10 April 2006
"I'm not sure, but I'm almost positive,.."
...that if i lived in New Orleans, i'd vote for Ernie K-Doe.
One of those stories that reminds me why i love the Big Easy so much:
Ernie K-Doe may have died years ago, but, in the great tradition of Louisiana and New Orleans politics, he's running for Mayor.
But Antoinette K-Doe swears the joint will be open for the Jazz and Heritage Festival, the end of this month, no matter how far along the renovation is.
Oh -- and the proper (and darned-plausible-sounding) ending to the quote i used for a title?
One of those stories that reminds me why i love the Big Easy so much:
Ernie K-Doe may have died years ago, but, in the great tradition of Louisiana and New Orleans politics, he's running for Mayor.
New Orleans R&B star begins posthumous mayoral bidK-Doe's widow, Antoinette, says that in her opinion, he's the only one qualified.
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Ernie K-Doe has some big hurdles to overcome to win his bid for mayor of hurricane-ravaged New Orleans: he lacks the political experience and financial clout of many of his rivals.
He's also been dead for almost five years.
"He gets the job done. The guy has soul," she said as supporters enjoyed live music, beer and heaping helpings of red beans and rice. "And I'm speaking like he's still here because in memories he is still here with us. He gets along with everybody and he makes things happen."Nasically, the campaign is an attempt to raise enough money to rebuild and re-open the Mother-in-Law Lounge, which was apparently gutted in the aftermath of Katrina.
But Antoinette K-Doe swears the joint will be open for the Jazz and Heritage Festival, the end of this month, no matter how far along the renovation is.
"Ernie K-Doe was an icon, a legend of New Orleans -- national and international," she said. "His music is great and it still lives on.
"And this lounge is a haven for our musicians, man. They can eat, they can put their music together and they can get in touch with each other."
(Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, a similarly important site in the history of country music [its back door backs up across an alley to the Ryman Auditorium's stage door, making it quite popular with Grand Ole Opry performers], was almost disassembled and shipped to Japan, but wound up being restored as part of the general sprucing-up of Nashville's Lower Broadway in the mid-90s. I don't know what shape it's in today...)
Oh -- and the proper (and darned-plausible-sounding) ending to the quote i used for a title?
"I'm not sure, but I'm almost positive, that all music comes from New Orleans." (Ernie K-Doe, 1980)
¶ 5:26 AM
