Forged in the floodwaters of the 2005 disaster, this compilation represents all local artists on our roster who were active before and after Hurricane Katrina. All escaped, all were exiled, and all chose to return to New Orleans to rebuild their home and continue making music.

New Orleans is a city that has been reduced to a third of its former population, where all residents must continue to deal with tragedy and obstacles on a daily basis; where many people are still waiting for a FEMA trailer or an insurance check or even the mail to return to normal. The federal funds to rebuild the levees lag far behind the promises made when the story was still on the media radar. Every day brings reminders of the unparalleled incompetence of government agencies whose engineering and rescue failures are not only the stuff of legend, but sadly continue to this day.

It was just a matter of hours after the levees broke on August 29th, 2005 when one of us (DH) conceived the New Orleans: Proud to Swim Home bumper sticker (our version of the original Proud to Call It Home sticker which residents sported before the storm). Now seen on the back of tens of thousands of cars of returning residents, it was a call-to-arms to save the city while donating all proceeds to Habitat for Humanity and the Humane Society.

At the same time we conceived this compilation, and we wanted to give it the same name as a tribute to everyone who has committed to return to their City to rebuild—as well as to all the rescuers, volunteers, and others who have given and continue to try to save New Orleans.