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Tell it Like It Is Aaron Neville

Ranked #6,164 in Music, #171,101 overall

Aaron Neville is well known as part of the New Orleans sound of the Neville Brothers.

A mountain of a man; quiet and soft spoken, with one of the most unique voices in music today, Aaron Neville sings with a raw and haunting beauty.

Tell It Like It Is - Table of Contents

  1. Aaron Neville
  2. Tell It Like It Is Aaron Neville Video
  3. Tell It Like It Is The Lyrics
  4. Tell it Like It Is - Aaron Neville's Life
  5. Tell It Like It Is the CD 2005
  6. Tracks From Tell It Like It Is
  7. A Battered Angel
  8. Aaron Neville's Awards
  9. To Make Me Who I Am
  10. Nature Boy The Standards CD
  11. Aaron Neville's Voice and Music
  12. Filmography
  13. Cancer and Katrina
  14. The Albums
  15. Aaron Neville Discography
  16. The Ultimate Collection CD
  17. The Tracks From Aaron Neville's Ultimate Collection
  18. The Brothers an Autobiography of the Neville Brothers
  19. The Neville Brothers and Friends CD
  20. News on the Neville Brothers
  21. Links to Aaron Neville Sites
  22. New Blog Posts on Aaron Neville
  23. Stop and Say Hello

Aaron Neville

Aaron Neville The Basics

Birth Date- January 24, 1941
Birth Place - New Orleans, Louisiana
Gender - Male
Religion - Catholic
Race / Ethnicity - Black

Aaron Neville was born to Arthur and Amelia Neville, he is the third born of the four Neville brothers, Art, Charles and Cyril. He also has a sister Athelgra. He grew up on Valance Street in uptown New Orleans before moving to the Calliope housing projects. Aaron's father, Arthur worked in the merchant marine and drove a cab while mother Amelia stayed home and raised the children. He was married to Joell Roux Neville from January 10, 1959 to January 5, 2006 and together they had four children and six grandchildren.

Tell It Like It Is Aaron Neville Video

An Oldie But Goodie by Aaron Neville

His voice is so expressive and haunting. An amazing song , a soul classic that makes you feel all warm inside.
In 1965, New Orleans musicians George Davis and Alvin "Red" Tyler, along with school teacher Warren Parker, started a record company called Parlo. They bought the rights to a song written by Lee Diamond, the former band leader for Little Richard. The song, Tell It Like It Is, took Diamond about 15 minutes to write. Parlo's owners, familiar with Aaron's vocal talent, asked him to record it.
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Tell It Like It Is The Lyrics

Tell It Like It Is

If you want something to play with
Go and find yourself a toy
Baby my time is too expensive
And I'm not a little boy

If you are serious
Don't play with my heart
It makes me furious
But if you want me to love you
Then a baby I will, girl you know that I will

Tell it like it is
Don't be ashamed to let your conscience be your guide
But I know deep down inside me
I believe you love me, forget your foolish pride

Life is too short to have sorrow
You may be here today and gone tomorrow
You might as well get what you want
So go on and live, baby go on and live

Tell it like it is
I'm nothing to play with
Go and find yourself a toy
But I... Tell it like it is
My time is too expensive and I'm not your little boy

Aaron Neville

Tell it Like It Is - Aaron Neville's Life

Aaron Neville The Early Years

Aaron Neville's story is marked by struggle, trouble, drugs, crime and prison time. He battled his demons for years and eventually triumphed over them in his words " by faith, prayer and the help of Saint Jude " ( the catholic patron saint of lost causes).

Growing up in a close knit family in New Orleans, he was surrounded by music. At home he heard gospel music and the music of Nat King Cole, Mahalia Jackson and Sarah Vaughn which was played by his parents. Some of his other early influences were Sam Cooke, Pookie Hudson and " cowboy " yodlers such as Gene Autry and Roy Rogers.

