Listen to Hurricane Katrina Recognition Shows

During the course of hosting Gumbo YaYa, I did a number of shows dedicated to Hurricane Katrina, using the music from New Orleans to highlight aspects of this catastrophe. I would air the show around the anniversary of the hurricane’s landfall in Louisiana. And you can listen to them even now. Below is a summary followed by a player for each show.

When the levees broke after Hurricane Katrina hit, the force of the unleased water pushed houses off foundations and cars down several blocks.

The 10-year anniversary 2015 Katrina recognition show was a two-parter . The first goes into detail of the storm and its impact. The second focuses on the musicians and their stories. The shows features short excerpts from Spike Lee’s movie “When the Levees Broke.” I dedicated these two radio shows to the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

The 2016 show aired after Louisiana, particularly Baton Rouge was flooded from torrential rains. Using appropriate examples, particularly from the Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927, I ponder what new songs more recent floods will inspire.

The 2017 Katrina recognition show was dedicated to ALL flood victims around the world. .

The 2018 Katrina recognition show was dedicated to Puerto Rico which had just been chewed up by Hurricane Maria.

Much of the city was under water for over a month.

The 2019 Katrina recognition show focused on ‘the delta and Louisiana coastline.

The 2020 show followed up on the 2019 theme, highlighting the strong connection between coastal erosion and the severity of hurricanes. The show featured a brief audio message from the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana.

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Author: Tim Sweeney

Host of Sweeney's Gumbo YaYa - a two-hour radio show that featured the music of New Orleans. It aired from September 2014 through March 2022, broadcast live on KAOS in Olympia and as a recording KMRE Bellingham and some Pacifica Network stations. Currently hosting an afternoon drive time show.

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