Billy Iuso is an unapologetic rock n’roll troubadour; this dude is the real thing, bad to the bone. The guitarist/songwriter has logged time in a variety of bands, and informed the culture of several regional scenes for over 25 years. A longtime veteran of the Wetlands community of NYC in the 90s, as well as a part of burgeoning areas like Providence, RI and Athens, GA, Iuso has gigged with luminaries and led his own bands, toured in the van and been the tour manager too.  

A connection with Funky Meters twenty-five years ago put him into the orbit of George Porter Jr., who Iuso calls his Godfather, and a very dear friend and collaborator. A few years later, Iuso put down roots in NOLA and hasn’t left. Happily married to lovely wife Tara, and raising their children in the city limits, Iuso has become an institution unto himself. Leading Billy Iuso’s Restless Natives for nearly a decade now, stints in Porter’s band, as well as Anders Osborne; Iuso keeps good company. Case in point: Billy pals around with Chris “Shaggy” Davis, the NOLA Crawfish King himself. 

NOLA’s Crawfish King Is Cooking Up A Whole New Festival

B. Getz sat down for a few minutes with Billy Iuso in anticipation of Shaggy’s NOLA Crawfish Festival coming up during the days between Jazz Fest with Iuso, Porter, Osborne, Jon Cleary, Ivan Neville, John “Papa” Gros, Honey Island Swamp Band, and tons of other local favorites.

L4LM: How did you start Billy Iuso’s Restless Natives? 

Billy Iuso: I was watching cats play from the side of the stage, as a tour manager or whatever, and I would be thinking “Man, I’d like to play too…” and my relationships too, all of sudden I was known as a tour manager, instead of a guitar player, so I was like “Man, I did not come to New Orleans to do *that*”, so I got back into it and put together my own band. It was like starting over, so this time, I put my name on it, so I never had to deal with that again, so I never had to recreate myself, no matter what I was doing. 

“Restless Natives” was going to be a Brides of Jesus album title way back when, I always liked it, it seemed fitting for New Orleans, because everybody seems just a little restless here. The band really took on steam after Katrina, I started the band in 2002, but by 05-06, we really started rolling after the storm. We have a good time, and still are!

L4LM: What else does Billy Iuso have going on? 

BI: Right now, I am actually getting back to doing a lot of Natives, and I also have an acoustic trio, with piano and a drummer. That situation came together through economics, as well as me looking for a way to really play my songs in a softer environment. With my last album and moving forward, I’ve really changed my style and focus back toward songwriting again. 

But I am always a part of different things, when I’m called I love to just get together and play with people. Obviously, I’ll always play with George. I’m playing with him at the Crawfish Fest, and I do a lot of Grateful Dead stuff, because I always have and I’m kind of known for that. I’m doing a Gravity Dead gig with the guys in Gravity A. at Tips tonight!

L4LM: What’s your connection to the legendary Chris “Shaggy” Davis, the man behind the NOLA Crawfish Festival?

BI: Ahh yes! I’ve known Shaggy for a quite a long time, we have been real good friends. We both were pretty hard partiers at one point, that was just kind of how our relationship was.  And we have both kind of cleaned up our acts a bit over the last few years. He always throws a birthday party every year, and I always play for him on that. Then he started doing these crawfish parties, like over Jazz Fest or whatever, and I have always been a part of that scene ever since. This year he just decided to really blow it up! He partnered up with your boys at Live for Live Music, and it’s quite an event!  

I’ve been booked for this event for months now, now that it’s coming right up. Shaggy and I discussed it over dinner at my house, he told me he wanted me to be a big part of this, and I’m like “I’m Down!” I already know what to expect, we’ve been doing these for a long time. We already know its going to be a great New Orleans party! 

It’s at the NOLA Brewery, which is a cool venue, a cool bunch of people who started the company years back, one of if not the first of its kind in New Orleans. As a matter of fact, I’m friends with one of the owners, he had me play at his wedding. It’s going to be a great scene, the family vibe… you know because you’ve been coming here for years, that  we have a tight knit scene down here.  We all kind of compete, but we all root for each other too. So the NOLA Crawfish fest will have that type of good vibe. There will be a lot of sit-ins, I’m sure,  and lots of crawfish, my man, the best in town! By far. I’m actually a little disappointed that Shaggy didn’t give me a sample yet. I really am. I know he’s busy this time of year, and he knows I’m going make up for it that Tuesday and Wednesday though! 

L4LM: Where can fans find you at Jazz Fest?

BI: This year I’m doing a whole lot with my own band. The 23rd at 30/90 on Frenchman, I’m doing the crawfish fest, on Tuesday with my band and then again on Wednesday when I’ll join George, Dave Malone, Terrence Higgins for something very New Orleans, yea man!  Thursday second weekend I’ve got a double, with Stu Allen from San Francisco, and Tony Hall, doing some San Francisco meets New Orleans -type covers and styles, and original stuff too. Late night that same Thursday. the Restless Natives will be doing a show, both gigs are at Cafe Istanbul.  Gonna do something at the Indian stage one of the days at the Jazz Fest. I think it will be with 101 Runners, I’m pretty sure. I used to be a part of that band. But it’s music man, gotta keep changin! 
 
I’m not killing myself this year, but I WILL have some fun.
 
L4LM: Thanks Billy! See you in just a few days! 

BI: Yea, you right!

Tickets to the inaugural NOLA Crawfish Festival are available here.