Music industry in disarray after storm
Bill Werde

NEW YORK — As flood waters rose in the days after Hurricane Katrina’s August 29 rampage through New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, so too did concern for the myriad musicians, business associates, friends and family in the region.
The scope of the loss and tragedy Katrina caused is clear: It will be years before a locale renowned for its entertainment industry is back to business as usual — if it ever is again. For the music industry, the top priority became tracking down the missing. Reports began to surface that Antoine “Fats” Domino, songwriter Allen Toussaint (who penned Patti LaBelle’s hit “Lady Marmalade”) and others had not been heard from since Katrina touched down. On Friday (September 2), Domino, the 76-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, and his family were reported safe, having been rescued by boat from floodwaters near their New Orleans home.
The Neville Brothers, long associated with New Orleans, were fine, but Charles Neville could not locate his three daughters. But it was not just well-known musicians who were missing or displaced. The Gulf Coast, and in particular the New Orleans region, is also home to a thriving community of local musicians who make a living playing jazz, zydeco and Cajun music, especially for tourists.