Starz Entertainment Group Presents New Orleans Premiere of Documentary About Musicians Devastated by Katrina

Starz Entertainment Group Presents New Orleans Premiere of Documentary About Musicians Devastated by Katrina

Premiere Screening at Landmark Theatre Followed by Benefit Concert Featuring Performances by Irma Thomas, Kermit Ruffins, Theresa Andersson and Others

'New Orleans Music in Exile' to Premiere on Starz InBlack Friday, May 19, 2006

NEW ORLEANS, May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Starz Entertainment Group LLC (SEG) will help bring music back to New Orleans with the premiere screening of its feature-length original documentary "New Orleans Music in Exile" on Saturday, May 13, 2006. The day-long event begins with a public screening at 11:45 a.m. followed by an invitation-only screening at 2:30 p.m. both at the Landmark Theatre in the Canal Place Center. The day culminates with a private Benefit Concert Celebration at Tipitina's French Quarter at 5:30 p.m. featuring performances by famed New Orleans musicians including Irma Thomas, Kermit Ruffins, Theresa Andersson, ReBirth Brass Band and World Leader Pretend.

"New Orleans Music in Exile" will premiere exclusively on Starz InBlack at 7 p.m. ct. Friday, May 19, 2006, with an encore presentation on Starz, Saturday, May 20th at 12:00 p.m. ct.

The New Orleans event is part of SEG's dual commitment to premiere the documentary which chronicles the horror and heartbreak of musicians who lived through the disaster and to help raise funds to benefit local musicians and junior and high school music departments throughout New Orleans. Earlier this year, SEG, in conjunction with The Tipitina's Foundation, launched a fundraising campaign to support the Foundation's "Instruments A Comin" and "Hurricane Katrina: Artist Relief" programs. These ongoing efforts provide material support for school music programs and direct assistance to musicians and their families affected by Hurricane Katrina. SEG will make a monetary contribution to Tipitina's at the concert on May 13th. For more information about The Tipitina's Foundation, visit www.tipitinasfoundation.org.

"'New Orleans Music in Exile' presents us with the ideal opportunity to do something about the catastrophic devastation that Katrina had on New Orleans' famed music culture," said Robert B. Clasen, president and CEO, SEG. "As we prepared for the film's premiere on Starz InBlack, we realized that we could use the film as a vehicle to help musicians and junior and high school music departments. The "New Orleans Music in Exile Concert and Benefit" will help bring the music that we all love and enjoy back to the streets and the schools in New Orleans. We invite anyone who cares about this city to contribute to this worthwhile cause -- The Tipitina's Foundation -- to help restore New Orleans' treasured music culture."

Directed by noted music documentarian Robert Mugge (Last of the Mississippi Jukes, Blues Divas), "New Orleans Music in Exile" is a story of struggle, inspiration and the power of the Crescent City's music history. Musicians featured in the documentary include Dr. John, Cyril Neville, Kermit Ruffins, Irma Thomas, the Iguanas, the ReBirth Brass Band and others. In addition to performing, they share their personal stories of how Katrina affected their lives, scattering them to other cities, and how they are getting back on their feet. The film's co-producer is Diana Zelman.

Filming of "New Orleans Music in Exile" began two months after the muddy waters roiled by Katrina, drenched homes and neighborhoods like the Lower Ninth Ward, St. Bernard Parish, Treme' and Algiers, where many musicians lived, but were forced to leave, scattering them to other cities.

Viewers will see the devastation first hand. Blues singer Irma Thomas walks through her famous club, the Lions Den, which was destroyed by the storm and unfortunately will not be rebuilt. We also visit her soaked, soiled and severely damaged home. Kermit Ruffins talks about his lost possessions and move to Houston. Paul Sanchez of Cowboy Mouth shares how he has been living out of his tour bus. He says, "My home had ten feet of water and I had nine-foot ceilings. The first month was easy to keep your spirits up, because it was like, this adventure ... But now, we're over two months in and the fun's gone out of it and I just want to go home." Phil Frazer, leader of the ReBirth Brass Band says, "I lost a couple of cars and the roof was gone from my house. Both of our drummers, their houses were submerged under water completely. They lost everything."

People interested in contributing to help New Orleans musicians and music programs can send donations to Tipitina's Foundation, Attention: Music in Exile, 800 Baronne Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70113.

Starz Entertainment Group LLC (SEG) is a premium movie service provider operating in the United States. SEG offers 16 movie channels including the flagship Starz(R) and Encore(R) brands with approximately 14 million and 26 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment Group airs more than 1,000 movies per month across its pay TV channels and offers advanced services including Starz HDTV, Starz On Demand and Vongo(SM). Starz Entertainment Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation, www.starz.com.

Contacts: Jyl Benson Chelsye J. Burrows
Keating Magee Starz Entertainment Group
504.899.1413 720.852.5838
jylb@cox.netchelsye.burrows@starz.com

Jonathan Taylor
The Lippin Group
323.965.1990
jtaylor@lippingroup.com

Web sites: http://www.starz.com
http://www.tipitinasfoundation.org

Source: Starz Entertainment Group LLC

CONTACT: Jyl Benson of Keating Magee, +1-504-899-1413, jylb@cox.net, for
Starz Entertainment Group LLC; or Chelsye J. Burrows of Starz Entertainment
Group, +1-720-852-5838, chelsye.burrows@starz.com; or Jonathan Taylor of The
Lippin Group, +1-323-965-1990, jtaylor@lippingroup.com, for Starz
Entertainment Group LLC

NOTE TO EDITORS: Download high-resolution versions of related images at starz.mediaroom.com

-------
Profile: intent