Born in New Orleans on December 5, 1925, Alvin "Red" Tyler began playing saxophone when in the Navy, and by 1950 had joined Dave Bartholomew’s R&B band. He also played jazz in club jam sessions. He made his recording debut on Fats Domino’s “The Fat Man” and went on to play on sessions for Little Richard, Lloyd Price, Aaron Neville, Lee Dorsey, Dr. John, and numerous other rhythm and blues artists.  From the mid-1960s he worked as a liquor salesman. He also began leading his own jazz band in clubs and hotel residencies in New Orleans. While the baritone saxophone had been his primary instrument during his years as a studio musician, his jazz playing gradually came to rely much more on tenor saxophone. In the mid-1980s he recorded two jazz albums, Graciously and Heritage, with vocals by Johnny Adams and Germaine Bazzle, for Rounder Records.  Tyler died on April 3, 1998 at age 72 in New Orleans.

Events on the days leading up to the concert are also of note.  These were the days when TV sets were used to play VHS tapes and Atari games but on December 1, MTV (Music Television --  described by a spokesperson for Warner Satellite Entertainment Company "as a blend of FM radio and good old television" providing "music video records") first came into the homes of 66,000 Jefferson Parish subscribers of Cox Cable. Mick Jagger said "I'm Just Waiting for a Friend", which was included in the New Orleans concert, was the first Rolling Stones single to be packaged as a video for the then emerging MTV channel.

On Thursday, the 3rd of December, Atlantic Records and promoter Bill Graham reserved the RiverboatPresident for an $85,000 private party which was attended by some 500 people.  Graham dressed as the boat captain.  Jerry Hall played roulette. Young men and women sashayed by dressed in ante-bellum dresses and Confederate army uniforms.  Keith Richards hobbled around with a cane. Mardi Gras Indians danced. Hairdresser King Sanchez wore long red underwear unbuttoned to the waist, leg warmers, and a scarf.  Paul Prudhomme provided red beans and rice, gumbo, Cajun popcorn (fired crawfish) crawfish pie, hush puppies, fried catfish, blackened redfish salad, crabmeat tortillas, pralines, and pies.  Deacon John, Dr. John, "Frogman" Henry, Oliver "La La" Morgan,  the Neville Brothers with Steven Still on guitar, the Meters, "Tuts" Washington, Earl King, and the Original 6th Ward Dirty Dozen Band performed.  Guests got on the boat around 7;00 and didn't get back to the dock until 2 a.m.

Security for Saturday's concert was unprecidented compared with any previous event held at the Dome.  The concert promotors paid extra for what they deemed and exceltionally large force which had been in the planning stages for six months.  Four to five-hundred people were enlisted, including two special NOPD details, 100 stadium security officials, and 200 marines and foot-ball players known as the "t-shirt security". Days before the concert people attempted to camp out but were chased by security from stadium property.