Papa Mali (aka guitarist Malcolm Welbourne) is a Shreveport, Louisiana, native first exposed to the music and culture of New Orleans on family vacations as a youngster. Settling in the loose, experimental scene of Austin, Papa Mali formed a jazz- and blues-inflected New Orleans-style backing band, the Instagators, featuring singer Bevis Griffin and drummer Barry "Frosty" Smith, before debuting with 2000's Thunder Chicken. Do Your Thing appeared in 2007, followed by Music Is Love in 2015. ~ Charity Stafford