Tuts Washington

{{Short description|American musician (1907–1984)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Tuts Washington

|image =Tuts_cropped.jpg

| background = solo_singer

| birth_name = Isidore Washington

| birth_date = {{birth date|1907|1|24}}

| birth_place = New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1984|8|5|1907|1|24}}

| death_place = New Orleans

| genre = Blues, jazz, boogie-woogie

| occupation = Musician

| instrument = Piano

| years_active = 1920s–1984

| label = Imperial, Rounder, Night Train International Records, 504 Records

| associated_acts = Smiley Lewis, Tab Smith

}}

Isidore "Tuts" Washington (January 24, 1907 – August 5, 1984){{cite web |last=Ankeny |first=Jason |title=Tuts Washington |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tuts-washington-mn0000205837/biography |website=AllMusic|access-date=September 12, 2018}}{{cite book |editor-last=du Noyer |editor-first=Paul |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music |date=August 22, 2003 |publisher=Flame Tree |isbn=978-1904041702 |page=[https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000unse_j5o2/page/181 181] |url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000unse_j5o2/page/181 }} was an American blues pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Blues|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1995|edition=Second|isbn=0-85112-673-1|pages=367–9}}

He taught himself to play the piano at age 10 and studied with the New Orleans jazz pianist Joseph Louis "Red" Cayou.{{cite web |url=http://www.thebluestrail.com/artists/mus_iw.htm |title=Isidore Tuts Washington |website=Thebluestrail.com |access-date=November 19, 2011}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-tipitinas-78-mw0000258994/releases|title=Live at Tipitina's '78 - Tuts Washington |access-date=March 12, 2021|website=AllMusic}}

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.