NEW ORLEANS — In the New Orleans area, you can often find a brassy, funky, trombone fronted sound that Mark Mullins and his band, Bonerama, have been bringing to the area and all across the country for 21 years.
“We were in Harry Connick Jr.’s band for about 16 years,” Mullins said. "I think from the first moment we felt like we had something special because it was a different sound."
Now their newly released, 7th album features a special guest. It’s someone who first joined them at Jazz Fest at 13 years old, Mark’s now 18-year-old son Michael.
“After that, I swear every night someone would come up to me in Chicago, Milwaukee, in St. Louis, 'we saw your son at Jazz Fest' and I'm like wow this is something else," Mark Mullins said.
It was much earlier though that Mark recognized his son was born with the same raw talent.
"From the very first piano lesson there was something about the attack that he had on the piano and I was like ‘oh no he's got that touch,’" Mark Mullins said.
Michael has played with Bonerama at Jazz Fest ever since. As a trombone player, pianist, guitarist, and singer, he now plays with his dad's band every chance he gets.
“I get the comment every night I have a show, ‘you look exactly like your dad, you should exactly like your dad,’" Michael Mullins said. “I’m like ‘no I don’t sound like my dad, I wish I sounded like my dad.”
Recently, Mark invited his son on tour.
"Why don't you come out play some trombone sing with the band?” he asked him.
“I had to call the school principal. Principal over at Lakeshore was super cool about it."
Michael is graduating from Lakeshore High School in Mandeville and NOCCA this month. His plans for after high school probably shouldn't come as a surprise.
“Pursuing music after high school, keep the band going,” Michael said. “Keep touring with these guys."
He started his own band in 8th grade and the Mandeville based band ‘Next Gen V’ is releasing its first EP this summer.
“There’s no experience like first of all playing with someone you love and lookup to, but there’s also no experience like playing with one of the heart and soul bands of New Orleans all the time at 18, it’s a feeling like no other," Michael said.
Michael Mullins at 18 years old, is already living his dream to touch people through his talent.
"It’s inspiring, you know its humbling and its inspiring and he's just getting started," Mark said.
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WWL-TV reporter Erika Ferrando can be reached at eferrando@wwltv.com; Follow her on Twitter at @erikaferrandotv