FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 18, 2024
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR NUNGESSER AND LOUISIANA OFFICE OF TOURISM ANNOUNCE "YEAR OF MUSIC" CAMPAIGN
BATON ROUGE, La. – Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Tourism announced the launch of the “Year of Music” campaign, designed to emphasize Louisiana’s musical culture and historical impacts across a variety of genres. As the birthplace of jazz, Cajun and zydeco music, Louisiana’s music is one of the state’s defining characteristics. The year officially kicked off with Louisiana’s float and performance in the 135th annual Rose Parade® on January 1 in Pasadena, Calif. The parade’s theme was “Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language.” The Explore Louisiana float took home the Showmanship Award for the second year in a row.
The Explore Louisiana float featured a larger-than-life Mardi Gras jester, fleur-de-lis and second-line-inspired umbrellas. Louisiana once again took the stage for the mid-parade performance. Mardi Gras music was performed by Louisiana musicians - Louisiana Music Hall of Famer and fiddler Amanda Shaw; James Burton, who is ranked number 24 in Rolling Stone’s list of 250 greatest guitarists of all time and has played with the likes of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash; and four-time GRAMMY-nominated Zydeco artist Sean Ardoin.
“We were really excited to kick off our Year of Music at the Rose Parade this year,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “We have an incredible amount of musical talent in Louisiana, and every year it attracts visitors from all over the world. All throughout 2024 we’re going to be inviting people to come and hear our great music in person at music venues all across the state.”
The Rose Parade is just one example of how Louisiana is celebrating the “Year of Music.” The state will also be participating in events such as CMA Fest in Nashville and DC Jazz Festival in Washington D.C. Louisiana is also working with Louisiana-based artists on a series of social media takeovers for these talented music ambassadors to share what they love about Louisiana and what inspires their music and writing.
The “Year of Music” also coincides with the launch of the Louisiana Music Trail, which will go live on ExploreLouisiana.com later this month. The trail celebrates all the genres of music Louisiana has impacted, the artists of Louisiana, historical sites, music venues and more.
“The music trail is a great opportunity to share our musical history and culture with the world,” said Assistant Secretary of Tourism Doug Bourgeois. “Through exploring the trail visitors can discover hidden gems and gain a deeper appreciation of Louisiana’s impact on a huge variety of musical genres.”
To stay up to date on Louisiana’s plans, visit the Explore Louisiana Year of Music webpage.
Contact Information:
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Jennifer Berthelot |
Veronica Mosgrove |
