Naples, Florida was the site of not one but two hurricane benefits this past week. After hurricane Katrina a close friend of mine singer/songwriter Leslie Smith was displaced from New Orleans. I found out she had gone to Florida to do a benefit for hurricane victims. While there an offer was made to place her kids in school while she continued to get what work she could in Memphis and other locals. I began searching the WWOZ website and found a job offer in Naples, Florida. Leslie had just told me her kids were just a couple of hours east of there. I contacted the individual making the offer, Keith Sharpe of Signature Communities. He immediately provided Leslie with a new keyboard and provided other assistance. A longtime New Orleans music fan Keith, his wife Dora and his associates then organized the “Save The Spirit of New Orleans” benefit for New Orleans musicians. Little did they know that just a week before the event they were to be visited by hurricane Wilma. Leslie was there and became victim to her second storm just weeks apart.
It happened that Ice Cream Man was covering the Vegoose Festival a few weeks before and Keith sent me two Fender electric guitars to see if I could get them signed. The cooperation of the the artists was amazing. Dave Matthews, Trey Anastasio,The Meters, and The Magic Numbers were among the many who signed. I was flown to Florida for the benefit to photograph the event. Little did I know that I was provided accommodations at one of the top resorts in the country, the Floridian Club. Keith and his people treated me like a celebrity. I contributed some of my original works for the auction. Along with the guitars and many other donated items the benefit raised close to $50,000 which will go to the Tipitina’s Foundation and other organizations that provide funds and instruments for displaced New Orleans musicians.The event not only raised money for the cause but was quite a party. I have been to many events in New Orleans and Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp band may have topped them. I have never seen people having so much fun. Leslie provided a great opening to the evening with her dramatic and passionate delivery of original songs. Leslie is a star waiting to be discovered. Several of New Orleans top artists have come to her for songs recently. Singer/songwriter/producer Alan Toussaint(Robert Palmer, Pointer Sisters,The Band, Fats Domino, Elvis Costello) has called Leslie “The future of New Orleans songwriting.” Cajun food was served and Mardi Gras beads were given out to the 300 plus in attendance. Also present were 21 hotel workers from New Orleans hired by the Naples Ritz Carlton and a retired piano player from the Fairmont hotel in New Orleans.
I had found out about a second benefit for the local hurricane victims hosted by the Ridgeport Pub and a local radio station. Warner Brothers’s artist Dark New Day headlined with two great openers Atrophy the Sun and Fushumeng. Atrophy was exciting to me because of the heavy Pink Floyd influence. I came in on the last song of Fushumeng but the EP is quite a rage. Dark New Day is composed of former members with quite a bit of experience: Creed, Sevendust and Tommy Lee’s band to name a few. The crowd of 150 plus contributed canned goods as admission and one lucky winner received a signed guitar donated by Staind.
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