[syndicate] please donate -

[fmadre at free.fr]

> yeah well that justifies several thousand dead in the usa yah ?

I'm talking about your donation plea, alan

> i suppose your hands are clean.

are you blaming me for the hurricane ?

aside -

Before NBC, MTV or anyone else puts on a telethon to help victims of Hurricane
Katrina, they might want to explore some ancillary issues. To wit: New Orleans
is a city famous for its famous musicians, but many of them are missing.
Missing with a capital M.

To begin with, one of the city’s most important legends, Antoine "Fats" Domino,
has not been heard from since Monday afternoon. Domino’s rollicking
boogie-woogie piano and deep soul voice are not only part of the Rock 'n' Roll
Hall of Fame but responsible for dozens of hits like “Blue Monday,” “Ain’t That
a Shame,” “Blueberry Hill” and “I’m Walking (Yes, Indeed, I’m Talking).”

Domino, 76, lives with his wife Rosemary and daughter in a three-story
pink-roofed house in New Orleans’ 9th ward, which is now under water.

On Monday afternoon, Domino told his manager, Al Embry of Nashville, that he
would “ride out the storm” at home. Embry is now frantic.

Calls have been made to Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco’s office and to various
police officials, and though there’s lots of sympathetic response, the
whereabouts of Domino and his family remain a mystery.

In the meantime, another important Louisiana musician who probably hasn’t been
asked to be in any telethons is the also legendary Allen Toussaint.

Another Rock Hall member, Toussaint wrote Patti LaBelle’s hit “Lady Marmalade”
and Dr. John’s “Right Place, Wrong Time.”

His arrangements and orchestrations for hundreds of hit records, including his
own instrumentals “Whipped Cream” and “Java” are American staples. (He also
arranged Paul Simon’s hit, “Kodachrome.”)

Last night, Toussaint was one of the 25,000 people holed up at the New Orleans
Superdome hoping to get on a bus for Houston’s Astrodome. I know this because
he got a message out to his daughter, who relayed to it through friends.

Also not heard from by friends through last night: New Orleans’s “Queen of Soul”
Irma Thomas, who was the original singer of what became the Rolling Stones’ hit,
“Time is On My Side.”

Let’s hope and pray it is, because while the Stones roll through the U.S. on
their $450-a-ticket tour, Thomas is missing in action. Her club, The Lion’s
Den, is under water, as are all the famous music hot spots of the city.

Similarly, friends are looking for Antoinette K-Doe, widow of New Orleans wild
performer Ernie K-Doe. The Does have a famous nightspot of their own on N.
Claiborne Avenue, called the Mother-in-Law Lounge, in honor of Ernie’s immortal
hit, “The Mother-in-Law Song.”

Ernie K-Doe, who received a 1998 Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues
Foundation, died in 2001 at age 65.

Dry and safe, but in not much better shape, is the famous Neville family of New
Orleans. Aaron Neville and many members of the family evacuated on Monday to
Memphis, where they are now staying in a hotel.

But most of the Nevilles’ homes are destroyed, reports their niece and my
colleague at “A Current Affair,” Arthel Neville. She went down to her hometown
yesterday and called me from a boat that was trying to get near town.

“This isn’t like having two feet of water in your basement,” she said, holding
back tears. “Everything is destroyed. I am just so lucky to have been born here
and to have had the experience of New Orleans."

She confirmed that there had been rumors of dead bodies floating around her
Uncle Aaron’s house yesterday. So far, the Nevilles are unannounced to
participate in Friday’s TV telethon.

And still there are plenty of other famous musicians associated with New Orleans
who would probably like to be on TV if they’re high and dry.

The Marsalis family comes from the city, and they’ve played at most of the well
known clubs like Tipitina’s, The Maple Leaf, Preservation Hall and Muddy
Waters.

New Orleans is also one of the few cities with a House of Blues. And Jimmy
Buffet’s Margharitaville Café chain has a local franchise that is still an
attraction.

New Orleans’ trademark sounds are Cajun and Zydeco. So far none of the listed
benefits have named an act that plays that kind of music.