John "Papa" Gros

New Orleans native John "Papa" Gros (pronounced grow) has spent more than a quarter-century championing the music of the Crescent City. He is a bedrock New Orleans artist, a keyboardist, singer/songwriter who draws on funk, rhythm & blues and Americana songcraft; he also knows his way around the Mardi Gras music repertoire about as well as anyone. With River's on Fire, "Papa" turns over a new leaf with his second solo CD.. It’s a record that mixes the sounds of rock & roll, funk and rootsy Americana into a genre-bending gumbo that carries on the tradition of New Orleans, both honoring its past and helping to shape its future.

River’s on Fire is John’s first release since his former band, Papa Grows Funk, disbanded in 2013. River’s On Fire finds Gros showcasing his talent on the keys while furthering his well-deserved reputation as one of New Orleans' notable songwriters. Each song has its own distinct personality, be it party songs, melancholy numbers, funk-fueled tunes or upbeat rockers, with the influence of Allen Toussaint serving as the common denominator. River’s on Fire is one life-long Big Easy troubadour and composer paying tribute to another.

Throughout his career, John “Papa” Gros has been a bandleader. A sideman. A singer. An instrumentalist. With River’s on Fire, he is a solo artist once again. His role is different, but the goal remains the same: to honor the music he's been living his whole life, and to add his own page to the New Orleans history book.