His mother Amelia who was Catholic insisted that the children attend St. Monica's Catholic School. It was there that he became fascinated by the hymn " Ave Maria" which he said would do something to his heart and became a saving grace to him.

Aaron liked to hang out on street corners singing with his friends. Even as a young teenager his voice was remarkable enough that he would sing to gain free entrance to basketball games and movie theaters.

In 1955 a teacher encouraged Aaron to join a local vocal group the " Avalons".
His days of youthful innocence didn't last long, he started hanging out with the wrong crowd and was exposed to a gritty musical world where drug use was all too common. Neville tells of the time he came home with his notorious pirate's cutlass tattooed on his cheek and his father was so furious he tried to scrub it off Aaron with steel wool.

In 1958 Art Neville joined the navy and Aaron took his place as the lead singer for the " Hawkettes ". It was during this time that he met his future wife Joel Roux. As Aaron was falling in love with Joel, drugs and bad influences were pulling him in another direction and he wound up going to jail for car theft. When he got out of jail he married Joel on January 10, 1959. Needless to say her upper middle class family was not pleased; her father was a golf pro and housing administrator and Joel was expected to graduate college, not marry a 17 year old high school drop out and aspiring singer. Joel did enroll at Xavier University but quit after their first child Ivan was born in August of 1959.

Between 1960 and 1961 Aaron recorded more than a dozen songs on the Minit record label. Almost all of these songs were written by Aaron and / or Allen Toussaint. These recordings did establish Neville as a serious vocalist. Although they were popular in New Orleans they had little impact on the national scene.
In the early 60's Aaron moved to Los Angeles to pursue his career. Joel encouraged him and his brother Cyril. By this time he was addicted to heroin and to pay for his habit he turned to more serious crimes, carrying knives and cutting people was not unusual. It was in Los Angeles that he was arrested for breaking into a clothing store. Neville says that this changed his life as he had been praying for an end to his addiction and that he had tried to quit a thousand times.

Tell It Like It Is the CD 2005

Songs from Aaron Neville Early and Middle Career Years

Aaron's vocal styles cover Soul, Funk, Jazz, Blues & Gospel. His early work is some of his most creative. On this CD Aaron slips through the many styles that he has developed over the years to give a complete view of his exceptional vocal skills. On several tracks his unique talent is fully exposed when only guitar, drums and voice are featured. Other tracks blend an orchestra to compliment his rich vocal style, his beautiful renditions of classic songs like 'Feelings' & 'Cry Me A River', balance this CD ( 2 cd set )
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Tracks From Tell It Like It Is

  1. Hercules
  2. Strutting on Sunday
  3. Tell It Like It Is
  4. Make Me Strong
  5. Love Letters
  6. Cry Me a River
  7. TheGreatest Love
  8. Where Is My Baby
  9. Honey
  10. Performance
  11. She's on My Mind
  12. You Can Give
  13. Mojo Hannah
  14. You Don't Love Me
  15. All These Things
  16. Wild Flower
  17. My Greatest Gift
  18. Been So Wrong
  19. Feelings
  20. For the Good Times
  21. One Fine Day
  22. Baby I'm a Want You
  23. Waiting for a Bus
  24. Speak to Me
  25. Nadine

