Ned Sublette was born in Lubbock, Texas. He is a composer, record producer, musician, and musicologist. During the 1980s he led the Ned Sublette band, and in 2006, Willie Nelson released Sublette’s song, “Cowboys are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other.” He is the author of two books about New Orleans: The World That Made New Orleans: From Spanish Silver to Congo Square
Q. What music have you listened to today?
A. Well I’m in New Orleans, so I’m listening to funky music.
Q. What is your favorite word?
A. There are so many words, it’s hard to choose a favorite.
Q. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A. A singer.
Q. What is your favorite cocktail?
A. I like beer.
Q. If you could take only one more journey, where would you go?
A. Oyó.
Q. What profession would you like to practice in your next life?
A. I’m trying to figure out what profession I’m going to practice next in this one.
Q. What is your fondest childhood memory?
A. Music, always music.
Q. What is your most prized material possession?
A. My guitar. My 1969 Ramirez.
Q. What promise do you make to yourself that you break the most often?
A. It has to do with the question about my favorite cocktail.
Q. Who is the one person living or dead you would most like to meet for dinner?
A. I never think in terms of one, I think, surely I could meet them all.
To read about Ned Sublette’s keynote speech at Zocalo’s conference on race and immigration, click here.
*Photo by Andy Levin.