mamaroux
08-10-2008, 10:34 PM
With both the U.S. presidential election and the third anniversary of the Hurricane Katrina disaster looming, a bunch of musicians have banded together in an attempt to ensure that the interests of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast at large don't go unheard by the next administration, be it Barack Obama's or John McCain's.
R.E.M., Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, My Morning Jacket, Pearl Jam, Galactic, the Coup's Boots Riley, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Buckwheat Zydeco, Jackson Browne, the Neville Brothers, Indigo Girls, OK Go, 311, and Howlin' Wolf associate Hubert Sumlin are among over 90 acts and music industry folks who have signed a letter calling upon Obama and McCain to attend a September 18 presidential forum in NOLA and each "share [their] vision for leading the Gulf Coast's recovery."
As the letter puts it, "We are asking that the future President of the United States direct the resources and attention necessary to restore coastal Louisiana and secure the future of Louisiana's communities."
Much of the danger posed to those communities stems from the loss of vital wetlands. "Due to the nation's need for energy and dependable shipping lanes," the letter reads, "we are losing a football field's worth of wetlands every 45 minutes to erosion. This unrivaled land-loss threatens the nation's fishing, our energy, our ports, and most importantly, leaves New Orleans increasingly vulnerable to storms such as Katrina."
The forum is being sponsored by Google, YouTube, and several New Orleans universities, while the letter to Obama and McCain was spearheaded by the Gulf Restoration Network and Big Easy blues musician Tab Benoit's Voice of the Wetlands organization. Check out that letter in .PDF format here, and consult this factsheet and the links above for more info on what's happening and how you can help.
here's the whole letter, the fact sheet link is below:
The Honorable John McCain
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Barack Obama
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
To the Presidential Candidates:
Since the 1800’s, New Orleans has been a birthplace for culture and talent unique
from the rest of the world. The immeasurable impact that New Orleans and
Louisiana music has had on the people of our nation over the years is just one of the
elements which makes the city and region such a treasured part of the United States.
Despite the invaluable contributions New Orleans has made to the music and
culture of the nation, the city continues to struggle to recover.
In the almost three years since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent
failure of the federal levee system ravaged New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, new
efforts have been initiated to help restore the health of the Gulf of Mexico and
protect coastal Louisiana from future devastation. To succeed, these efforts will
require years of work and continued federal leadership. We are asking that the
future President of the United States direct the resources and attention necessary to
restore coastal Louisiana and secure the future of Louisiana’s communities.
In order for New Orleans and the region to be assured a sustainable recovery it is
imperative that steps are taken to restore Louisiana’s coastal wetlands. Due to the
nation’s need for energy and dependable shipping lanes, we are losing a football
field’s worth of wetlands every 45 minutes to erosion. This unrivaled land_loss
threatens the nation’s fishing, our energy, our ports, and most importantly, leaves
New Orleans increasingly vulnerable to storms such as Katrina.
Thankfully, solutions exist to utilize the land_building power of the Mississippi River
to stem the tide and rebuild our critical coastal lines of defense. Through stronger,
better levees and wide_scale coastal restoration, our communities can be protected.
Google/YouTube and New Orleans universities are sponsoring a Presidential forum
on September 18th which would be the ideal place to spotlight this devastating yet
largely unacknowledged crisis. We write to ask you to commit to attend and share
your vision for leading the Gulf Coast’s recovery.
The health of the Gulf of Mexico and the surrounding states are vital to our nation’s
energy, economy, and culture. Unfortunately, the future of the Gulf Coast will be in
jeopardy until serious action has been taken to secure healthy water and wetlands.
