Isidore "Tuts" Washington
Isidore "Tuts" Washington (January 24, 1907 – August 5, 1984) was an American blues pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. He taught himself to play the piano at age 10 and studied with the New Orleans jazz pianist Joseph Louis "Red" Cayou. In the 1920s and 1930s, he was a leading player for dance bands and Dixieland bands in New Orleans. His style blended elements of ragtime, jazz, blues, and boogie-woogie. After World War II, Washington joined Smiley Lewis in a trio with drummer Herman Seals. They released several popular songs for Imperial, including "Tee-Nah-Nah", "The Bells Are Ringing", and "Dirty People". Washington moved to St. Louis to play with Tab Smith. He returned to New Orleans in the 1960s, performing in restaurants in the French Quarter, in clubs such as Tipitina's and at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. For years he had a regular engagement playing piano at a bar in the Pontchartrain Hotel. He avoided recording for most of his career, but he released the solo piano album New Orleans Piano Professor for Rounder in 1983. A live recording by Washington, Live at Tipitina's '78, was released by Night Train International Records in 1998. Washington is featured, along with Professor Longhair and Allen Toussaint, in the 1982 documentary film, Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together. Washington died on August 5, 1984, after having a heart attack while performing at the World's Fair in New Orleans. |
Birth and Death Data: Born (New Orleans (largest city of the state of Louisiana, United States)), Died August 5, 1984 (New Orleans (largest city of the state of Louisiana, United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1951 - 1957
Roles Represented in DAHR: piano
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial | IM-274 | 10-in. | April, 1951 | Bee's boogie | Smiley Lewis | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Imperial | IM-276 | 10-in. | April, 1951 | My baby was right | Smiley Lewis | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Imperial | IM-659 | 10-in. | 12/31/1953 | Joe the grinder | The Hawks | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Imperial | IM-660 | 10-in. | December, 1953 | It ain't that way | The Hawks | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Imperial | IM-661 | 10-in. | December, 1953 | Candy girl | The Hawks | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Imperial | IM-662 | 10-in. | December, 1953 | I-yi | The Hawks | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Imperial | IM-707 | 10-in. | 4/13/1954 | Good news | The Hawks | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Imperial | IM-708 | 10-in. | 4/13/1954 | She's all right | The Hawks | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Imperial | IM-730 | 10-in. | 6/14/1954 | Give it up | The Hawks | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Imperial | IM-731 | 10-in. | 6/14/1954 | Nobody but you | The Hawks | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Imperial | IM-732 | 10-in. | 6/14/1954 | All women are the same | The Hawks | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Imperial | IM-733 | 10-in. | 6/14/1954 | That's what you are | The Hawks | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Imperial | IM-1347 | 10-in. | 5/20/1957 | Go on fool | Dave Bartholomew Orchestra ; Smiley Lewis | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Imperial | IM-1349 | 10-in. | 5/20/1957 | Goin' to jump and shout | Smiley Lewis | instrumentalist, piano |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Washington, Isidore "Tuts"," accessed January 4, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/400636.
Washington, Isidore "Tuts". (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 4, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/400636.
"Washington, Isidore "Tuts"." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 4 January 2026.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Washington, Isidore - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83185452
Wikidata: Tuts Washington - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q304946
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/3855114
MusicBrainz: Tuts Washington - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/418ec1d1-250a-4424-a401-010b58545ccb
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/118748 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/118748
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