A Battered Angel 

Aaron Neville's Awards

A Lifetime of Achievments

  • 1989 32nd Grammy Awards - Winner
    Pop Vocal Group
  • 1990 33rd Annual Grammy Awards - Winner
    Pop Vocal Group
  • 1991 34th Annual Grammy Awards - Nominee - Pop Male Vocalist
  • 1991 34th Annual Grammy Awards - Nominee
    Best Engineered Album
  • 1992 Rolling Stone Critics' Poll - Winner
    Best Male Singer
  • 1993 Rolling Stone Critics' Poll - Winner
    Best Male Singer
  • 1993 36th Annual Grammy Awards - Nominee
    Pop Male Vocalist
  • 1993 36th Annual Grammy Awards - Nominee
    Best Country & Western Vocal Performance
  • 1994 Academy of Country Music Awards - Nominee
    Vocal Duet of the Year
    "I Fall to Pieces"
    Aaron Neville, Trisha Yearwood
  • 1994 37th Annual Grammy Awards - Winner
    Best Country & Western Vocal Collaboration
    "I Fall to Pieces"
    Aaron Neville, Trisha Yearwood
  • 1998 41st Annual Grammy Awards - Nominee
    Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
    "To Make Me Who I Am"
    Aaron Neville
  • 2000 43rd Annual Grammy Awards - Nominee
    Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album
    Devotion
    Aaron Neville
  • 2001 Big Easy Awards - Winner
    Best Gospel Singer
    Aaron Neville
  • 2003 35th Annual Dove Awards - Nominee
    Traditional Gospel Album of the Year
  • 2003 46th Annual Grammy Awards - Nominee
    Best Engineered Album - Non-Classical
    Nature Boy - The Standards Album
  • 2003 46th Annual Grammy Awards - Nominee
    Best Jazz Vocal Album
    Nature Boy - The Standards Album
  • 2003 46th Annual Grammy Awards - Nominee
    Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album
    Believe
  • 2004 Big Easy Awards - Nominee
    Best Male Artist
  • 2004 Big Easy Awards - Nominee
    Album of the Year

To Make Me Who I Am

Aaron Neville It Took Me Who I Was

Once I was a schemer
But I always was a dreamer
But it took me who I was and where I've been
To make me who I am
Aaron Neville

At home in New Orleans Joel and Aaron's mother Amelia were praying novenas to Saint Jude. As Aaron awaited trial and a possible stiff sentence he returned to New Orleans on bond and joined his mother most days praying also to the patron Saint of hopelessness.

On the day of his sentencing Aaron was assured that a lenient judge would here his case, but it just so happened that he was on vacation and the judge that was on duty was giving out jail time like it was water. Standing in the court room with his St Jude medal Aaron was sentenced to 1 - 14 years suspended and served a year fighting fires at a forestry camp outside of Los Angeles. To this day he still wears a St Jude medal in his ear. During that year at the forestry camp Aaron broke free of his drug addiction and started working out , but his heart ached for his wife and children.

Returning to New Orleans Neville took jobs digging ditches and working on the docks to support his family. eventually he signed with a new and fledgling record label Par-Lo. He recorded Tell It Like It Is written by Lee Diamond. The recording hit the top of the national music charts, unfortunately Par-Lo went bankrupt before Aaron saw much money from the record. Aaron and brother Art toured the country for almost a year on the strength of the hit record. The traveling became another opportunity to abuse drugs and again he became hooked on heroin. Neville would later tell of his many attempts to quit. He would quit cold turkey suffering severe withdrawal alone, sweating and trembling on the back of a Greyhound bus going to the next gig. Unsure of where his career was going and addicted to drugs, Aaron would wander the streets of New Orleans looking for a fix while at the same time repeatedly singing the " Ave Maria" to himself for hep.

In 1968 Aaron recorded songs for Allen Toussaint and Sansu Enterprises. Some feel that Aaron was at his peak during this time, but again the project had little impact on the national record charts and on Neville's finances. Again he found solace with drugs. One day in 1972 he returned home to an empty house, Joel and the children had left him and moved in with her parents who forbade her to see him again.

In 1976 the Neville brothers were getting some recognition as the Wild Tchoupitoulas which would later lead to the formation of the Neville Brothers in 1978. Bette Midler heard them play at a local club and persuaded A&M Records to offer them a contract.
It was at this time that Aaron put to music a poem " Lovely Lady dressed in Blue" that he had learned at St Monica's School as a child , he had an ephiphany and realized the depth of his addiction. Aaron checked himself into rehab and made the decision to cut all ties to the "demon" that had held him hostage for so many years. Neville says that he has never touched a drug since that time. He and Joel would later reconcile.

