Blues Society of Western PA - Newsletter

I interviewed Tab Benoit and it took a totally different direction than any other that I had done. I am not saying that that is a bad thing, but his tale of the people and the land of Louisiana captivated me. He came on strong and I admire his conviction. I phoned Tab and the conversation went like this:

Tab Benoit: Hello?
Don Vecchio: Hi, Tab. This is Don from the Blues Society of Western PA located in Pittsburgh and I wanted to talk for a few minutes if I may.

TB: Sure, how are you, Don?
DV: Fine, thanks. I want first to congratulate you on winning the Blues Foundation award for “Contemporary Male Art of the Year” for the second year in a row! That’s incredible!

TB: Well, thanks. It was a great honor.

DV: Tab, you have a different style to your music, blues with a Cajun influence. Is there any one person who influenced you most?
TB: Well, (pauses), not really. It was just so many different people in so many ways. As far as my career, it was people like Raful Neal and Tabby Thomas who told me, “Do what’s in my heart.” …when I was playing Baton Rouge at a young age. “Don’t try to be something you’re not.” I listened and hoped it would work for me. After that, it’s just.. “jump off the cliff and hope the parachute opens.” (Laughs)
DV: (Laughing) I like that.
TB: Well, it was scary at first wondering if it would work.

DV: Tab, I know that you are deeply involved with trying to stop the erosion of the Louisiana coast as President of VOW, (Voice of the Wetlands). I think that I read where an area the size of a football field gets swallowed into the
ocean every hour.
TB: That’s every half hour.
DV: Wow, that is awful. What is the reason and can anything be done to reverse it?
TB: It is a man-made problem. The levees set up by the Army Corps of Engineers is stopping the natural flow of the Mississippi River. The river’s natural flow helps build land. With the levees in place, the Mississippi can no longer hold back the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf continues to eat up land at a staggering rate. The sad part is that they knew it was a bad idea years ago…back in the late 30’s. They continued building the levees anyway, finishing in the 60’s. Not far away is an example of how it should be. The Atchafalaya River has lush land that is formed by by its natural path. This is how it should be.
DV: Why did they continue?
TB: Who knows. From what I have seen, it is just the way the Corps goes. They work on a project ‘til it is done then Moves on to a new job and they don’t look back. No follow up.

DV: That is a shame. I had no idea.
TB: They do not want you to. You know I love my country, but sometimes we need to look out for ourselves first. The Tax money would be better served here where our people need it than overseas.
DV: You mean like rebuilding New Orleans and helping families who lost their homes.
TB: Oh! You know that three years after Katrina and there are 35,000 families, FAMILIES, not people, still in FEMA trailers. These trailers were made to house people for no more than sixty days. I did a concert in Elkhart, Indiana, where the trailers were made and the people were horrified that people were still living in them. They were treated with formaldehyde so that they would hold up for a few months and then be destroyed. People are breathing in those fumes now. Houston took in 400,000 people alone! 400,000! Many stayed but if you go by their homes it looks like Katrina just went through…and it is three years after the storm. Red tape and lack of money keep anyone from doing anything. If you want to rebuild, you go on a list of a million and wait for an Ok. It is not just the poor who suffered here either. After Hurricane Andrew went through, insurance companies dropped flood insurance for the area. FEMA took over the insurance, which was good at the time. Because of all the claims, they, they were giving a max of $200,000 a home. Not only that, but the way they do it is, “you pay for it and we’ll reimburse you.” People with $500,000 homes had to still pay on a home that they couldn’t live in but would only get $200,000 to rebuild. Rebuilding a $500,000 home may cost them a million today. So, they would have to make payments and pay to rebuild at the same time-hoping to get only some money back later.

DV: That is awful. I suppose most of them moved to wherever they could.
TB: Oh, yes, they rebuilt the tourist area and that is good for the economy here. However, only a few blocks away it is still unlivable.
DV: You seem to be very involved.
TB: I never got into politics ‘til after Katrina. There are things that can help. There was a river management bill that Bush vetoed. Congress then overturned it! That was a victory for us. I think I have at least a few allies. This woman used to come to the concerts and was on the dance floor. A few years ago, she came up to me and said, “I elected governor of Kansas.” She is Kathleen Sebelius. She is also on the short list of VP candidates for Obama.

DV: Do you have any message for Pittsburgh blues fans?
TB: When you vacation, go to New Orleans! Its tourist district is as good as ever. Take some time to drive a few blocks away though and see what people are going through. When you get back, write to your congressman and ask for help for the area. If you want a democracy, you have to get involved.

DV: Thank you.

–Don Vecchio