Acknowledgments

A Closer Walk (ACW) would not have been possible without the support and contributions of many individuals, institutions, and organizations.

WWOZ’s presentation of A Closer Walk has been made possible by the very generous support of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation.

All of the ACW partners would like to thank David Freedman for his support and for helping to bring us together.

Randy Fertel would like to give special thanks to the late Ron Ridenhour, a George Polk Award winning investigative journalist, who loved New Orleans almost as much as he loved truth.

A Closer Walk is Made Possible with Support From:

Design Science
Greg Probst
The Historic New Orleans Collection
Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities
Louisiana State Museum
National Endowment for the Humanities
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation, Inc.
Threadhead Cultural Foundation

The A Closer Walk Partners Wish to Acknowledge and Thank:

WWOZ
David Freedman, Melanie Merz, David Stafford, Carrie Booher, and Dave Ankers for their work in making this project a reality

Rachel Lyons and Dolores Hooper of the Archive of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation

The Ponderosa Stomp Foundation
Alison Fensterstock for initiating our work on this project
Aimee Bussells for managing the creation of the website, and ongoing services to maintain it
Jordan Hirsch
The New Orleans Jazz History Tour
Kerri Mahoney
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Geoffrey Douville

e/Prime Media & Randy Fertel
Dr. Charles Chamberlain
Dr. Michael White
Freddi Evans
Dr. Bruce Raeburn
Lynn Abbott
Alaina Hebert
Greg Lambousy
David Kunian
Melissa Smith
Don Marquis
Rebecca Snedeker
Joel Dinerstein
Lenny Delbert Sr.
Jan Gilbert
Dr. Jacques Arpin
Monica Arpin
Dr. Lawrence Powell
Dr. Richard Campanella
New Orleans Center for the Gulf South
New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park

Bent Media
Aimee Bussells
Jordan Hirsch
Elliott Rounsavall
Kerri Mahoney
Heather Hampton
Lakeview Kid
Court Batson
Bunny Matthews
Jeff “Almost Slim” Hannusch
Rick Olivier

A Closer Walk is Grateful for the Opportunity to Present Images & Archival Material From:

Amistad Research Center
Aubrey Edwards
The Historic New Orleans Collection
Hogan Archive of New Orleans Music and New Orleans Jazz, Tulane University Special Collections
Infrogmation
Louisiana State Museum
The Matassa Family
Bunny Matthews
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation Archive
New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park
Sidney Smith
Wavelength Magazine

Ponderosa Stomp Foundation content written and provided by:

John Broven, author of Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans; South to Louisiana: The Music of the Cajun Bayous; and Record Makers and Breakers: Voices of the Independent Rock ‘n’ Roll Pioneers

Rick Coleman, author of Blue Monday: Fats Domino and the Lost Dawn of Rock ‘n’ Roll

Patrick Davis, also known as Lakeview Kid, music writer

Aubrey Edwards, portrait photographer, visual anthropologist, and educator

Jeff Hannusch, author of I Hear You Knockin’: The Sound of New Orleans Rhythm and Blues and The Soul of New Orleans: A Legacy of Rhythm and Blues

Jordan Hirsch, writer, consultant, and advocate

Michael Hurtt, musician and writer

red kelly, music writer

Hudson Marquez , painter, storyteller, writer, and video artist

Brice White, also known as DJ Brice Nice

Additional research and editing by Patrick Davis, Aubrey Edwards, Jordan Hirsch, Justin Mader, and Ellen McCusker.

e/Prime Media & Randy Fertel content written and provided by:

Charles Chamberlain, Ph.D. owns and operates his own research and consulting service, Historia, specializing in providing quality historical content and museum services. Based in New Orleans, Chamberlain is an accomplished historian with a Ph.D. in U.S. history from Tulane University who has published numerous articles on the history of jazz and the music and culture of the Gulf of Mexico basin.

Kevin McCaffrey, nationally recognized documentary film producer, writer, editor, oral historian, publisher, reviewer and consultant, with a long history of both commercial and volunteer service and collaboration

Randy Fertel, writer and philanthropist dedicated to the arts, education, New Orleans, and the environment

Karen Armagost, an interpretive ranger with the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Armagost studied U.S. history as an undergrad and holds a Masters in Preservation Studies from the Tulane University School of Architecture.  Armagost is also a New Orleans-licensed tour guide, specializing in the musical, architectural, and cultural history of New Orleans and Louisiana.

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