PEGGY LABORDE - - AUTHOR, DOCUMENTARY MAKER, AND HOST OF HER OWN NEW ORLEANS POPULAR TV SHOW, "STEPPIN' OUT" WHICH AIRES EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT ON WYES-TV IN NEW ORLEANS - - HAS INVITED MUSICMAN AND PIANO MAESTRO ARMAND ST. MARTIN TO GUEST ON HER SHOW ON DECEMBER 11TH. TUNE IN FOR ST. MARTIN'S UPTEMPO HOLIDAY MUSIC, OR SOMETHING FUN AND ORIGINAL WHICH WILL BE A HOLIDAY SURPRISE FOR ALL! PEGGY LABORDE FREQUENTLY INVITES PIANOMAN ARMAND ONTO HER SHOW, AND IT IS ALWAYS A UNIQUE AND WONDERFUL MUSICAL TREAT. MORE SOON! - PATTY LEE

PIRATE RADIO - - THE ACTUAL SHIP OF RADIO DISC-JOCKS WHO PLAYED MUSIC FOR ALL THOSE COMING OF AGE IN THE LATE 60'S, AS WELL AS FOR ANYBODY ELSE LISTENING - - WAS A REAL-LIVE SHIP IN THE OCEAN OFF OF ENGLAND! OUR FRIEND AND MUSIC LOVER AND MUSICIAN HIMSELF, LARRY STEINMAN, AN AMERICAN, WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THIS PIRATE RADIO SHIP AND HE PROGRAMMED A LOT OF THE MUSIC FROM CALIFORNIA WHERE HE WAS A POPULAR DJ IN L.A.! THE MOVIE, WHILE OF COURSE BEING DRAMATIZED WITH MUCH MORE EXCITEMENT THAN PROBABLY EXISTED, STILL IS TERRIFIC FUN, WITH NOTABLE ACTING, AUTHENTIC WARDROBES AND LINGO, AND FEATURES A VAST COLLECTION OF FAMILIAR POPULAR TUNES FROM THAT ERA ON THE SOUNDTRACK. WHOEVER PUT TOGETHER THE LICENSING FOR ALL THESE SONGS FOR THE MOVIE DID A MAGNIFICENT JOB! PATTY LEE WAS AN AM-DJ IN EL PASO, TEXAS IN THE LATE 60'S (VERY RARE - NEARLY UNHEARD OF - FOR A FEMALE TO HOLD A FCC LICENSE FOR ON-AIR AM-RADIO FOR TOP 40 HITS AT THAT TIME) AND ARMAND ST. MARTIN WAS PLAYING LIVE IN MUSIC CLUBS IN NEW ORLEANS IN THE LATE 60'S. SO. . . WHILE PIRATE RADIO WAS GOING STRONG IN THE OPEN SEAS PLAYING 60's RECORDS AND LARRY STEINMAN WAS A DJ IN CALIFORNIA DOING THE SAME THING, PATTY LEE WAS SPINNING THESE SAME ORIGINAL SONGS ON THE AM-AIRWAYS IN TEXAS, AND MUSICMAN ARMAND WAS COVERING THESE SAME SONGS IN CONCERT IN LOUISIANA! CHECK THIS CRAZY FILM OUT FOR COLORFUL FUN-FILLED LATE-60'S NOSTALGIA (WARNING: CONTAINS A BUNCH OF OFF-COLOR DIALOGUE SIMILAR TO HIGHSCHOOL BOYS' HUMOR BECAUSE IN THE 60'S, AM RADIO DJ'ING WAS STILL "A MAN'S WORLD"). HOWEVER, PIRATE RADIO (THE MOVIE) SHARES MANY GREAT HITS - - ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU DANCING IN YOUR SEAT BOTH IN THE THEATER AND IN YOUR CAR! WE COULDN'T WAIT TO GET HOME TO CALL LARRY IN L.A., ESPECIALLY SINCE HE HAD VISITED US IN NEW ORLEANS LAST JAZZ FEST (TO SEE ARMAND ENTERTAIN) AND HE HAD GIVEN US THE INSIDE SCOOP ABOUT THIS UPCOMING MOVIE RELEASE! THUS, WE'VE BEEN ANXIOUS FOR IT TO COME OUT! HOWEVER, LARRY'S PHONE MESSAGES WERE FULL (WE FIGURE HIS PHONE IS RINGING OFF THE HOOK SINCE THIS NEW RELEASE OF THE MOVIE), SO WHEN WE FINALLY REACHED HIM BY EMAIL, HE ANSWERED BACK FROM AN OVERSEAS TRIP! MORE LATER! - PATTY LEE AND ARMAND ST. MARTIN

