Individually and collectively, the Neville Brothers held an important place in the annals of New Orleans musical history. Since his first hit in 1966, Aaron Neville had a successful solo career, while brother Art was a founding member of what is essentially the Crescent City's house band, the Meters. The four brothers, also including Charles and Cyril, came together as a group in 1976 and offered a smooth mix of R&B, jazz, blues, and soul that could come only from New Orleans. The brothers continued to perform well into the 2000s, and were instrumental in the various projects to preserve New Orleans's cultural heritage in the wake of 2005's Hurricane Katrina.