The time to act is now. We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
311
Theresa Andersson
Marcia Ball
Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes
Benjy Davis Project
Tab Benoit
Big Blue Marble
John Blanchar - Mid City Rock & Bowl
Joseph Pierre “Big Chief Monk” Boudreaux
The Brotherhood of Groove
Marc Broussard
Jackson Browne
Randy Chortkoff - CEO, Delta Groove/Eclecto Groove Music
Country Fried
Cowboy Mouth
Susan Cowsill
Chris Cuevas Spire Artists Management
Dash Rip Rock
Dr. John
Robert Fitzpatrick President Delta Groove/Eclecto Groove Music
Formerly representative for The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who and other artists
David Freedman General Manager WWOZ
The Funky Meters
Galactic
Hands of Nero
Honey Island Swamp Band
Charlie Hunter
Indigo Girls
Kirk Joseph
Vanessa Joseph
Craig Klein
David Leonard and Roselyn Lionheart
Liquidrone
Eric Lindell
John Lisi and Delta FUNK
Louisiana LaRoux
Jason Marsalis
Kaya Martinez
Mike Martinovich Flatiron Management
Irvin Mayfield
Mayes2
Delbert McClinton
Alex McMurray
Stanton Moore
My Morning Jacket
The Neville Brothers
Aaron Neville
Charles Neville
Cyril Neville
Gayneille Neville
New Orleans Bingo Show
Georgianne Nienaber CANEWOMAN, LLC
Ok Go
Anders Osborne
Judith Owen
Pearl Jam
Margie Perez
Joe Willie “Pinetop” Perkins 2008 Grammy Winner
George Porter, Jr.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
The Radiators
Jan Ramsey Publisher OffBeat Magazine
Rehage Entertainment Producers of Voodoo Experience and 2008 Essence Festival
REM
Trent Reznor
Nine Inch Nails
Dax Riggs
Boots Riley
Kermit Ruffins
Mark Samuels President Basin Street Records
Paul Sanchez
“Jumpin” Johnny Sansone
Amanda Shaw
Harry Shearer Courgette Records
Soul Rebels Brass Band
Hugh Southard President Blue Mountain Artists
Sons of William
Nick Spitzer Producer American Routes
Hubert Sumlin
Guitarist, Howlin Wolf
Blues Hall of Fame
Superfly Productions Producers
Bonaroo, Vegoose, San Francisco’s Outside Lands music festivals
The Tanglers
Sonia Tetlow
Waylon Thibodeaux
Tom Thompson RubyArts Entertainment
Allen Toussaint
Tony Vegas
Johnny Vidacovich
Rosalie “Lady Tambourine” Washington
Dr. Michael White
“Big Sam” Williams
Rueben Williams Thunderbird Management Group
Marva Wright
Buckwheat Zydeco
Robert Woods Telarc Records
Elliot Gross Programmer and DJ WPFW 89.3FM _ Pacifica Radio
R.E.M., Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, My Morning Jacket, Pearl Jam, Galactic, the Coup's Boots Riley, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Buckwheat Zydeco, Jackson Browne, the Neville Brothers, Indigo Girls, OK Go, 311, and Howlin' Wolf associate Hubert Sumlin are among over 90 acts and music industry folks who have signed a letter calling upon Obama and McCain to attend a September 18 presidential forum in NOLA and each "share [their] vision for leading the Gulf Coast's recovery."
As the letter puts it, "We are asking that the future President of the United States direct the resources and attention necessary to restore coastal Louisiana and secure the future of Louisiana's communities."
Much of the danger posed to those communities stems from the loss of vital wetlands. "Due to the nation's need for energy and dependable shipping lanes," the letter reads, "we are losing a football field's worth of wetlands every 45 minutes to erosion. This unrivaled land-loss threatens the nation's fishing, our energy, our ports, and most importantly, leaves New Orleans increasingly vulnerable to storms such as Katrina."
The forum is being sponsored by Google, YouTube, and several New Orleans universities, while the letter to Obama and McCain was spearheaded by the Gulf Restoration Network and Big Easy blues musician Tab Benoit's Voice of the Wetlands organization. Check out that letter in .PDF format here, and consult this factsheet and the links above for more info on what's happening and how you can help.
here's the whole letter, the fact sheet link is below:
The Honorable John McCain
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Barack Obama
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
To the Presidential Candidates:
Since the 1800’s, New Orleans has been a birthplace for culture and talent unique
from the rest of the world. The immeasurable impact that New Orleans and
Louisiana music has had on the people of our nation over the years is just one of the
elements which makes the city and region such a treasured part of the United States.
Despite the invaluable contributions New Orleans has made to the music and
culture of the nation, the city continues to struggle to recover.
