The Rhythm & Roots Festival held annually on Labor Day weekend is actively seeking a new site at which to hold the event in 2009. The festival has been located at Ninigret Park in Charlestown, RI for the past ten years. Due to a number of proposed changes in the rules and regulations within the park, the Rhythm & Roots management feels that it has no choice but to seek a new home for the 2009 festival.

Festival co-producer Mary Tyler Doub states, “When we arrived at Ninigret Park ten years ago, we made a significant investment in the park’s infrastructure. Our intention was to make this site our permanent home. Proposed changes by the Town Council and the Parks & Recreation Commission have sent us a strong signal that we need to find a new location for next year. We are fully committed, though, to holding our 2008 festival at Ninigret Park in Charlestown.”

The festival is looking for a site of approximately 70 acres that can be used for a performance area, camping, parking and support sites. Areas of interest are in the Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts regions. Anyone with suggestions for a new site should contact us at Production@RhythmandRoots.com or 401-783-3926.

As of Easter Sunday, March 23, “Rhythm & Roots On the Air” is no longer on the air at WJZS-99.3FM. A recent change in upper management and direction in programming has led to Rhythm & Roots On the Air being dropped from the WJZS schedule. Rhythm & Roots On the Air first aired on January 23, 2007 and was broadcast on Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00pm. The show was hosted and produced by Chuck Wentworth, the Co-producer of the annual Rhythm & Roots Festival held annually on Labor Day weekend at Ninigret Park in Charlestown, RI.

Fans of Roots music can continue to listen to Chuck on WRIU- 90.3 FM on Monday evenings from 6:00 to 9:00pm. More information about Chuck, Rhythm & Roots and WRIU-90.3 FM can be found at www.mardigrasri.com.

On Sunday, January 28 we debuted “Rhythm & Roots On the Air” on WJZS 99.3 FM. The show airs every Sunday night from 6:00- 8:00 p.m. Located in Newport RI, WJZS can reach most of Rhode Island, eastern Connecticut and the Cape and Islands in Massachusetts.

We play a wide variety of roots music ranging from Americana to Zydeco and the blues, bluegrass, Cajun country, rockabilly and swing. Pretty much the type of music that you get to hear at Rhythm & Roots Festival live each Labor Day weekend.

We will feature weekly updates on what’s happening with our plans for the upcoming festival season and we will give you a heads up of who’s playing long before we put it out to press.

The show is hosted by Chuck Wentworth, the co-producer of Rhythm & Roots Festival and a 28 year veteran of roots music radio at WRIU 90.3 FM from Kingston, RI. His three hour program, “Traditions” can be heard on WRIU 90.3 FM Mondays from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

“Rhythm & Roots On the Air” is Chuck’s first venture into the world of commercial radio. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Chuck at 401-783-3926 or email chukwent@cox.net.

Keep listening and support local terrestrial radio.

LOUISIANA MUSICIANS HURRICANE RELIEF BENEFIT - Update
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, Cranston RI

Katrina fundraiser totals

Income

• Tickets (544 X $25) $13600
• Donations 580
• McLaughlin & Moran 1000
• Raffle 1013
• CD Sales 225
• Total $16418

Expenses

• Full House expenses $320
• Klondike’s transportation 296
• Bergsten’s backline costs 485
• Marcia’s airline cost 337
• Cranston police and fire 892
• Car rental 75
• Total $2405
• Net proceeds $14013

Distribution

• Katrina’s Piano Fund $8013
• Monk Boudreaux 1500
• Joe Krown 1500
• Carl Hollier 1500
• Marc Hewitt 1500
• Total $14013

This benefit was organized to assist Louisiana musicians that were directly impacted by hurricane Katrina. In our previous fundraising efforts at Rhythm & Roots on Labor Day weekend we raised over $80,000 that was presented to the American Red Cross. This time, we want to put the funds raised directly into the hands of the Louisiana musicians whose lives and livelihood have been disrupted by this tragedy. A portion of the funds generated will go to the Katrina Piano Fund, a non-profit set up by John “Klondike” Koehler, our friend for over twenty years. Klon and a group of his friends have set up this fund to get musical instruments into the hands of Louisiana musicians who lost their gear in the hurricane. Find out more about their efforts at www.katrinaspianofund.org. We want to help preserve the great music and culture of Louisiana that these musicians strive to keep alive on a daily basis. Now, in their time of need, we are asking you to join us in a celebration of their music and cultural heritage on Sunday, November 13 at the Rhodes on the Pawtuxet ballroom. Help us spread the word so we can do our part to keep the music flowing.

Special Thanks

Special thanks to all the following for helping us pull this benefit together:

• RHODES ON THE PAWTUXET for the use of the venue.
• KLONDIKE SOUND for sound reinforcement and backline.
• MCLAUGHLIN & MORAN DISTRIBUTORS for financial assistance.
• THE WESTIN HOTEL for lodging.
• FULL HOUSE PROMOTIONS for publicity and public relations.
• PROVIDENCE PHOENIX and SWING 99.3FM for publicity.
• COCA COLA for backstage beverages.
• SMOKING PICKLES, CHILI BROTHERS & SAL’S PRODUCTIONS for backstage catering.
• ALL THE MUSICIANS ( Marcia Ball, Duke Robillard Band, Creole Cowboys, Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez, Dikki Du & the Zydeco Crew, Jesse Lege’ & Friends and Planet Zydeco ) for donating their time and talents.
• MICHAEL ARNONE for website guidance and support.
• SAL’S PRODUCTIONS for support, encouragement and logistics.