New Orleans Live
Hi, my name is Ernest Collins and I've been very fortunate and blessed to have had a long career in local programming and arts & entertainment. During this time I've discovered my why, the very thing I believe I was put here to do.
I'm originally from Kansas City, Mo., but I moved to my adopted hometown of New Orleans in 1983. I was immediately attracted by the special ambiance of a city with great music, a rich cultural heritage, and something dynamic and exciting happening all the time.
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In 1996 I collaborated with several other very talented and passionate producers to launch a show that captured the music and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana. The show was called Louisiana Jukebox and very soon we realized that the effort to produce a television program that does justice to some of the most talented musicians anywhere required more than we ever dreamed. More money, more time, more work. We worked insane hours, agonized over every detail, fought, stressed out, won awards, and loved every minute we spent working on this show.
In 2002 I left Cox for a great opportunity to be Director of Arts & Entertainment for the City of New Orleans. Although we were able to accomplish phenomenal things in arts & entertainment while I was in this role, nothing I've done in my life comes close to the personal fulfillment of producing a program that showcases the greatest natural resource of New Orleans, its music.
Anders Osborne & Big Chief Monk Boudreaux
So here we are in 2015, and once again I'm turning to something I'm passionate about, rediscovering my why. New Orleans has a shining jewel that demands to be shown to the rest of the world, the music and culture of this great city. It has played a significant role in the post Katrina rebuilding of New Orleans. That dynamic, diverse, exhilarating, exquisite music needs to reach the far corners of the globe and with your help a new show will be created that accomplishes that goal.
The new show is New Orleans Live, and it will be produced in full high definition (HD) video and high fidelity audio and distributed worldwide via broadcast, satellite, cable and digital platforms. You have the opportunity to be a part of something special by simply selecting one of the support levels and making a contribution. Music is the universal language. With your help, we can not only spread a little joy to the world but also change the lives of people in New Orleans for the better.
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The legendary Gatemouth Brown
As a fan of great music anywhere in America and around the world, here is why this is an exciting development you'll have an interest in supporting. New Orleans Live will follow the very successful format of Louisiana Jukebox in presenting three diverse musical acts at distinct levels of their career. A relatively unknown local band, a regional act that has some success and notoriety, and a headliner that has more of a national or possibly international profile. Yes, something for everyone!
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The Magnolia Sisters
New Orleans Live will adopt two music related charities in the city. The first is
The Roots of Music which is an after school tutoring and music education program that forms students into a marching band and the second is
The New Orleans Musicians Clinic which provides free healthcare to musicians who otherwise have no access to healthcare. A portion of any profits generated by
New Orleans Live will go toward supporting these two charities.
New Orleans Live will also select young people from the Youth Correctional Center (Juvenile Jail) and teach and mentor them with valuable life changing skills. These will not be social experiments but practical, pragmatic efforts to have a positive and lasting effect on this community.
Our fundraising goal of 200,000 will be matched by another 100,000 raised from sponsorship which will pay for the initial season of 13 one hour episodes of New Orleans Live. Your contribution will help us preserve historical musical performances and generate some nice perks in return for you (see list of perks).
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Charmaine Neville
My production team and I have a long and successful track record of producing music shows. We have prepared well and are poised to execute a show that will put New Orleans music on the same level of shows like Austin City Limits (ACL).
We will produce New Orleans Live, even if we do not reach our fundraising goal. We will find a way, so any assistance you provide will absolutely put us closer to realizing this vision. If for some reason you are unable to contribute, help us in other ways by spreading the word of what we're attempting to do. As you can see, it is a huge effort with implications far beyond our primary purpose. Thank you for your assistance and together we're going to do something very special!
Ernest Collins
Executive Producer
New Orleans Live