Today, November 22nd, 2009, is another Saints victory with a 38-7 landslide point-catcher in their game against Tampa Bay at Raymond James Stadium. Armand St. Martin, a 10th generation New Orleanian, feels his dedicated cheering FOR his hometeam helped with the Saints win! (Of course, every Saints fan feels this way! HOWEVER, DOES ANYBODY BUT ARMAND HAVE AN OVERSIZED, CUSTOM-FORGED SAINTS HELMET AS THE COVER TO THEIR BARBECUE GRILL?!) GEAUX SAINTS! - PATTY LEE AND ARMAND ST. MARTIN

NEW ORLEANS OWN PIANOMAN AND SONGWRITER, ARMAND ST. MARTIN, GUESTS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH, 7:30 PM AND AGAIN ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22ND AT 10 PM ON THE WLAE-TV, CHANNEL 32, RINGSIDE POLITICS WITH A PUNCH WITH HOST JEFF CROUERE. WLAE-TV IS A PBS STATION. St. Martin, with his quick wit and sense of humor penned an original tune he calls, "Billy Adams for Governor", essentially about government waste and how a guy lost in the swamp surivived for 11 days before he was found - William Adams - a Louisiana man who could teach us all a lesson about living off the land. While St. Martin entertains with his uptempo tune, he will also be interviewed by host Jeff Crouere, an astute political-man about town who holds back no punches in politics. This interview of ARMAND ST. MARTIN strikes a chord and at the same time makes you smile and sing on key! - Patty Lee

Since Senator Mary Landrieu is from New Orleans and has seemed to be still holding out for her vote re: the national health-care issue, as late as today (Sat.), then I thought it worthy of mention. This exceptionally broad plan is mind-boggling. Is it true, after it passes, that it doesn't mean "free" health care? But rather that each person (who cannot afford private insurance) must "buy" into this pre-planned government health care program (which nobody knows the cost yet?) or be fined and penalized (even if one has no finances for health care insurance?). Is this truly the American Way, or are we embarking into unchartered territory? What about all the "what ifs?" with this government plan? Curious, hummmmm? You'd think Landrieu's local New Orleans' office phones would be ringing off the hook. I've heard from several reliable sources that when folks have tried to contact Senator Landrieu over these past few crucial days (these are nice citizens), they got a continuous busy signal. I was told several folks went there to the office in person on Friday to share their opinion about this health care proposition, only to find the office was very quiet, no phones were ringing at all, and surely none were ringing off the hook. (In all honesty, you'd think the Senator's lines would be inundated, since she's known as one of the last hold-outs.) There were just several people in the office, all not busy at all nor concerned about this huge vote that will change the way America deals with health care issues, not just re: payments. Questions, questions. . . . One uptown mother and wife with a Christian ministry to impoverished children in New Orleans, went there and suddenly realized that the reason why everybody calling has been getting busy signals is because the phones must somehow not be geared to ring? Could it be? It seems nearly impossible for the phones to not be ringing off the hook these days or for such an important office to not have activity going on. Think about it. (This means our Senator has already made up her mind, either yes? or no?) When this mom, wife, and ministry-head aired her opinion in person on Friday, she was told by an employee at the Senator's office in downtown New Orleans, "Too Bad." I must admit, I tried calling throughout the day Friday, as well, and frustratingly found the same problem, a continuous busy signal. Hey, what's up with your phone system, Mary? Wouldn't you like to hear what the Democrat and Republican and Independent voters have to say in these last moments about health care freedom in America, just to be sure? - Patty Lee

