He Was A Mess - Everette Maddox

Everette Hawthorne Maddox (1944 - 1989) was a poet, author of The Everette Maddox Song Book, Bar Scotch, and American Waste, barfly, and teacher in New Orleans in the 1970s and 1980s. Besides gaining acclaim for his own work, he started the Maple Leaf Reading Series, currently the oldest continuous poetry reading in the South. Maddox was a friend and mentor to many poets, artists, and writers including Rodney Jones, Julie Kane, Ralph Adamo, Nancy Harris, producer Fred Kasten, and Maple Leaf bar owner Hank Staples. Everette was a poet of the streets as well as the academy.
Although his fame is only slowly increasing, his influence is wide through his teaching and organizing the Maple Leaf Poetry Reading Series in New Orleans.

[@kristofer603]

Met Everette in 1986 at The Maple Leaf…Hadn’t a clue who He was…Spent many days and nights sittin’ with just Him and occasionally a curious stranger…Ramon Morales introduced me to Everette.Everette was Nice and appeared to enjoy having me to talk to as I listened.We spoke of books and Music.We drank Beer n Vodka. He was Always Easy going.He gave me a book of his poetry ones afternoon,Bar Scotch.

[@dmonzappa]

I loved him. So many great times and conversations. I remember watching him read at Gallier Hall, the living spirit seeker of the soul of art doomed to this life that has lost its reverence for it. Thank you so much for keeping his voice alive. I cherish this.

[@lesterarbusto3535]

Rette had a key to my place and used to come over and use my typewriter. I came home one day and found dozens of drafts of the same poem scattered around, all apparently perfect; you had to look very closely to see any difference at all between them. He later told me sheepishly "Sorry. I'm a stickler for clean copy." Rette, what can I say? You might not mind that "barfly," but I'll never forgive them for it. - Sal

[@johndorsey6183]

So glad you posted this, listened to it countless times on the Radio Free Amsterdam site, but seems to be gone now, Everette and Ted Berrigan are my two favorite American poets.

[@duncansmith1967]

mine too maddox was unique and suffered for it. I understand that he died in hospital in part because they cut him off from alcohol, a misstep however well intentioned for a life long alcoholic. He is missed

[@nicschuck4711]

So great. Thanks