Biography
Born in 1936 as Lawrence Nelson, the figure known as Prince La La stood out as a cult icon of New Orleans R&B. Hailing from the Crescent City's Ninth Ward, he shared a family tie with guitarist Walter "Papoose" Nelson, whose distinctive style anchored the tight session unit assembled by producer Dave Bartholomew. Lawrence first worked as a songwriter until producer Harold Battiste, preparing to cut the track "She Put the Hurt on Me" with singer Barbara George, heard the raw demo vocal and abruptly assigned the performance to its author instead. Released in mid-1962 under the Prince La La name, the song marked the debut single on Battiste's A.F.O. imprint. Promotional images from the label showed Lawrence in an eccentric yet regal outfit blending African motifs with Mardi Gras flair; that striking presence left a strong impression on the rising New Orleans musician Mac Rebennack, who adapted elements of the look when shaping his "Dr. John, the Night Tripper" character. By the close of the year a follow-up single, "Gettin' Married Soon," appeared, yet Lawrence died in 1963 from a drug overdose at age 27. His childhood friend Oliver Morgan later released the tribute recording "Who Shot the La La?"