“I can’t imagine my life without your city. The broken sidewalks. The no left turn signs. Every little nuance that makes your city so different from anywhere else. It truly feeds my soul.”

—Sherry Colwell, Midland, TX

SUPPORTING NEW ORLEANS

Today we would like to let you know that our sympathy and thoughts are with you. We love New Orleans and have been there several times between 1990 and 1996. It almost felt like home to us. So we were very depressed to see all the awful pictures about your wonderful home town.

In order to help you in these awful times, would it be helpful if I renew and pay the renewal of my subscription now? It should normally expire autumn next year. I would like to renew for another two years.

All the best and kindest regards from Berlin, Germany.

—Wolfgang Seide, Berlin, Germany

We just returned last night from a four-day “economic support” visit to New Orleans (visiting local restaurants, music clubs, bars, shops, etc.), and I’m continuing to make it a New Orleans holiday season through online shopping at local stores. We already want to turn around and come back.

—Jill Robinson, El Granada, CA

Good to receive OffBeat online again!

We’ve been back to New Orleans a few times and it’s tough to see, but it’s making some progress.

I’ve been to Rock ‘n’ Bowl for the grand opening with Eddie Bo wowing the capacity crowd! It was so much fun to be back!

Rockin’ Doopsie and Antoinette K-Doe did their thing, too, and some nice young gal with a good, good voice belted out a few tunes. And it was fun to see John Blancher up on the stage, dancing and acting like a nut, even taking off his shirt! He’s wild! The music was wonderful and everyone seemed to be at high-pitch enjoyment.

Well, thanks again for the WeeklyBeat! Don’t forget to give some good press for the Voice of the Wetlands awareness concert at Southdown Plantation the weekend after Thanksgiving. It should be a blast!

—Sherry Robichaux, Cut Off, LA

Thank you Jan [Ramsey] for relieving my pain. I had major sinus surgery last week and, despite my concerted effort, the Vicodin was just not doing it for me. But then, yesterday, I made it to the mailbox and my first issue of OffBeat had arrived! Seeing life return to New Orleans’ music scene (coupled with more Vicodin) has given me new life. I’ve been grieving so hard for my “family” Allen Toussaint, the Radiators, Irma Thomas, etc., that now the healing process is actually starting. So from this helpless New Orleans-wannabe in Tennessee, thank you, thank you, thank you. I can’t wait to bring my daughter to her first Jass Fest!

—Sara D. Patterson, Knoxville, TN

Just wanted to thank you for doing what you do and continuing to do it.

What a deal on a lifetime subscription. I wish I could give more. Trust me that I will be back as soon as I can doing my best to help the local economy. This city has done so much for me. The love I have for New Orleans music, food, cemeteries, houses, neighborhoods and especially the people does it’s part to make my life whole. It’s been a place of solace and fun through the last fifteen or so years. I can’t imagine my life without your city. The broken sidewalks. The no left turn signs. Every little nuance that makes your city so different from anywhere else.

Until I have the good fortune to live there I will keep coming back. It truly feeds my soul.

—Sherry Colwell, Midland, TX

Hope this contribution helps the best damn music magazine back on its feet! We know what it means to miss New Orleans and OffBeat is our monthly link to New Orleans here in North Carolina. So we can’t wait ’till its back in our mailbox each month.

—Dean and Sue Styles, Winston Salem, NC

Just got my new issue, thanks! I took the opportunity of becoming a lifetime subscriber. I have been getting your magazine for two years now and just love it. We (my wife and I) are frequent visitors, go regularly to Jazz Fest, French Quarter Fest, etc. and have family in town as well.

I was born and raised in New York and have lived in Boston and South Florida and settled in Tampa in 1980. Since my first visit to the Big Easy, New Orleans has been my favorite, hands down.

When the city passed the “drink tax”, putting many of my favorite clubs in the Quarter out of business I was upset and worried that it would be the end!

I was wrong! Although the Quarter is younger and louder, the great music scene refused to die, spread out and came back. And hey, who doesn’t like a pre-made frozen drink every now and again.

It will be the same way post-Katrina, nothing ever stays the same and change is always good and bad. Regardless that some things will be different and some gone forever, the mystery and wildness of the city will survive and flourish over time. While everyone won’t be back, plenty will and new people will discover the City as they always have. One of the great strengths of this country is its ability to adapt to great change. That strength will serve New Orleans well.

As far as aid goes, once the prick(s) are out of the White House, as they surely will be, the domestic needs of the country will once again be a priority.

So, hang in there, thanks again for my monthly dose of the scene I love and hope to see you soon!

—Joe Silver, Tampa, FL

I have been a subscriber to OffBeat for the past couple of years. I received your recent email informing me of your circumstances caused by Hurricane Katrina, and I must say that I was glad to hear from you. I enclose herewith my check in the amount of $200, as for my contribution to your efforts to get back up and running.

Keep up your excellent work! I feel that your publication is absolutely vital to the restoration of the New Orleans music scene.

