The New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund, a 501(c)3 grass roots charity, is grateful to those who have contributed three pianos in the last year, one this month.
That total includes two baby grands (one to a teacher from our friends at Pearl River), evacuation vehicles, electric guitars, horns, concertinas and more. We're sorting through 10,000 strings donated by Taylor Guitars to help New Orleans musicians rock on, and a violin is on its way. Hallmark Magazine recommended donating instruments to displaced musicians (tip #2), and so did Blog Action Day ( tip #10). Visit our Impact Award nominated MySpace page for details.
Dr. John, Marcia Ball, Joe Krown, Tom Worrell, Papa Gros, Bob Andrews and Cynthia Chen played at last month's Rock n Bowl Living Legends Benefit and Tribute to Eddie Bo (Mac pictured at right). More than three years post-Katrina, instruments are still rolling in, emergency grants are going out, and all help is deeply appreciated by everyone here at the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund.
Family Piano
REM featured our founder's piano print (HERE), and the benefit print is available HERE to help NOMRF provide gigs, emergency help and instruments.
Young Rockers
The New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund has given out Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp scholarships and, thanks to Chicago teenager Mel who donated her Bat Mitzvah funds to buy guitars for young musicians (at right), one of the young rockers got to play his new guitar at Rock Camp along with the great Shamarr Allen who just got off the road with Willie Nelson. The counselors met Cosimo Matassa and named their group the Cosimo's Kids, winning Best Set of the Tour.
Donations, from instruments to clothing, have helped keep our gass roots organization growing.
ReDefine 8/29 with Furniture for Musicians, and Musicians Village
For those who have returned to New Orleans and are just now furnishing their homes, Furnishing Our Neighbors partnered with the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund's ReDefine 8/29 Campaign to offer four-star hotel-donated furniture.
More than 1,000 people have already been helped with $8 and $29 furniture, and free furnishings from sofa beds to armoires have been delivered musicians including legends in the Musicians Village like Smokey Johnson, longtime Fats Domino drummer. The New Orleans Musicians Relielf Fund also brought Smokey a saxophone for his church, with the help of the ultimate friend of new Orleans music - Dr. John.
As the new Grammy Winnertold Entertainment Weekly about the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund. "It's small organizations - they've done more than these big organizations with a lot of money."
Limited Edition 45s from Euclid Records
Euclid Records has released a limited run of Benefit 45 albums with live tracks from Steve Wynn of the Dream Syndicate, Terry Adams ofNRBQ, Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey of the dB's and more. Legendary album artists have provided covers like this classic for Terry Adams Rock & Roll Quartet. Each 45 will have a run of 300. Steve Wynn's 45 is now available HERE.
Our reloaded New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund'sReDefine 8/29download includes Dr. John, Ian Hunter, Edwin McCain and many others (HERE). NOMRF also offers tracks with legendary sax players through Sax on the Web, and Lies on i-tunes by the amazing Abby Travis and the Bangles. Music lovers are still reaching out to New Orleans from Southern Comfort to Sony Playstation's Little Big Planet soon offering game levels by Family Guy artists.
For festival gear, our benefit logo tee, ReDefine 8/29 tee (above) and others are online(HERE).
For those who have returned to New Orleans and are just now furnishing their homes, Furnishing Our Neighbors partnered with the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund's ReDefine 8/29 Campaign to offer four-star hotel-donated furniture.