborhood groups. Each year, the participants create handmade elaborate, vibrant costumes with intricate beadwork that take up to a year to create. (N.E.A.) Iconic. File under: New Orleans Institutions.
In the music library: A Celebration Of New Orleans Music To Benefit MusiCares Hurricane Relief 2005: Meet De Boys On De Battlefront (with The Wild Magnolias)
Christmas Gumbo: Shakana Santa Shake It (with The Wild Magnolias and Bonerama)
City Of Dreams: Street Beat: Shoo-Fly (with Monk Boudreux and ReBirth Brass Band); Golden Crown (with The Wild Magnolias)
City Of Dreams: Funky New Orleans: Keeper Of The Crown (with Willie Tee and Dr John)
Links: AllMusic National Endowment for the Arts
Bo Dollis, longtime Big Chief of the Wild Magnolias Mardi Gras Indians, has died
Bo Dollis, Big Chief Of The Wild Magnolias, Dies At 71