(Work in progress)...Insert the positive - Edge's podcast highlighting Gulf coast music

(Work in progress. I'll complete this post with videos of Edge's Gulf Coast music pics one day)

Tonight I've been flashing back to some of my great concert/music experiences in New Orleans, and I found myself listening again to the Edge's podcast of favorite musicians and music from the region. He put out a "celebrity podcast" in July 2010 in the midst of the oil spill disaster in the Gulf. It was a great reminder of the riches of region, and a wave of positive energy despite the devastation in the region.

Enjoy his list, and if you're interested in learning more about preserving the music culture of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, please visit Music Rising at www.musicrising.org.



Fats Domino, The Fat Man




Little Richard, Tutti Frutti




The Meters, Cissy Strut


..couldn't resist getting some live Meters from Jazz Fest



Professor Longhair, Big Chief
This video is incredible!!! Dr.John , Professor Longhair , Earl King , The Meters...



The Wild Tchoupitoulas, Hey Pocky A-Way




Snooks Eaglin, Helping Hands(A Thousand Miles Away From Home)

I didn't find a "Helping Hand" video, so here's Mr. Snooks at the awesome Mid City Lanes/Rock N'Bowl in New Orleans.

Now I understand this t-shirt that I took a picture of when I was there this past May. Mr. Snooks must have been someone extra special to see live.

From Jazz Fest After Hours - Rock 'N Bowl w/ Anders Osborne and Eric Lindell

Trombone Shorty, Backatown




Lee Dorsey, Working in a Coal Mine




Dr. John, Walk on Guilded Splinters



Edge mentions the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, the Rebirth Brass Band, and the New Birth Brass Band.

New Birth Brass Band, Project Love
No Project Love video available, but here's a listen.

Check out some live footage of the band at Sammy's in Houston ten days after the flooding in New Orleans.



Allen Toussaint, Yes We Can Can
I like this version of the song because Allen Toussaint is the main vocal. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the video of him singing it.




The Neville Brothers, Yellow Moon



Galactic, Speaks His Mind

Acorns of Hope - Save the Gulf Coast!!

I've had the honor of meeting Bob Thibodeaux and having Bob's Tree team of experts work to save the Live Oak on our property. His Acorns of Hope project kicks into its second year of riding to plant Live Oak saplings along the Gulf Coast. As these young trees strengthen over the years to protect the coastline from erosion, our own personal involvement and education is critical in the preservation success. Please visit the links below to learn more about the work. Be sure to tell plenty of your friends and support the project. Thanks!




Last week Bob visited La Printaniere Montessori School here in Baton Rouge to teach the children about the mighty Live Oaks. I attended, and The Advocate was there reporting too. I was so excited to see the story was published today in the People section.

Acorns of Hope


Advocate staff photo by TRAVIS SPRADLING/
Church Point arborist Bob Thibodeaux answers a question from Chase Henderson, 8, about growing live oaks to replace ones lost in recent hurricanes.


Arborist planting trees along coastal Louisiana with help from bicyclists
By ED CULLEN
Advocate staff writer
Published: Nov 13, 2008 - UPDATED: 11:23 a.m.

Church Point arborist Bob Thibodeaux practices tough love at his 100-acre tree farm northwest of Lafayette.

His live oaks grow without the benefit of fertilizer or water, other than rainfall. If a tree in Thibodeaux’s stock at Bob’s Tree Preservation blows over, Thibodeaux doesn’t set it back up. He yanks it.

“They only get watered at the time I put them in the ground,” Thibodeaux said. “Now, boy, sometimes I’m praying for rain.”

Thibodeaux’s trees go through the equivalent of Marine boot camp. If a tree makes it out of his nursery, it will survive in nature.

After many old live oaks were blown down in hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, Thibodeaux dedicated himself, with the help of volunteers, to planting 2,000 trees a year for the next five years across coastal Louisiana.

Full story





Country Roads Magazine
November 18 - November 23
Knowing Nature
Acorns of Hope
Statewide, La

Cycling arborists will pedal across Southwest Louisiana for the tree planting and education initiative, Acorns of Hope, which features various events along the way. Led by Cajun arborist Bob Thibodeaux, an array of tree advocates including elected officials, 4-H'ers, community volunteers and the cycling arborists plan to plant two thousand live oaks during a 250-mile bicycle ride ride along hurricane-damaged coastal Louisiana. Doubing in size in its second year, the ride will feature daily stops to help restore ecosystems in the following cities during the tour: Grand Couteau (November 19), Abbeville (November 20), Morgan City (November 21), and the Houma-Terrebone area (November 22 and 23).
Everyone is invited to wish the cyclists well at the kickoff November 18, starting with breakfast at Opelousas General Hopsital at 7:30 am, and followed by an 8 am departure to Seven Sisters Live Oaks in Washington. Opelousas will hold activities that day including public tree education and planting. Due to the recently damaged cycling paths, organizers had not quite pinned down all of the details by this writing, so to find out more, call (337) 232-8733 or go to www.bobstree.com.




God's Groundskeeper
The message for those called to serve comes in many forms. For Bob Thibodeaux it was a pecan in his pocket.
Melinda Walsh
MARCH 2008

Trouble the Water - The film is out now

While reading up on human rights issues for the Gulf Coast at Amnesty International USA I learned about the documentary Trouble the Water. Visit http://troublethewaterfilm.com/, check out some background and their "Take Action" page, and see the film if you can.