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Get your vote on for Derrick Tabb, the founder of Roots of Music, for CNN's Hero of the Year. The $100,000 grant awarded to the winner of the contest will go very far in Derrick's hands...and it will contribute to the kids learning from local musicians as well as through the R of M classes. For example, when I went to see Bonerama at the Rock N' Bowl last Saturday, I saw a group of kids in the program checking out the band's performance...and then Craig Klein brought the trombone player of the group out at the beginning of the second set:

The trombone the kid in the plaid shirt is playing is Klein's instrument; he stood at the side of the stage for this number and encouraged all of the seven trombone players up there to rock it and reel it, at nearly midnight on a Saturday.

And they did.

Without Roots of Music, certainly some musical traditions will still be passed on to the next generation here in New Orleans, but the number of school bands that would be aiding the transfer is dwindling due to lingering effects of the Federal Flood four years ago and to the lack of funds coming up for any arts and music programs in the schools. Support a good program and vote early and often, 'til November 19th!