The Wild Tchoupitoulas were formed in the early 1970s by Big Chief George Landry, known as Chief Jolly, an uncle of the famous Neville family. The tribe took its name from Tchoupitoulas Street in Uptown New Orleans.

In 1976 the Wild Tchoupitoulas released a legendary self-titled album backed by the Neville Brothers and the Meters. Songs like “Brother John” and “Meet de Boys on the Battlefront” captured the spirit of the Indians and helped launch the Neville Brothers as a group.

That record remains one of the most important recordings in New Orleans music history, and it introduced the world to the deep bond between Mardi Gras Indian culture and the city’s funk and R&B traditions.