At the 1984 World's fair singer Linda Ronstadt came to see the Neville Brothers show and was so entranced with Aaron's ethereal sound that she came on stage to sing several duets. They would later record " Don't know Much " which was a hit and won one of Aaron Neville's several Grammy awards.

Since then Aaron Neville has released solo albums, provided backup on many recordings by others, had all of his earlier work rerecorded, has sung the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, performed in front of the Nation's capitol, performed for President Clinton, has had roles in movies and television including his favorite daytime show " All My Children " and has received many awards.
Since Aaron relaunched his solo career in 1991 he has included a spiritual track at the end of all his records.

With his new found success Aaron was able to give Joel everything he always wanted to and he moved his wife and family to a spacious home on a golf course where he dreamed of living for the rest of their lives. That was not to be.

Nature Boy The Standards CD

Another Aaron Neville CD

Nature Boy: The Standards Album

Nature Boy: The Standards Album

Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 05/28/2012)Buy Now
List Price: $18.98

the material is culled from a variety of pop and jazz standards. With a rhythm section consisting of bassist Ron Carter, drummer Grady Tate, and guitarist Anthony Wilson, Neville puts his Crescent City charm on old favorites such as "Danny Boy" with guitarist Ry Cooder; "Since I Fell For You" with his saxophonist brother, Charles Neville; and a silken rendition of "Cry Me a River" with tenor sax titan Michael Brecker. Ms. Ronstadt guest stars on "Blame It on My Youth," with Roy Hargrove providing the creamy Clifford Brown-tones. Even as he sings Gershwin's "Summertime" as a reggae number, Aaron Neville's vivid voice echoes the eternal tones of the late Benny Carter's vibrato-rich alto sax sound. One question: Why wasn't this done before?

Release Date: 08/26/2003

Aaron Neville's Voice and Music

Do You Love Aaron Neville's Voice and Music ?

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Yes, Yes, Yes

Baysbeauty says:

Yes I surely do!

fleur_de_lis_rising says:

This N'Awlins girl LOVES Aaron Neville! I was terribly saddened when he lost the love of his life.

fleur_de_lis_rising says:

This N'Awlins girl LOVES Aaron Neville!

chemrat says:

A wonderful singer! Truly a treasure.

Wilton_Elder says:

Absolutely! Anyone with functioning ears *has* to love Aaron's voice ;-)

Not a Fan

 
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Filmography

Films and TV Specials that Neville has Appeared In

  • Everybody's All-American
    Released: November 04, 1988 (USA)
    Release By: Warner Brothers

    Cast and Crew:
    Jessica Lange
    Dennis Quaid
    Timothy Hutton
    John Goodman
    Ray Baker
  • Saturday Night Live

    This 1989 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Robert Wagner and features musical guests Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville
  • Duets: Rob Wasserman with Aaron Neville and Lou Reed
    This musical compilation features the talents of Lou Reed and Aaron Neville, along with bassist Rob Wasserman. "Stardust," is done by Neville, and Reed solos on "One For My Baby."
  • Tune in Tomorrow
    Released: October 26, 1990
    Cast and Crew:
    Peter Falk
    Keanu Reeves
    Barbara Hershey
    Hope Lange
    Bill McCutcheon
  • Zandalee1991
    Cast and Crew:
    Nicolas Cage
    Judge Reinhold
    Erika Anderson
    Viveca Lindfors
    Joe Pantoliano
  • Posse 1993
    Cast and Crew:

