Defending Wetlands in ‘Baghdad on the Bayou’
You want music with a message? Then you’ve got to — if you haven’t yet — check out the works of Tab Benoit.
A Louisianan through and through (born in Baton Rouge, reared in Houma), Benoit is not only a wonderful Southern Cajun/blues musician, but an outspoken and active environmentalist. His primary cause: protecting and restoring the wetlands of the Gulf Coast … something that would not only help native wildlife but the people of coastal Louisiana (and the overall climate) as well.
As a member of the Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars, Benoit and his fellow musician-activists were calling attention to the potential devastating costs of lost wetlands well before Hurricane Katrina proved them right. (The other All-Stars include Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Waylon Thibodeaux, George Porter Jr., Johnny Vidacovich, Anders Osborne, Dr. John, Cyril Neville and Jumpin Johnny Sansone.)
In a news series titled, “Baghdad on the Bayou,” writers Georgianne Nienaber and Keith Snow quote Benoit as saying, “We killed the third largest river on the planet’s delta. We killed one of our big atmosphere scrubbers. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that maybe we should pay more attention to the delta of the Mississippi river.”
And the biggest contributor to that environmental death? Benoit pins the blame squarely on the oil companies.
If Benoit is angry about many things, and rightfully so, his music remains a joy to listen to. I especially recommend the All-Stars’ “Voice of the Wetlands” CD as a great intro to not only his music but to the stylings of some of the region’s other great musicians as well. And while you’re listening, remember the wetlands … and join the effort to help save them.
