This is fresh air. I'm Tanya Mosley. And if you're ever in the French quarter in New Orleans, chances are you've spotted my guest today, clarinetist and vocalist Doreen Ketchins. For over 30 years, she's performed on the corner of Royal in St. Peter Street, four days a week, sometimes 12 hours a day, with her band, Doreen's Jazz New Orleans. Now with the same, Doreen Ketchins goes

Austin

Doreen Ketchins has many nicknames

Lady Louie, Queen Clarinette, and Miss Satchmo

nods to her passionate performances

of Dixieland and traditional jazz, and for our ability

to hit and hold high notes for long periods of time like the great trumpeteer Louis Armstrong.

Ketchins has performed for four U.S. presidents, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Ronald

Reagan, and Jimmy Carter. And initially, she played classical clarinet

before her late husband, Lawrence Ketchens, introduced her to jazz while the two were students

at Loyola University. Lawrence was an accomplished musician in his own right, too. As part of Doreen's

band, he played the tuba, valve trombone, drums, and piano,

becoming a major attraction for his ability to play the sousaphone and drums at the same time.

A few years ago, Ketchens fulfilled her dream of performing at the Kennedy Center.

She's also played with orchestras around the world. Doreen Ketchins,

welcome to fresh air. Thanks for having me. I want to offer my sincerence condolences on the loss

of your husband, Lawrence, who just died this past January. And I had the pleasure of going down the rabbit hole of watching your performances,

and aside from being utterly captivated, I was also just taken by what felt like magic watching the two of you performing together.

Are you still performing?

Yep. I mean, I don't want to get haunted for the rest of my life, you know.

And that's what he'd do.

You still always tell me, you know, you've got to play no matter what.

...