    Mario Van Peebles
    Stephen Baldwin
    Charles Lane
    Tom "Tiny" Lister, Jr.
    Big Daddy Kane
  • F.T.W.
    Cast and Crew:
    Mickey Rourke
    Lori Singer
    Brion James
    Peter Berg
  • Harry Connick, Jr.: The Christmas Special 1994
    Cast and Crew:
    Carol Burnett
    Aaron Neville
    Harry Connick, Jr.
  • Mulholland Falls
    Cast and Crew:
    Nick Nolte
    Melanie Griffith
    Chazz Palminteri
    Michael Madsen
    Chris Penn
  • Goodnight Moon and Other Sleepytime Tales
    Produced By: / HBO 2000
    Cast and Crew:
    Tony Bennett
    Natalie Cole
    Lauryn Hill
    Patti LaBelle
    Aaron Neville
  • T.D. Jakes Presents: Follow the Star 2004
    Cast and Crew:
    Vickie Winans
    Smokie Norful
    Aaron Neville
    Kirk Whalum
    T.D. Jakes

Cancer and Katrina

Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Joell Neville

Aaron Neville was on tour when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, destroying his home, his careers memento's his neighborhood and city. His family was able to save his four Grammy's from the wreckage. Although Aaron participated in dozens of benefits for hurricane Katrina victims he did not return to New Orleans. Aaron has said " I've got a memory and I'll leave it at that. It's a packet of memories. But the New Orleans I know is not there anymore." Joel Neville Aaron's wife, the love of his life was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2004. The doctors gave her three months to live, but she battled the cancer into remission with radiation and chemotherapy. Her health still being an issue they decided New Orleans was no place for her. The family settled in Brentwood Tennessee down the road from Dolly Parton. Throughout this ordeal Aaron and his manager considered when and how Neville might return to New Orleans.
In the end it was Joel who brought him home - to bury her. It was not the homecoming anyone wanted. In the spring of 2006 Joel got sick again, the cancer had spread. Ad the end drew near Aaron kept virgel at Joel's bedside. On January 5, 2006 the Lord came for her. On January 10, their wedding anniversary, Aaron returned to New Orleans for the first time since Katrina, to lay to rest Joel, his wife of 48 years.

When Aaron will return again to New Orleans is uncertain. He says that he anticipates one final trip to New Orleans to be buried with the love of his life.

The Albums

The Album Covers for Aaron Nevilles Discography


Aaron Neville Discography

  1. Aaron Neville: Greatest Hits (1967)
  2. Orchid in the Storm (1985)
  3. My Greatest Gift (1990)
  4. Tell It Like It Is
    Curb Records, 1991
  5. Warm Your Heart
    A&M Records, 1991
  6. Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas (1993)
  7. The Grand Tour
    A&M Records, 1993
  8. The Tattooed Heart
    A&M Records, 1995
  9. Can't Stop My Heart
    A&M Records, 1995
  10. Doing It Their Own Way
    Tell-It, 1996
  11. To Make Me Who I Am
    A&M Records, 1997
  12. The Very Best of Aaron Neville
    Universal/A&M, 2000
  13. Devotion, 2000
  14. Aaron Neville - The Ultimate Collection
    Hipp-O Records, 2001
  15. The Best of Aaron Neville - The Millennium Collection
    A&M Records, 2002
  16. Gospel Roots
    EMI Gospel Records, 2003
  17. Love Songs
    A&M Records, 2003
  18. Believe
    EMI Records, 2003
  19. Nature Boy
    Verve Music Group, 2003
  20. Christmas Prayer
    EMI Gospel, 2005
  21. Bring It On Home - The Soul Classics
    Burgundy Records, 2006
  22. Mojo Soul, 2005

The Ultimate Collection CD

Another Neville Cd and Reviews

Reviews of " The Ultimate Collection ", Aaron Neville Cd
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The Tracks From Aaron Neville's Ultimate Collection

  1. To Make Me Who I Am
  2. Don't Know Much
  3. For Your Precious Love
  4. Everybody Plays the Fool
  5. A Change Is Gonna Come
  6. Arianne
  7. Warm Your Heart
  8. Hercules
  9. Why Worry
  10. Sweet Little Mama
  11. Over You
  12. I'm Waitin' at the Station
  13. Jailhouse
  14. Mojo
  15. Show Me the Way
  16. Ten Commandments of Love
  17. You Never Can Tell
  18. All My Life
  19. Pledging My Love
  20. Tell It Like It Is