—Joseph Scanlon, Oakland, CA

Hope by now you’ve received my lifetime subscription money order. I received the September issue and devoured it. Last night Shannon Powell played here in Victoria with the UVic Pep Band and then with three of Canada’s best jazz musicians (Hugh Fraser, Campbell Ryga and Ken Lister). Shannon and his family have been living outside Vancouver at a friend’s berry farm. He brought a ray of New Orleans sunshine to Victoria, singing and playing material from Powell’s Place with the locals. Finished off a wonderful night with Liza Jane, me and Albert the Flower Man singing offbeat chorus behind the band. A ton of fun.

—Joseph Blake, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

As a lifetime music aficionado, a long time New Orleans fan and a long time subscriber to OffBeat I am deeply saddened by the disaster that has affected you and so many in Louisiana and the South in general. It would be difficult for me to express how much pleasure your magazine has given me over the years and I really hope you are able to get your world back to normal as soon as possible. Here is a check for $200. I will spread the word that you [Jan Ramsey] and OffBeat need some help. If you don’t mind, I will email some friends and include your Baton Rouge address if they would like to help. Best of luck to you and if you can think of anything that I may be able to do from Seattle please don’t hesitate to ask.

—Robert Littell, Seattle, WA

This morning I renewed my OffBeat subscription as a “renewal.” Last year’s subscription happened to be my first and was given to me by a friend as a birthday gift. I believe that I have thanked that friend almost daily for the last year for one of the best birthday gifts I have ever received.

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for all the work you have done in the past putting out such a valuable magazine and the work that you are currently doing trying to get up and running. Most importantly, I want to express how thankful

I am that you are supporting the deep and unique culture of your city.

I will continue to do all that I can to support your magazine and the great city of New Orleans.

Keep up the good work! A friend from South Florida.

—David Suarez, Miami Lakes, FL

I read your article on the web and am interested in supporting you financially.

My husband and I have been living in New Orleans for quite a while and your magazine has been always a great news source.

My husband has even collected all issues of the magazine since he moved here 10 years ago from Japan.

All our friends in Japan who LOVE the New Orleans music and culture have big concern on the situation of this city. They have participated several financial aid, i.e. MusiCares or Musicians Clinic, to support the recovery process.

I would like to send a check with amount of $200 to support your business.

Our apartment is located in Uptown so it was not damaged at all. To show our appreciation for losing nothing, we want to do something we can do for you.

—Yumi Mano, New Orleans, LA

BETTER PAY

I was a working musician on Frenchmen Street with a band called Big Pearl. I’m currently in California. I, and other musicians that I’ve spoken with plan to reside in California for a while, as well as other bands in Houston. The overall tone I hear is that we simply receive more respect and better pay from other cities that appreciate us.

First and foremost, being a New Orleans musician plus now a Katrina victim have opened the doors wide to so many new beautiful experiences for all of us. In New Orleans I made less then $5,000 gigging in one year. All this year I gigged my ass off for practically no pay on Frenchmen Street. When a band plays in most music venues in or around the Quarter, the venues make the bands pay full or sometimes half price for drinks. Many times as band leader I went without pay so my band could at least make $30-$50 each and that’s for four sets, sometimes five!

I love New Orleans with every drop of blood in my body and soul. My heart will always be in New Orleans. For now, and what I’m hearing from others is, ‘Why go back? Let’s explore other possibilities for a while.’ Simply put if Nagin steps in with new by-laws/union standards with musicians/music venues, like the movie industry’s unions and by-laws, then we’ll come back in droves. Nagin could be the first mayor to protect and insure respectfully and dutifully a standardized pay scale with the musicians’ union that hasn’t been seen in New Orleans for almost 50 years.

Do I know what it means to Miss New Orleans? Yeah you right. Betcha I do.

—Lani Ramos, New Orleans, LA now in San Francisco, CA

IN THE VALLEY OF TEARS

My deepest sympathy, prayers and thoughts are with all of you and your families and the beautiful city of New Orleans: City of dreams, screaming queens and red beans.

A brilliant and fascinating interview with James Singleton about Gatemouth in your Jazz Fest Bible issue that is one of the best OffBeat Jazz Fest issues you all put together. A veritable gold mine of fascinating Louisiana musical biography, record reviews, musical interviews, facts and information. Also, the advertising was great too!

I came across this song recently and it reminds me of what New Orleans may be going through now—a valley of tears. So many people have lost their jobs, lost so much. I hope and pray New Orleans will be restored and rebuilt.

I want you to take me where I belong

Where hearts has been broken, With a kiss and a song

Spend the rest of my days without any cares

Everyone understand me, in the valley of tears

Soft words has been spoken, so sweet and low

But my mind has made up, love has got to go

|Spend the rest of my day without any cares

Everyone understand me, in the valley of tears.

—Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew “Valley Of Tears” 1957

—Leonora Boyack, New Zealand