Well it's starting to take shape, and I'm glad to be doing something towards a healing of this catastrophe. Please join me in doing something instead of jaw flapping. I'm a pretty good jaw flapper so I know what I'm talking about. I'll post the letter that I've been sending out as an email and that will give a good idea of what I'm talking about. *

photo -msn.com
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August 31, 2005

Dearest friends,

As I write this letter very early in the morning on August 31st, 2005, the television is on, showing a continuing stream of images that recount the massive devastation across the Southern Gulf Coast and Midwestern United States. Her name was Katrina, and she came to our shores on Sunday, August 28th, 2005, bearing gifts of death, destruction, and unspeakable sorrow to millions of our brothers and sisters.

Much like the catastrophic tsunami that released its fury on the residence of the Southeast Asian coast last December, this storm has stolen peace of mind and light heartedness from those affected, and left nothing but pain and suffering in her wake. But unless you’ve been living under a rock or on a seriously secluded vacation since this last weekend, you know all this to be self evident. There are so few words to come up against the enormity of this problem, no accurate descriptors to gage the loss. So I choose to believe that, God willing, we can focus optimistically on our resourcefulness to somehow help.

Let us see what sort of contribution we can make towards the healing of our beloved South. Let us show those in need that we have learned from them the meaning of “Southern Hospitality”. Let us embrace a spirit of hope, compassion, giving, and love. Can we resolve to set aside our complacency that can so easily grow from the vast geographic distance between us and the victims? Can we resolve to battle the apathy that could be nurtured by days, weeks, and months that pass after these initial shocking first hours? I believe we can! I also believe that those in need require a sustained, consistent, and sincere effort on their behalf.

The Deep South has been a wellspring of musical levity and genius for not only our nation but the entire world for the better part the last one hundred years. Just think of all the truly great musical talent from that part of our country which we jubilantly enjoy: Louisiana – Louis Armstrong, Mississippi – Elvis Presley, Alabama – Hank Williams, & Georgia - Ray Charles. This is an extremely abbreviated “tip of the iceberg” list of past and present geniuses that could fill volumes if we counted all the names that genuinely deserve inclusion. As I have the pleasure to be a working musician who has borrowed liberally from this heritage, I feel compelled to honor this legacy by using these same means to make an attempt at a humble contribution towards the relief effort. And soon!

Please indulge a plea from me for a bit of your time, talent, and resources for the creation of a musical contribution in the form of a compilation CD, Website, and possible DVD of artists that owe a debt of gratitude to the affected region. A tentative title for the CD is “The Southern Tradition of Musical Hospitality - Some Relief from Katrina”.

Each recording artist will record a song of particular significance regarding the region affected by the hurricane and then donate the track to be included. If it happens that through an extremely generous outpouring we receive more tracks than will fit on the CD(s), we will offer said tracks on our website as downloads for a small donation. These download donations could be deposited directly into the Red Cross account, making funds available almost immediately! Other merchandise such as t-shirts, hats, and mugs would be a natural off-shoot and also available online. This is a non-profit volunteer effort with all proceeds going to the Red Cross Disaster Relief fund.

We need talented musicians, audio engineers, video engineers, producers, audio studio time, video studio time, graphic artists, web site administrators, legal services, publishing services, print services, t-shirt & hat printers, clothing merchandisers, CD duplication services, office space, project coordinators, production assistants, press, as well as media contacts and an Angel(s). All said and done, WE NEED A VOLUNTEER TEAM of energetic, gracious, humble, and dedicated folks; each person willing to set ego aside and provide a piece in a puzzle that will plainly illustrate good old-fashioned American generosity.

Brothers and sisters your help is needed. Now is the time to become a part of something wonderful in the midst of the chaos. I eagerly await your bold acceptance of my invitation to take action.

And, if you find yourself in a position that doesn’t afford you the luxury of participation, then please don’t feel obligated or bad, just close your eyes and send them your highest, heartfelt love in the form of a prayer for their well being. After all, that may truly turn out to be the most precious gift we can offer them.

Kind Regards,
Jon Gile d’Artenay
Aka Johnny G

Call me at:
*))-%)&-&&@(

E-Mail me at:
relieffromkatrina@cox.net

Website Coming Very Soon
www.relieffromkatrina.org

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I wrote this letter on Wednesday night / Thursday morning. Thursday night I had a gig with Blue Largo in Dana Point. I told the rest of the band what I was planning and, low and behold, they all said they would contribute songs from their own projects to the CD. They along with most everyone I've talked to since has said, "I just sit and watch the disaster unfold on TV and wonder what can I do?".

The folks that have volunteered to date are-

Hal Smith - Hals Angels

Eric Liberman - Blue Largo

Carl Sonny Leyland - Carl Sonny Leyland Trio

Jonny Viau - Jonny Viau band

Mike (Big Mickey) Towe - Jump Jones, & his Video Production Studio

Jon Harford - Smoke Stax

Jamie Tobitt - The Quarum

Mark Belo - Video producer/instructor & T-shirt print services

(Yours truly) Johnny G d'Artenay - Big Rig Deluxe

There were a couple of other folks that were supportive and said that they would pass along the letter and an introduction.

I'm feeling very grateful that there are people out there that want to help the victims and do a service to honor the rich musical legecy we have in our southern USA.

Please say a prayer for the Gulf Coast.