Ten years after his death, the U.S. Postal Service is putting a well-deserved focus on New Orleans music legend Allen Toussaint by honoring him with a postage stamp in its 2025 Black Heritage series.
Designed by USPS art director Edith Kessler, the stamp is derived from a portrait of Toussaint taken in 2007 by photographer Bill Tompkins.
An influential musician, songwriter and record producer, Toussaint created volumes of music and left his mark on the industry by representing the distinctive New Orleans style of rhythm and blues.
New Orleans music great Dr. John’s 1973 hit track, “Right Place, Wrong Time,” and “Lady Marmalade,” a 1974 hit by funk rock group LaBelle were among Toussaint’s most popular music productions.
“Responsible for scores of hits across multiple genres,” Toussaint was touted as “one of popular music’s great backroom figures,” according to Richard Williams’ 2015 Toussaint obituary in The Guardian.
In addition to performing, writing songs and producing music, Toussaint was also a studio owner and a talent scout.
Toussaint wrote and produced singer Ernie K-Doe’s No. 1 hit “Mother-in-Law” in 1961. Toussaint also played the memorable piano solo on the popular song. Also in 1961, he co-wrote Chris Kenner’s catchy No. 2 Billboard song, “I Like It Like That.”
He penned, arranged and produced Lee Dorsey’s 1966 international hit track “Working in the Coal Mine,” which rose to top 10 positions on music charts in the U.S. and the U.K. In 1970, Toussaint teamed up with Dorsey again, writing and producing the singer’s track “Yes We Can Can.” Famously covered by the Pointer Sisters in 1973, “Yes We Can Can” was the Grammy Award-winning group’s first hit single.
President Barack Obama awarded Toussaint a 2012 National Medal of Arts in a White House ceremony for his music achievements.
For more on the Toussaint stamp, visit bit.ly/USPSBlackHeritageStamp2025.