Northshore Soundtrack

New Orleans and St. Tammany Parish Musicians are the Playlist for your Scenic Causeway Bridge Drive.

BY ROBERTA CARROW JACKSON

THE NORTHSHORE IS A GREAT place for everyone to find their groove, whether you prefer dancing with the crowds at a food-and-music festival, a family-friendly, free concert amid a bustling downtown or a transcendent listening room experience at a historic venue. Festivals and concert series feature high-energy bands performing a mix of Top 40, classic rock and country hits while more intimate venues spotlight local bands, regionally touring groups and singer-guitarists and singer-songwriters, nurtured by opportunities to perform at events like the Ozone Spring Sound-off and Abita Springs Busker Festival.

Artists perform a variety of genres, too, owing to the varied populations in and around St. Tammany Parish, especially New Orleans, with its world-renowned music scene. Cross-pollination among musicians around southeast Louisiana and across the Deep South dates from the birth of jazz, when early greats like Buddy Bolden and Louis Armstrong played the Dew Drop Jazz Hall. That continues to this day, as numerous musicians sit in with bands beside their own, bringing their own influences to the table, crafting something new before an eager audience and carrying that experience with them to their next show. The result: a diversity of sound to satisfy listeners of rhythm and blues, funk, Americana and indie rock, traditional jazz, bluegrass, pop country, folk, metal, hip-hop and more.

When coming to St. Tammany Parish via the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, a 24-mile journey, it’s good to have a soundtrack to accompany your trip across the world's longest continuous span over water. So, we’ve put together playlists for your ride. Our first list in the Fall/Winter ’23 visitor guide featured some of the most famous musicians who lived and performed on The Northshore. This time, we’re spotlighting artists who have included on their national and regional tours Northshore venues like The Harbor Center’s Lobby Lounge for their listening room series, Abita Town Hall for the Abita Opry, Wild Bush Farm & Vineyard for their Jazz’n the Vines series, the Columbia Street Landing in Covington for the town’s Sunset at the Landing series and select nightclubs across the parish.

On your road trip, you’ll hear up-and-coming storytellers like Cactus Thief and Mike Zito along with renowned artists like Michael Doucet (Beausoleil) and Trombone Shorty, whose Backatown record garnered national attention with its nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz album. There’s energetic fiddler and singer Amanda Shaw with Choppa (New Orleans Saints’ anthem “Choppa Style”) for a remake of a classic tune that blends Cajun swamp pop and New Orleans bounce, high-energy rockabilly by Lulu and the Broadsides, a sultry blues track by Mia Borders, a dreamy single by Taylor Mroski and a catchy tune by Crispin Schroeder, who declares about Lake Pontchartrain, that he’ll stay awhile—right here.

24-MILE PLAYLIST: CAUSEWAY TO THE NORTHSHORE

“Water, Water” from Lâcher Prise by Michael Doucet (2019)

“Louisiana Saturday Night” - Single by Amanda Shaw feat. Choppa (2022)

“Zydeco Star” from Bochinche by Fermin Ceballos feat. Rockin' Dopsie, Jr. (2021)

“Hurricane Season” from Backatown by Trombone Shorty (2010)

“Cindy Lou” from Sampler by Lulu and the Broadsides (2019)

“Sugar in My Soul” from Fever Dreams by Mia Borders feat. John "Papa" Gros (2016)

“Shoes Blues” from Pearl River by Mike Zito feat. Susan Cowsill (2009)

“Cheapest Flight” - Single by Taylor Mroski (2023)

“Two Bells” from Two Bells by Cactus Thief feat. Molly Parden (2016)

“Pontchartrain” from Move by Crispin Schroeder (2005)