Irma Thomas & Dwayne Dopsie Join The Rolling Stones At Highly Anticipated Jazz Fest Set

In 2019, The Rolling Stones were forced to cancel an appearance at New Orleans Jazz Fest while frontman Mick Jagger underwent heart surgery. Yesterday, the legendary rockers finally performed their long-awaited and much-anticipated headlining Jazz Fest set, dazzling the audience with the help of renowned NOLA musicians Irma Thomas and Dwayne Dopsie.

The Rolling Stones’ connection to Thomas — the Soul Queen of New Orleans — dates back to 1964. That year Thomas released a recording of the song “Time Is On My Side.” Months later, The Stones released their version of the song and it became the British rockers’ first Top 10 hit in the United States.

“In 1964, which is a very long time ago, we heard this great song on the radio by this amazing singer,” Jagger told the Jazz Fest crowd. “And we recorded and it became our first hit in America. The lady that did the song first, she’s the Soul Queen Of New Orleans! I’d like to bring her out on stage now to sing the song with us.”

The 83-year-old Thomas then joined the 80-year-old Jagger onstage for the special duet. Thursday’s Jazz Fest performance of “Time Is On My Side” with Thomas was the first time The Stones played the song since 1998. Watch audience-captured footage of the landmark collaboration:

Prior to Thomas’ appearance, accordion player Dwayne Dopsie, who is the son of late New Orleans zydeco singer and accordion player Rockin’ Dopsie, sat in with The Rolling Stones. Dopsie, who Jagger called “one of the greatest zydeco stars we’ve got in this area” added a zydeco flavor to The Stones’ classic “Let It Bleed.”

See that collaborative performance here:

The Rolling Stones are touring in support of their new album, Hackney Diamonds, and Thursday’s Jazz Fest set saw the tour debut of the record’s “Whole Wide World.” The Stones filled the rest of their Jazz Fest setlist with classics, concluding the 18-song performance with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”

“So happy we finally got to play for you NOLA Jazz Fest!,” Jagger wrote after the Jazz Fest set. “Special thanks to Dwayne Dopsie and Queen of New Orleans, Irma Thomas for joining us on stage!”