Welcome to New Orleans, Sandra Bullock! The red carpet is out at the Prytania Theatre in the Garden District and the crowds are gathering for YOUR BIG PREMIERE OF YOUR NEW MOVIE, "THE BLIND SIDE"! tonight. Thank you for participating in "bringing New Orleans back" after Katrina. YOU HAVE DEDICATED YOURSELF AND FUNDS FOR THE WARREN EASTON CHARTER SCHOOL FOUNDATION TO HELP IMPOVERSIHED CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU! - Patty Lee and Armand St. Martin

NOVEMBER 11TH, TODAY, IS VETERANS DAY. MAY WE ALL TAKE PAUSE TO REMEMBER OUR VETERANS WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES FOR OUR FREEDOMS. MAY WE KEEP IN OUR PRAYERS ALL OUR MILITARY SERVING AMERICA, NOT JUST TODAY BUT ALWAYS. May our Military stay out of harm's way, and may we never forget the Sacrifices made by our active Military and Veterans, past, present and future. - PATTY LEE AND ARMAND ST. MARTIN

HI FRIENDS! THE USS NEW YORK, ON OCTOBER 13, 2009, STARTED ITS HISTORIC JOURNEY FROM AVONDALE'S NORTHROP GRUMANN'S SHIPYARD NEAR NEW ORLEANS, TO NYC. WHY NEW ORLEANIANS WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT IT, AND SHOWED UP TO WATCH IT PASS BY US - - DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI ON A VERY FOGGY MORNING ON ITS WAY TO NEW YORK - - WAS BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A MAJOR HISTORICAL MOMENT TO WITNESS THIS IMPRESSIVE SHIP LEAVING OUR TERRITORY TO RETURN TO NYC BEFORE THEN BEING EVENTUALLY SENT OVERSEAS. Thousands showed up ALONG THE RIVER ROUTE. AMERICAN FLAGS were waved by hundreds of PATRIOTIC CITIZENS along the banks of the mighty Mississippi, and locals cheered the ship and crew (NEARLY 300 NAVY SAILORS), as music wafted through the thick morning air. "Amazing Grace" was heard coming from a lone bagpipe player, near the banks by the French Quarter, and our Natchez riverboat's own famous calliope played out "New York, New York" as this amazing ship seemed to sift by like a gray ghost in the fog of that early morning in October. Many folks had started lining the riverbanks as early as 3 and 4 am to catch a glimpse of the 684-foot ship as it departed this part of the USA. The enormous ship and crew members were greeted en route by Americans from places in and near NOLA, like Gretna, Algier's Point, Belle Chasse, and the French Quarter itself. Even one of our McDonogh High School bands kept folks dancing by the waterside to Mardi Gras music as they waited for the ship to arrive to their area of the route. The most incredible historical fact about the USS NEW YORK IS THAT THE BOW STEM HAS WITHIN IT NEARLY 8 TONS OF STEEL FROM THE WORLD TRADE CENTER'S TWIN TOWERS WHICH WERE SADLY AND SHOCKINGLY BROUGHT DOWN BY TERRORIST ATTACKS ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001. 21-GUN SALUTES HONORED THIS COMPLETED "AMPHIBIOUS TRANSPORT DOCK SHIP" AND THE EFFORT OF INCORPORATING THE MASSIVE FALLEN STEEL INTO THE USS NEW YORK. THE 21-GUN SALUTES EVEN MORESO WERE HONORING OUR FALLEN FELLOW AMERICANS WHOSE LIVES WERE LOST IN 9-11. THE USS NEW YORK ARRIVED ON THE EAST COAST SEVERAL DAYS AGO, TO BE COMMISSIONED TODAY, NOVEMBER 7TH AT ITS HOMEPORT AT NORFOLK, VA. - Patty Lee and Armand St. Martin