The Brothers an Autobiography of the Neville Brothers

by The First Family of New Orleans

The Brothers is a coherent and compelling series of autobiographical narratives, alternating among Art, Charles, Aaron, and Cyril.
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The Neville Brothers and Friends CD

Get This Cd on Amazon

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News on the Neville Brothers

Neville Brothers, Funky Meters and Preservation Hall salute Jazz Fest roots
NEW ORLEANS ? The Neville Brothers carried on the tradition of closing out the big stage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The Funky Meters, regulars at the fest since 1989, were back, too. And festival creator George Wein played with an ...
Neville Brothers rock Jazz Fest with a little help from their friends
By Brendan Twist, The Times-Picayune Some have suggested that the Neville Brothers' New Orleans Jazz Fest sets have lacked luster in recent years. But as the sun set on another edition of the festival on Sunday, the Neville Brothers pulled out all the ...
Jim Six: And the music still goes on
For its 20th anniversary, the Neville Brothers were the headliners. ?It's like a 'Who's Who,'? said Bob of the festival's eclectic lineups. Generally, a Bridgeton Folk Festival crowd was about 1000 strong, although the largest was about 2000.
Neville Brothers, Funky Meters and Preservation Hall salute Jazz Fest roots
NEW ORLEANS - The Neville Brothers carried on the tradition of closing out the big stage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The Funky Meters, regulars at the fest since 1989, were back, too. And festival creator George Wein played with an ...
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Links to Aaron Neville Sites

Aaron Neville Official Website and Myspace

Aaron Neville Official Website
The Official Aaron Neville Website
Aaron Neville on Myspace
MySpace music profile for Aaron Neville with tour dates, songs, videos, pictures, blogs, band information, downloads and more

New Blog Posts on Aaron Neville

Aaron Neville working on doo-wop album with Keith Richards, Don Was
Matthew Hinton/The Times-PicayuneAaron Neville performs with the Neville Brothers on the Acura Stage during the last day of the second week of the New Orleans Jazz Fest on Sunday May 6, 2012. The as-yet-untitled doo-wop album, due this fall, ...
Aaron Neville and Jeremy Davenport keep it light, tight at New Orleans Jazz Fest
Brett Duke/The Times-Picayune Aaron Neville performs at the Gospel Tent at the New Orleans Jazz Fest on Saturday, May 5, 2012. * Obligatory disclosures: It wasn't written as a Katrina (obligatory levees-failure insertion here) book and doesn't ...
Zydeco fun comes to Towne Crier
In 2011, Simien celebrated his 25th consecutive year performing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In 2005 he led HBO producers deep into Creole country to film "The Music In Me: Children's Recitals From Classical To Latin, Jazz To Zydeco," ...
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Stop and Say Hello

  • onlinesales Nov 7, 2010 @ 3:02 pm | delete
    I Love this lens.
  • stargazer00 Sep 17, 2010 @ 3:04 pm | delete
    I love Aaron Neville's music!
  • neville repp Aug 17, 2009 @ 5:19 am | delete
    much love to aaron amazing voice and talents ...
    too read about his past is massive and makes his songs evn more intresting to listen too ...
    every lyric has a meaning ...
    may his music be around us forever and ever ...
    and we live every day as it might be the last ....
  • Carol Jan 29, 2009 @ 5:33 am | delete
    I have loved Aaron forever, always wanting to know more about him. Thanks so much for this "tell it like it is" piece. Great job!!!
  • Carol Jan 29, 2009 @ 5:33 am | delete
    I have loved Aaron forever, always wanting to know more about him. Thanks so much for this "tell it like it is" piece. Great job!!!
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