On the recordOctober 20, 2021
Mr. Speaker, COVID-19 has taken over 725,000 lives. One person gone too soon that I want to highlight is Bennie Pete, a New Orleans jazz musician. He passed away at the age of 45 from complications of COVID-19, shortly after deciding to get his first vaccine shot. Bennie played the tuba and cofounded the celebrated Hot 8 Brass Band. Born in the Upper Ninth Ward, he helped found the band by the age of 18. They played on street corners, parades, and funerals, and then at bars and bigger venues, and as second lines. When Hurricane Katrina hit, Hot 8 brought music to the city in a way that only New Orleans can in the challenging days after the storm, playing at evacuation shelters and medical centers. The band became local heroes, a sense of hope, a sense of energy in the days immediately following great despair. The Hot 8 grew in popularity, touring in Europe and playing at Tipitina's and the Jazz and Heritage Festival. New Orleans will never be the same. We have lost a little bit of our soul with the passing of Bennie Pete. May he rest in peace. Improving Louisiana's Environment and Industry