THESE DAYS THE HORNET FANS ARE ABOUT AS EXCITABLE ABOUT A HORNET'S GAME AS THE SAINTS FANS ARE ABOUT FOOTBALL SEASON! HALF-TIME MUSIC BY LOCALS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A NICE TREAT FOR FANS TOO. THUS, LOCAL SPORTS FANS WERE PARTICULARLY SADDENED BY HORNET OWNER GEORGE SHINN'S ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY THAT HE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH PROSTATE CANCER. HOWEVER, REPORTS ARE THAT MR. SHINN IS QUITE OPTIMISTIC AND HAS A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. HE IS BENT ON TAKING THE HORNETS TO THE TOP! ARMAND ST. MARTIN AND I JUST SAW HIM AND HIS SON-IN-LAW LAST WEEK, WHEN WE WERE DINING AT HUSTON'S WITH A DOCUMENTARY PRODUCER FRIEND OF OURS, ON ST. CHARLES AVENUE IN NEW ORLEANS. THE TWO SHINNS WERE BUT TWO TABLES DOWN FROM US AND WERE ENGAGED IN PRETTY SERIOUS, FOCUSED CONVERSATION. WE WISH MR. SHINN THE BEST AND HOPE FOR A SPEEDY RECOVERY BACK TO FULL HEALTH SO HE CAN BE RIGHT THERE CHEERING ON HIS TEAM TO THE CHAMPIONSHIPS! - PATTY LEE

RELEASED A DECADE AGO, ANNE RICE WAS GRACIOUS TO BE THE SPOKESWOMAN ON A PSA TO STOP CEMETERY ARTIFACT THEFT - - A UNIQUE 60 SECOND TELEVISION PSA WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY PATTY LEE AND ARMAND ST. MARTIN. (ARMAND ST. MARTIN COMPOSED AND RECORDED THE SCORE; PATTY LEE PRODUCED THE PSA; THE HUSBAND/WIFE TEAM OF PATTY LEE AND ARMAND ST. MARTIN WROTE THE SCRIPT AFTER HIGHLY-RESEARCHING THIS GRAVE ISSUE; AND ANNE RICE GENEROUSLY ALLOWED HER FILMING TO BE DONE AT HER HOME ON FIRST STREET IN THE GARDEN DISTRICT IN NEW ORLEANS. A LOCAL TV STATION SHOT THE FOOTAGE IN THE CEMETERIES AND EDITED THE FINAL, WITH A LOCAL FILM COMPANY SHOOTING THE FOOTAGE AT ANNE RICE'S HOME WITH PATTY LEE DIRECTING. ANNE RICE WAS A PERFECT HOST OF THE FILM SHOOT (AS WAS HER LONGTIME ASSISTANT SUE TEBBE), AND ANNE WAS A PERFECT SPOKESPERSON FOR THIS FIRST (AND STILL-ONLY) INTERNATIONALLY-VIEWED PSA ABOUT THIS VERY SERIOUS SUBJECT. THE PSA HAS BEEN AIRED AROUND THE WORLD AND HAS HAD AN IMPACT TOWARDS STOPPING CEMETERY ARTIFACT THEFT FOR RESALE BY ART DEALERS OVER THIS PAST DECADE, AND COUNTING. IF YOU EVER SEE A CEMETERY ARTIFACT FOR SALE IN ANY MARKETPLACE, DO NOT BUY IT, AND DO EACH FAMILY A FAVOR WHO IS MISSING A LOST ARTIFACT BY REPORTING STOLEN CEMETERY ARTIFACTS YOU MIGHT SEE FOR SALE. THANK YOU. KEEP THE FAITH. - PATTY LEE

