Phil FrazierIn December of 2008, I suffered a stroke and endured months of hospitalization and physical therapy – that time offstage felt like an eternity. The NOMC was there for me every step of the way to get me back performing. The specialists even found a way to include my sousaphone in the physical therapy sessions! THANK YOU, my Musicians’ Clinic family (YOU, the donors) and all of the specialists who supported my long road back.

Phil Frazier
Founder of Grammy winning Rebirth Brass Band

Here’s why I am committed to help the NOMC: It comes down to arithmetic. The life expectancy for the primary demographic of their patients, African-American males in New Orleans, is just 68. 1 years, compared to 78.2 years for males in the USA. However, the NOMC lessens this disparity by engaging their patients to take control of their own wellbeing – the results are high participation rates in diabetes management programs, antismoking campaigns, and community wellness initiatives.

David Simon
2010 MacArthur Fellow Recipient; Creator of HBO’s The Wire; Co-Creator of HBO’s Treme

In 2009, my late husband, the great Big Chief Bo Dollis, suffered a massive stroke. NOMC was there for my husband to care for his medical needs every step of the way until his passing in 2015. If it wasn’t for NOMC, my husband may not have lived as long as he did. It’s my goal to make sure my husband’s legacy stays alive for generations to come and to support the only non-profit organization in New Orleans dedicated to the health and wellness of our culture, NOMC.

Laurita Dollis
“Big Queen Rita” of the Wild Magnolias; Chair, Queens of the Nation Mardi Gras Indian Council

Ain’t an easy life playin’ music in New Orleans. An’ what you all been puttin’ in the tip jar is nice, but it ain’t gonna pay no medical bills. They do a hell of a job and they workin’ their buns off. The clinic does more than anyone else to help musicians who’s sufferin’. We gotta pull your coat tail to this here thing and get ‘em some lace. We need more. The cause is righteously righteous. Hit up your friends, hit up your neighbors. They ain’t quittin an neither should you.

Mac “Dr. John” Rebennack
Grammy Award Winning Music Legend; Member of Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame; Co-Founder, New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic. 1941 – 2019.

If musicians are sick, they can’t gig. It’s as simple as that. You want to keep the music alive? You have to keep the performers healthy. I’ve managed music clubs in New Orleans for decades, I’m a musician myself, and there is no other entity doing the type of work with as much heart than the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic. I’m proud to be a donor; they keep the jazz city swinging.

Wesley Schmidt
Owner, Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro, New Orleans; Grand Marshal (Emeritus), Storyville Stompers. 1951 – 2019.

The NOMC services have been a true lifeline for me and many of my fellow musicians. Whether one needs specialty care or preventive checkups, the clinic is there to help, from hearing tests to vaccinations to emergencies.

Katja Toivola
Trombonist; Patient Since 2005

The NOMC provided me health care when I had none and I am very grateful they exist. The work the Clinic does to help musicians, people who work most often without any benefits and who provide a big part of what makes New Orleans unique and a destination, is invaluable.

Mark Grissom
Bassist; Patient Since 2003