New Orleans R&B legend Allen Toussaint died on Monday at 77 years old, according to Consequence of Sound.

The musician suffered from a fatal heart attack after performing a concert in Madrid, Spain.

The Gert Town native taught himself piano and released his first record in 1958. In 1960, Toussaint became a producer, arranger, and songwriter for Minit Records, helping to form tracks like “Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette)” and what later became known as “Pain in my Heart.”

Toussaint later gained experience through working with The Meters and Lee Dorsey on classic releases like “Working in a Coalmine,” which was later covered by Devo. Much of Toussaint’s work was later covered by famous artists like The Doors and Bo Diddley.

Toussaint also had his own studio, Sea-Saint Studios.

After Hurricane Katrina, Toussaint took to NYC to frequently perform at Joe’s Pub on Lafayette St. He also released a collaborative album with Elvis Costello, The River in Reverse, in 2006.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, with the citation reading:

[His legacy] was in not allowing [New Orleans] old-school R&B traditions to die out, but by keeping pace with developments in the rapidly evolving worlds of soul and funk. In addition, he brought the New Orleans sound to the national stage, and it remains a vital and ongoing part of our musical heritage to this day.