HI FRIENDS! WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY IN NEW ORLEANS TODAY - - SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST. FIRST OF ALL, THE TIME CHANGED EARLY THIS MORNING ACROSS AMERICA, SO WE "FELL BACK" FOR WINTER GIVING US A NEW HOUR OF DAYLIGHT IN THE MORNING! IT'S ALSO "ALL SAINTS DAY" IN NEW ORLEANS TODAY, THE DAY FOLLOWING HALLOWEEN EACH YEAR! AND NEW ORLEANIANS TURN OUT IN DROVES TO VISIT THEIR FAMILY TOMBS. ANCESTOR WORSHIP IS VERY BIG HERE! FOLKS WHITEWASH THEIR TOMBS, DELIVER FLOWERS TO THEIR TOMB STEPS, HAVE PICNICS AROUND THEM, HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY STOP BY TO VISIT. IT'S NEARLY LIKE A JAZZ FUNERAL IN SPIRIT AT SOME CEMETERIES, (AND JAZZ FUNERALS ARE HELD IN PARTS OF THE CITY TOO). PEOPLE VISIT THEIR FAMILY TOMBS WITH RESPECT, BUT WITH MANY BEING HAPPY ON ALL SAINTS DAY IN NEW ORLEANS, THE EXPERIENCE IS NOT ONLY SAD BECAUSE LOVED ONES HAVE PASSED ON, BUT IT'S ALSO RATHER A CELEBRATION OF LIFE IN HONOR OF THOSE WHO HAVE GONE ON BEFORE US. TOURISTS EVEN GO TO THE GRAVEYARDS TO VIEW ALL OUR ABOVE-GROUND TOMBS, WITH MANY ARRIVING ON TOUR BUSES, WITH GUIDES! IT'S QUITE A DAY EACH YEAR, AND BY NIGHTFALL (EXCEPT IN SOME OUTLYING AREAS), THE CEMETERIES ARE CLOSED BY DUSK, SUMMONING THE END OF "ALL SAINTS DAY" AT THE CEMETERIES UNTIL NEXT YEAR. HOWEVER, WHILE THE CEMETERIES MAY BE EMPTY OF HUMANS BY NIGHTFALL, BEWARE OF NEW ORLEANS GHOSTS AND GOBLINS AND SPIRITS THAT MIGHT LOOM IN THE CHILL NIGHT AIR! - PATTY LEE

THE MEGA-ROCK-GROUP KISS HEADLINES THE VOODOO FEST IN NEW ORLEANS FOR HALLOWEEN TONIGHT! I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO HOST THE ORIGINAL KISS BAND IN HOLLYWOOD WAY BACK WHEN THEY FIRST WERE DISCOVERED AND WERE BRAND NEW TO THE BIG L.A. SCENE, HAVING COME OUT TO L.A. FROM NY. THIS WAS REALLY WAY BACK - - WHEN PETER CRISS' FIRST WIFE LYDIA CUSTOM-MADE MOST OF THEIR COSTUMES! THE BAND ATTENDED SEVERAL PARTIES (in full KISS COSTUMES WITH MAKE-UP, OF COURSE)) which I GAVE IN LAUREL CANYON IN THE GOOD OLE DAYS WITH MY OTHER HOUSEMATES, WHO WERE ALSO IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY LIKE I WAS. (I HAD BEEN A DJ PREVIOUSLY.) ONE DAY AFTER A TAPING, I GAVE KISS A RIDE over TO CASABLANCA RECORDS, with ALL FOUR OF THEM IN THEIR FULL GARB and MAKE-UP, WITH ME DRIVING IN MY 1972 VW BUG! THIS WAS BEFORE ANYBODY KNEW WHO THEY WERE! I OFTEN WONDERED WHAT THE GAWKING PEOPLE IN PASSING CARS THOUGHT SINCE IT WAS NOT AT ALL HALLOWEEN; HOWEVER, IT WAS HOLLYWOOD! THE OVERSTUFFED VW WAS ON THE PAR OF SEEING HOW MANY COLLEGE KIDS COULD FIT INTO ONE PHONE BOOTH! THEY WERE VERY GOOD SPORTS ABOUT IT! I INTERVIEWED KISS FOR SEVERAL MUSIC MAGAZINE STORIES AND ENJOYED THEIR CREATIVE ASPIRATIONS, FIGURING THEY WOULD HIT BIG - - LIKE THEY HAVE DONE FOR ALL THESE YEARS! HOWEVER, I NEVER THOUGHT THE ORIGINAL FOUR WOULD EVER BREAK UP. I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE FOURSOME WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYS, BUT TONIGHT IN NEW ORLEANS, GENE SIMMONS AND PAUL STANLEY WILL COMMAND THE HELM WITH HIRED GUNS REPLACING PETER AND ACE. I'M SURE THEY WILL STILL ROCK 'N ROLL ALL NIGHT LONG! - Patty Lee

