Her resume called her a cultural anthropologist, event coordinator, and project consultant. But that doesn’t even come close to summing up the life of Gloria Powers (pictured with Kermit Ruffins and John Boutte).
Born in 1945, she was a tireless advocate for the musicians and the music community of New Orleans. I first encountered her when she booked Michael Ray & The Cosmic Krewe. The legendary trumpeter who played with Sun Ra and Kool and the Gang before relocating to New Orleans, led a band that had an ever-changing roster of musicians. “Glo” was the calm within the chaos of the unique jazz-funk-of-the-future ensemble.
In more recent years, I got to know her better in her role as the Executive Director for the Big Easy Entertainment Awards sponsored by Gambit Weekly. She was a hands-off leader when the diverse and opinionated group of music industry professionals, which picks the nominees and votes on the winners, met each year. After Katrina, she asked me if I would act as “chairman” of the often-chaotic meeting. I hesitated given the presence of some of the most important behind-the-scenes players on the music scene in New Orleans. But few could resist her entreaties.
A few years later, when my first book was being released, I humbly asked her if I could list “chairman of the Big Easy Music Committee” on my press materials. Truth be told, my role is more of getting everyone to shut up and focus rather than actually being the chairman. She said yes without hesitation. Her quiet support and gentle demeanor meant the world to me.
That’s how she acted towards everyone she met across the length and breadth of her career. Here’s a brief synopsis of a life in music.
Besides producing the annual galas honoring music and theater performers and partners for Gambit, she also produced the Tribute to the Classical Arts luncheon, which presents awards for classical music, opera, and dance. All of these events required her deep connections in the entire performing arts community of New Orleans. She wore many hats and functioned as manager, public relations coordinator and publicist. Like much of her work, these events are benefits for the Foundation for Entertainment Development and Education.
Powers served as Project Director/Company Manager of the Louisiana Living History Project. For two years she was the Director of the Delta Folklife Festival held in Ferriday, Louisiana and was a consultant to the New Orleans Music Business Institute and its annual Cutting Edge Music Conference, including four years as the Coordinator of the Roots Music Gathering. She served two terms on the Mayor of New Orleans’ International Advisory Council. She worked for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for seven years and spent three terms on the Music & Entertainment Commission of New Orleans.
If you have ever sat on the Napoleon Avenue neutral ground during one of the breaks at a show at Tipitina’s, you have Gloria to thank for the benches and artwork. She was the Project Director for the Professor Longhair Square sculpture memorial– a public art project of the Professor Longhair Foundation and the Arts Council of New Orleans.
A memorial service for Gloria Powers will be held Friday, February 17, 2012 at 11 AM at Trinity Episcopal Church on Jackson Avenue. Of course, a second line jazz funeral parade will follow.
