We all know how much Music Matters. We also know how important it is that we place value on, and support those who create it. MusicMatters, Inc. was established in 2001 as a non profit to support Terrance’s artist advocacy efforts.
It’s a fact that rural communities in this country get neglected on just about every issue. In Louisiana access to quality education, health care and technology in the rural communities are impeding progress. These are issues that both our nation and state. However, in Louisiana poverty is impacting progress and our overall quality of life even more than in other states. The 2016 poverty rankings place the Pelican state at number 49. Poverty affects us all, and people working in the arts and music in Louisiana do not have support they need from national, state or local advocacy groups and political leadership. It’s been proven more than once that arts, culture and music in Louisiana are critical to the economy and economic development, yet they are not part of the economic planning lead by people who really do not understand the impact or needs of our artists.
In Louisiana, zydeco is an important part of the rural culture of St. Landry Parish, where Terrance was born. In fact some might say it is a defining factor in the cultural identity of rural SoLA. (South Louisiana). The city of Opelousas is at the epicentre of Creole culture and zydeco music. It is aptly named the “Zydeco Capital of the World”. Many of the genres’ pioneers were born in and around Opelousas and St. Landry Parish.
This region is still the epicenter of the genre – even the Grammy museum in Los Angeles understands this as they have a listening station with zydeco music and Opelousas noted on their music map. Additionally we donated a zydeco rubboard that has been on display there since they opened in 2008. In 2018, Cynthia Simien, Terrance’s wife and business partner was successful working with the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, a 45 million dollar facility near the famed Ryman Auditorium in the downtown cultural district -in having a zydeco exhibit installed in the museum that opens officially January 2019. The exhibit consists of Queen Ida Guillory’s Hohner accordion, Reggie Dural, the late Buckwheat Zydeco’s son, rubboard, a quilted Creole flag and Terrance’s West African Fulani hat.
The new DIY music business model today is being embraced by many of our emerging artists who are having great success as they are taking ownership of their music as a business and are creating opportunities. However, we all want to continue learning and while there is a great deal of information available online, geographically we are miles away from the music industry located in Los Angeles, New York and the third coast, Nashville. benefit by having more direct contact with those who are experienced and successful in their careers. Terrance has been mentoring young emerging artists for years.
We all need someone in our corner. At MusicMatters we take a holistic approach to advocacy work and our broader music eco system. We understand the need for a multi layered approach to building a stronger infrastructure for the future of our music.
So, in 2001 we successfully connected the larger zydeco & Cajun music community with the Recording Academy, the Grammy folks! This relationship helped us establish a new category for zydeco & Cajun music, that was later consolidated has consolidated into a Regional Roots category, but suffice to say that after 7 years of organizing we changed their vocabulary- forever. Done and done. We have also connected dozens to MusiCares for emergency financial assistance, and in turn we donate frequently to this remarkable organization under the Grammy Foundation umbrella.
Please place value on and consume local music.
There is an insatiable appetite in this country for all things local, farm to table produce, meat and other culinary products. There is a national effort to support local merchants and eating establishments whenever possible over national chains. However as history has proven, many times people take their own music heritage, history and artists for granted. We often don’t purchase our own music brands that have been exported all over the world for decades.
Some say, “that’s just the way it is” or “you’re never a prophet in your own back yard.” Well, we don’t buy this and we do not subscribe to that philosophy. Never have. Never will! Many of our local artists are living proof it does not have to be that way. They are taking ownership of the music heritage and monetizing their art. They are creating their own opportunities and are changing the attitude of the younger consumer who is investing in their local music by attending a ticketed performance or purchasing artist merch.
There is the other camp of zydeco artists – where Terrance has lived for 35+ years – those who’ve exported the music around the world, full time for decades. These artists havetheir own challenges. They have spent years leaving their families behind to tour beyond their state and country lines. However, in the process they have been able to reach so many more people with their culture and a genre of music many had not been exposed to before. They have helped changed the vocabulary, changed hearts and minds of people all over the world.
One of our proudest accomplishments.
“The Music in Me: Children’s Recitals From Classical to Latin, Jazz To Zydeco” is an HBO documentary film featuring a young 5 year old from Frilot Cove, LA Guyland Leday -released in 2006 it still airs today. Terrance can also be seen inthis fabulous film. PDF New York Times feature about the project here: Guyland Leday NYTimes. We are doc film fanatics around here. That’s our reality TV! We are here to tell you that HBO doc films are the highest quality and we know firsthand how much time, the mostly female, creative team from HBO invested in this project. We were at their side every step of the way as they experienced Guyland and Louisiana rural Creole culture for the first time. The New York Times article about the project can be found here!
In 2013 MusicMatters Records released its first independent, GRAMMY award winning CD “Dockside Sessions” under this imprint.
We also book some of the most skilled and professional zydeco artists at events around the world and consult on projects that positively support them.
MusicMatters wishes to thank our friend and attorney Gary McGoffin, of McGoffin Durio Law Firm, Lafayette, LA for his generosity in helping us create our non profit corporation. Our contributions to the broader arts & culture of Louisiana speaks for itself, however the support we give to individual artists sometimes never makes news, but we are making a difference.
MusicMatters, Inc. 132 Vivian Drive, Lafayette, LA 70508 337.837.9997
PayPal donations are greatly appreciated using this email address. musicmattersnow@aol.com