GREETINGS EVERYBODY! IT'S HALLOWEEN IN NEW ORLEANS! AND HERE, HALLOWEEN KICKS OFF THIS MEGA-PARTY-CITY WITH THE ZEST OF MARDI GRAS! HALLOWEEN COSTUMES ABOUND, MUSIC EVERYWHERE, FOOD, FUN AND LOTS OF SECOND-LINE DANCING! KISS IS IN TOWN TO HEADLINE THE VOODOO FEST TONIGHT, HALLOWEEN NIGHT AND GENE SIMMONS WILL BE FLAMING AT THE MOUTH AS HE ALWAYS IS FOR EXCITED CONCERT-GOERS! LAST NIGHT ARMAND AND I ROCKED AND BOWLED ALL NIGHT LONG AT ROCK N BOWL, WITH THE NEW LOCATION FILLED TO OVER-FLOWING. THERE IS NEVER A DULL MOMENT IN THE CITY THAT CARE FORGOT! CHECK IT OUT SOMETIME, IF YOU AREN'T ALREADY HERE IN THE BIG EASY! MORE LATER! PATTY LEE

Armand and I were greeted back-stage by decades-long friend and fellow musician, Kenny Gradney in New Orleans Thursday night at the House of Blues - - where Kenny on bass was headlining with his very-longtime band members of Little Feat: Bill Payne, Paul Barrere, Sam Clayton, Fred Tackett and sitting-in for Richie Hayward on drums, Gabe Ford. (WE ARE SENDING GET-WELL THOUGHTS TO RICHIE.) Nobody on earth plays "Dixie Chicken" like Little Feat! The 2-hour non-stop concert had New Orleans on its feet, understandably so! In fact, LITTLE FEAT'S mega-hit "Dixie Chicken" incorporated New Orleans musical influences and styles which makes sense with Kenny Gradney being a native New Orleanian himself! This band is known particularly for its live performances but that is not to overlook their amazing discography of albums they have released over 40 years, with their original mix of blues-rock, jazz rock, funk rock, rock and roll and country rock. I call it "funk fusion"! Their latest "Join the Band" release last year was co-produced out of a labor of love by Jimmy Buffet, and includes various superstar friends guesting as leads on various songs on the album with Little Feat being the core band, of course. Vince Gill, Bob Seeger, Emmylou Harris, Dave Matthews and Jimmy Buffet, among others, appear on this collectible. And back to Thursday night at the venue. We enjoyed being able to visit with Kenny during the afternoon, before the show and afterwards as well. In fact, as their tour bus and entourage of equipment trucks were about to pull away in the wee hours at the end of the night, Kenny, Armand and I were still chatting it up on the sidewalk (catching up on news about family, friends in common and music)! He was the last person to hop aboard as his tour bus disappeared into the New Orleans night air and was off to their next concert in FLA. They would sleep on the road. Their concert was an amazing feat, never-missing-a-beat, a constant stream of Little Feat hits without breaks - really non-stop, amazing performances and music from minute-one to the end of their encore! Kenny Gradney performed his extraordinary bass playing all night long at the House of Blues, as well as on Armand St. Martin's CD, "Alligator Ball" and some of those songs were compiled to reappear on Armand St. Martin's 2008-09 release "Katrina Anthem". Kenny on bass and Armand on synth and back-up singing also toured together in the early 1980's on Epic Records to promote Micheal Smotherman's freshman album; they also appeared on Smotherman's rock video for Showtime in the '80s which was a precursor of MTV. Kenny, Armand and I were able to catch up, call his wife in L.A. to say hi, and talk music, music, music before and after Little Feat's dynamic, sold-out concert! And our friend, photographer Bob Compton, made the meet and greet possible by letting Armand and I know Little Feat was scheduled to perform. We hadn't seen the paper and didn't know they were in town! And after meeting the band members, we later ran into Fred Tackett at dinner and Paul Barrere at the Louisiana Music Factory record store, where we chatted some more! We were thrilled to spend the evening with our great buddy and friend, Kenny Gradney, and he was most gracious to supply us immediately with All Access passes for the evening at the House of Blues! Thanks Kenny for the most enjoyable of evenings, especially for us here in Post Katrina New Orleans! - Patty Lee for Armand St. Martin

