The Postal Service will release its latest Black Heritage stamp, honoring musician Allen Toussaint, on Thursday, Jan. 30.
The 48th honoree in the series, Toussaint (1938-2015) was a virtuoso pianist, singer, songwriter, composer, arranger and producer. He helped shape the unique sound of New Orleans music and played a pivotal role in sharing it with a global audience.
Toussaint collaborated with a diverse range of artists and produced countless hits in a career that spanned nearly six decades. His songs — including “Fortune Teller,” “All These Things” and “Southern Nights” — have become timeless classics, covered by numerous artists and featured in films and television shows.
The stamp features a photograph of Toussaint at the piano, dressed in black, with a black background set off by purplish lighting and his name in red lettering at the lower edge.
Ethel Kessler, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using a 2007 photograph by Bill Tompkins.
The Allen Toussaint Forever stamp will be available in panes of 20 at Post Offices and usps.com.
