Sad news from Offbeat Magazine of New Orleans:

Bobby Charles Passed Away
14 January 2010
by Alex Rawls
offbeat.com

Songwriter Bobby Charles passed away this morning; the cause has yet
to be determined. The writer of "Walking to New Orleans" and "See You
Later Alligator" had struggled with ill-health for years, including
back problems and a bout with cancer that was in remission. Those
problems led him to miss a scheduled appearance at the Ponderosa Stomp
in 2004 and Jazz Fest in 2007. Evidently he fell recently and was
bedridden as a result. It was after that fall that he died.

Charles had completed work on a new album, which is due out next
month.

More when we know more.

For more on Charles, here's Geoffrey Himes' guide to Charles' writing,
an interview Alex Rawls did with him in 2007, and a feature he wrote
for Blurt after the release of 2008's Homemade Songs.

http://www.offbeat.com/2010/01/14/bobby-charles-passed-away/