We are also thrilled to announce the recent release of the Ponderosa Stomp short film. The Ponderosa Stomp was founded to showcase and honor the world's most authentic performers of rockabilly, R&B, jazz, blues, garage, soul, funk, and swamp pop. The film focuses on Classie Ballou, Lil' Buck Sinegal and Roy Head, integral Stomp performers. These three exemplary artists enjoyed early success, but found themselves toiling in obscurity later in life. When music fan Brian Gourley attended the Stomp, he was transfixed by the music and amazed that such a small group was able to bring so much music and cultural information to the fore on a shoestring. After offering to executive produce a film, he began fund-raising and working with acclaimed director Jeff Nichols (Shotgun Stories won the Grand Jury Prize at the Austin Film Festival) and the Butler Bros production team. Gourley explains, "The film presented itself at the right time; it let me pour my love of music into a project that I thought would help give props to its roots. Without roots, there are no trees."

After seeing this moving film, it is easy to see the importance of the Stomp's mission and the impact of its work. Continuing to recognize influential artists like Ballou, Sinegal and Head and hundreds of others and documenting their stories is a fundamental part of the Foundation's mission. Plans to expand an oral history archive are moving forward and the "Secret History of Rock n' Roll" is currently on exhibit at the Louisiana State Museum.

As this year has proven, we are an organization who never likes to be idle. As such, yet another exciting change for the coming year - we will hold the 9th Annual Stomp concert on a weekend in the Fall for 2010. Citing the gorgeous autumn weather, moving all events to a weekend instead of mid-week for locals who aren't vacationing and cost economies for out of town fans, Stomp staffers, led by Ira Padnos, will be able to take the Stomp to its full potential. Look for more news on an exact date and locale shortly!