Prince La La

Lawrence Nelson (1936 – October 27, 1963), who recorded as Prince La La, was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. After a single R&B hit, "She Put the Hurt on Me", he died of a drugs overdose, aged 27.

Biography He was born in 1936 in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.

Nelson started as a songwriter. Hill proposed that she sing Nelson's song "She Put the Hurt on Me", and played Nelson's vocal demo for her and Battiste to hear. Issued in mid-1962, the record was credited to Prince La La – "La La" being Nelson's nickname – and rose to number 28 on the Billboard R&B chart. It was promoted with images of La La in exotic robes, a style later adopted by fellow New Orleans musician Dr. John.

Nelson followed up with a second single at the tail-end of 1962, the Charley Julien song "Gettin' Married Soon", b/w "Come Back To Me". However, in October 1963 he died at the age of 27 in somewhat mysterious circumstances, most sources stating that it was the result of an accidental overdose of heroin, though there have been intimations of foul play.

Nelson's death was the subject of his friend Oliver Morgan's 1964 song "Who Shot the La La?" A further two Prince La La recordings are extant: "Things Have Changed", and a Jessie Hill song, "Need You".