Doc Paulin

b. Ernest Paulin, 22 June 1907, New Roads, Louisiana, USA, d. 20 November 2007, Marrero, Louisiana, USA. Born into a French-speaking Creole family, Paulin’s father was an accordionist. Raised in Wallace by his grandparents, he heard music from early childhood and was encouraged by an uncle, trombonist Edgar Peters, to play trumpet from the age of seven. Following the death of his grandparents, Paulin relocated to New Orleans in 1928. He was soon active playing trumpet at funeral parades. He formed his own brass band, which aligned with a tradition as a marching band for funerals and other functions organized by churches and social clubs. He was so successful at this that he would occasionally form a second band to cover same-day bookings. Apart from a brief spell in New York in the 30s, Paulin continued to lead his band in New Orleans through seven decades. Although he did not marry until he had entered his forties, Paulin and his wife, Betty, had 13 children, several of whom became musicians and played in his band. His 10 sons included Philip (trumpet), Scott (trombone), Dwayne (trombone/sousaphone), Rickey (clarinet), Roderick (tenor saxophone), and Aaron (drums). Among other musicians who played for him over the years were clarinettist Dr. Michael White and trumpeter Gregg Stafford. Aside from his own band, Paulin also played with Emile Barnes, with whom he recorded in 1960, released on CD in 2002 as Jane’s Alley Six & Doc Paulin’s Band on American Music Records. In 1996, he recorded with six of his sons who maintain their father’s example with the Paulin Brothers Band. Paulin can be seen briefly on film in Always For Pleasure (1978). Paulin’s final public appearance was at the age of 97 at the 2004 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.