John Boutté

John Boutté (born November 3, 1958) is an American jazz singer based in New Orleans, Louisiana, who has been active since the mid-1990s. He is known for a diverse music style that goes beyond jazz to R&B, gospel, Latin, and blues. He is the younger brother of the jazz and gospel singer Lillian Boutté, and a relative of cartoonist George Herriman.

Life and career Boutté was born into a 7th Ward Creole-Catholic family in New Orleans. Exposed to the local culture such as Mardi Gras parades and jazz funerals since childhood, Boutté also grew up listening to R&B music of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and the like. He played trumpet and cornet in marching bands in his junior high and high school days. During this time, he also formed an a cappella group and sang on the streets.

Boutté studied business at Xavier University of Louisiana where he was in ROTC. After he graduated, he was commissioned in the U.S. Army where he served for the next four years. When he returned, he started to work for a credit union instead of entering into the music industry. In 1996, he released his debut album titled Through the Eyes of a Child.

He was the featured guest vocalist on Cuban group Cubanismo!'s Mardi Gras Mambo, recorded in New Orleans. 2002 Best Male Vocalist 2010: Galactic / YA-KA-MAY 2016: John was the charity singer in the movie When the Bough Breaks 2017: Todd Rundgren / Beginning(Of the End) / (Cleopatra Records)