Armand and I were greeted back-stage by decades-long friend and fellow musician, Kenny Gradney in New Orleans Thursday night at the House of Blues - - where Kenny on bass was headlining with his very-longtime band members of Little Feat: Bill Payne, Paul Barrere, Sam Clayton, Fred Tackett and sitting-in for Richie Hayward on drums, Gabe Ford. (WE ARE SENDING GET-WELL THOUGHTS TO RICHIE.) Nobody on earth plays "Dixie Chicken" like Little Feat! The 2-hour non-stop concert had New Orleans on its feet, understandably so! In fact, LITTLE FEAT'S mega-hit "Dixie Chicken" incorporated New Orleans musical influences and styles which makes sense with Kenny Gradney being a native New Orleanian himself! This band is known particularly for its live performances but that is not to overlook their amazing discography of albums they have released over 40 years, with their original mix of blues-rock, jazz rock, funk rock, rock and roll and country rock. I call it "funk fusion"! Their latest "Join the Band" release last year was co-produced out of a labor of love by Jimmy Buffet, and includes various superstar friends guesting as leads on various songs on the album with Little Feat being the core band, of course. Vince Gill, Bob Seeger, Emmylou Harris, Dave Matthews and Jimmy Buffet, among others, appear on this collectible. And back to Thursday night at the venue. We enjoyed being able to visit with Kenny during the afternoon, before the show and afterwards as well. In fact, as their tour bus and entourage of equipment trucks were about to pull away in the wee hours at the end of the night, Kenny, Armand and I were still chatting it up on the sidewalk (catching up on news about family, friends in common and music)! He was the last person to hop aboard as his tour bus disappeared into the New Orleans night air and was off to their next concert in FLA. They would sleep on the road. Their concert was an amazing feat, never-missing-a-beat, a constant stream of Little Feat hits without breaks - really non-stop, amazing performances and music from minute-one to the end of their encore! Kenny Gradney performed his extraordinary bass playing all night long at the House of Blues, as well as on Armand St. Martin's CD, "Alligator Ball" and some of those songs were compiled to reappear on Armand St. Martin's 2008-09 release "Katrina Anthem". Kenny on bass and Armand on synth and back-up singing also toured together in the early 1980's on Epic Records to promote Micheal Smotherman's freshman album; they also appeared on Smotherman's rock video for Showtime in the '80s which was a precursor of MTV. Kenny, Armand and I were able to catch up, call his wife in L.A. to say hi, and talk music, music, music before and after Little Feat's dynamic, sold-out concert! And our friend, photographer Bob Compton, made the meet and greet possible by letting Armand and I know Little Feat was scheduled to perform. We hadn't seen the paper and didn't know they were in town! And after meeting the band members, we later ran into Fred Tackett at dinner and Paul Barrere at the Louisiana Music Factory record store, where we chatted some more! We were thrilled to spend the evening with our great buddy and friend, Kenny Gradney, and he was most gracious to supply us immediately with All Access passes for the evening at the House of Blues! Thanks Kenny for the most enjoyable of evenings, especially for us here in Post Katrina New Orleans! - Patty Lee for Armand St. Martin