In the almost three years since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent
failure of the federal levee system ravaged New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, new
efforts have been initiated to help restore the health of the Gulf of Mexico and
protect coastal Louisiana from future devastation. To succeed, these efforts will
require years of work and continued federal leadership. We are asking that the
future President of the United States direct the resources and attention necessary to
restore coastal Louisiana and secure the future of Louisiana’s communities.
In order for New Orleans and the region to be assured a sustainable recovery it is
imperative that steps are taken to restore Louisiana’s coastal wetlands. Due to the
nation’s need for energy and dependable shipping lanes, we are losing a football
field’s worth of wetlands every 45 minutes to erosion. This unrivaled land_loss
threatens the nation’s fishing, our energy, our ports, and most importantly, leaves
New Orleans increasingly vulnerable to storms such as Katrina.
Thankfully, solutions exist to utilize the land_building power of the Mississippi River
to stem the tide and rebuild our critical coastal lines of defense. Through stronger,
better levees and wide_scale coastal restoration, our communities can be protected.
Google/YouTube and New Orleans universities are sponsoring a Presidential forum
on September 18th which would be the ideal place to spotlight this devastating yet
largely unacknowledged crisis. We write to ask you to commit to attend and share
your vision for leading the Gulf Coast’s recovery.
The health of the Gulf of Mexico and the surrounding states are vital to our nation’s
energy, economy, and culture. Unfortunately, the future of the Gulf Coast will be in
jeopardy until serious action has been taken to secure healthy water and wetlands.
The time to act is now. We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
311
Theresa Andersson
Marcia Ball
Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes
Benjy Davis Project
Tab Benoit
Big Blue Marble
John Blanchar - Mid City Rock & Bowl
Joseph Pierre “Big Chief Monk” Boudreaux
The Brotherhood of Groove
Marc Broussard
Jackson Browne
Randy Chortkoff - CEO, Delta Groove/Eclecto Groove Music
Country Fried
Cowboy Mouth
Susan Cowsill
Chris Cuevas Spire Artists Management
Dash Rip Rock
Dr. John
Robert Fitzpatrick President Delta Groove/Eclecto Groove Music
Formerly representative for The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who and other artists
David Freedman General Manager WWOZ
The Funky Meters
Galactic
Hands of Nero
Honey Island Swamp Band
Charlie Hunter
Indigo Girls
Kirk Joseph
Vanessa Joseph
Craig Klein
David Leonard and Roselyn Lionheart
Liquidrone
Eric Lindell
John Lisi and Delta FUNK
Louisiana LaRoux
Jason Marsalis
Kaya Martinez
Mike Martinovich Flatiron Management
Irvin Mayfield
Mayes2
Delbert McClinton
Alex McMurray
Stanton Moore
My Morning Jacket
The Neville Brothers
Aaron Neville
Charles Neville
Cyril Neville
Gayneille Neville
New Orleans Bingo Show
Georgianne Nienaber CANEWOMAN, LLC
Ok Go
Anders Osborne
Judith Owen
Pearl Jam
Margie Perez
Joe Willie “Pinetop” Perkins 2008 Grammy Winner
George Porter, Jr.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
The Radiators
Jan Ramsey Publisher OffBeat Magazine
Rehage Entertainment Producers of Voodoo Experience and 2008 Essence Festival
REM
Trent Reznor
Nine Inch Nails
Dax Riggs
Boots Riley
Kermit Ruffins
Mark Samuels President Basin Street Records
Paul Sanchez
“Jumpin” Johnny Sansone
Amanda Shaw
Harry Shearer Courgette Records
Soul Rebels Brass Band
Hugh Southard President Blue Mountain Artists
Sons of William
Nick Spitzer Producer American Routes
Hubert Sumlin
Guitarist, Howlin Wolf
Blues Hall of Fame
Superfly Productions Producers
Bonaroo, Vegoose, San Francisco’s Outside Lands music festivals
The Tanglers
Sonia Tetlow
Waylon Thibodeaux
Tom Thompson RubyArts Entertainment
Allen Toussaint
Tony Vegas
Johnny Vidacovich
Rosalie “Lady Tambourine” Washington
Dr. Michael White
“Big Sam” Williams
Rueben Williams Thunderbird Management Group
Marva Wright
Buckwheat Zydeco
Robert Woods Telarc Records
Elliot Gross Programmer and DJ WPFW 89.3FM _ Pacifica Radio