I used to get the biggest kick out of seeing Pete Fountain’s Rolls-Royce around town when he and his wife, Beverly, had their home in Cedar Point. You might see him in Eckerd, looking for razor blades, or pull up next to him at a red light.
If ever there was an approachable celebrity, it was Pete. Always smiling and nodding like he knew everybody he saw. Everybody sure knew him, even without the Rolls.
I had the good fortune to interview Pete for a Coast Magazine profile years ago. We met one afternoon at his club in the New Orleans Hilton and spent a couple of hours talking about his long career, his family and Biloxi roots.
For days after our meeting, he’d call with more names of Biloxi relatives to include in the profile. He didn’t want to leave any Mississippi Fountains slighted.
We talked again for stories about his Casino Magic gig and his hot dog restaurant, Peter’s Weiners, just one of the short-lived business ventures he would good-naturedly recount.
The tapes and transcripts from our conversations are long gone but through the wonder of Google, the Casino Magic story is online.
This morning I’m remembering some of Pete’s stories that didn’t get into print, like how he enjoyed sipping his favorite beverage while riding his lawnmower.
Everybody knew and liked Pete, even if you never met him, and we’ll all miss him.
I was lucky enough to get to know Pete during his years at the Hilton. Whenever we had clients visiting New Orleans, those we were wooing to bring their conventions to the city, they always wanted to end the night at Pete’s club. He wooed them right along with us, with a rendition of one of his favorites, and weave in the client’s name – they loved it. And, yes, he had his favorite Pouilly Fuisse on hand – always.
He will be missed.
I have a Pete story…of the Rolls parked in the lot at the curb store that once stood on the northwest corner of the Second Street/U.S. 90 intersection in the Bay. Engine running. Beverly in the car. Pete in the curb store buying Nutty Buddys for the ride back to NOLA. And always with that fishing hat on his head. He was a lovely man.