Highly recommend his autobiography, it's a rollicking story.

And this is a great article on his early years: (link...)

Sad to hear about Mac. He was truly one of a kind, a treasure of American music.

I feel so lucky to have seen him many, many times over the years - at the Civic Coliseum as the Night Tripper opening for who knows who when I was still in high school, one unforgettable New Year's Eve sharing the bill with Allen Toussaint at the old Top of the Gate in NYC, up through that epic late night Bonnaroo show with the Meters, when they covered the album that gave the festival its name, "Destitively Bonnaroo."

My ultimate Dr. John experience may have been his solo show at ella Gurus, in November 1989. As I recall, he was quite jet-lagged having flown straight from Tokyo where he had been on tour with RIngo Starr's All Starr Band. My wife kept him well fueled with coffee as he kept telling us story after story in the dressing room before, during and after his two sets. And what sets they were...the first was at least 90 minutes, then after a break, he came back and played for an increasingly transcendent 2 hours or more. The place was packed and the energy was electrifying...and at one particular moment when you think that life and music will never be better than this, embedded in my brain as clearly as if it had just been last night, Mac rolls back on the piano bench, looking out with a huge grin at everyone, singing, "Such A Night!" Was it ever. He was a beautiful spirit. May he rest in peace.

How come my dog don't bark when you come around?

(link...)

RIP