R.E.M., Pearl Jam Call for Presidential Debate in New Orleans

R.E.M., Pearl Jam and Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor are among the high-profile musicians that have united to call on the Presidential candidates to debate in New Orleans about Louisiana coastal wetlands restoration and hurricane recovery. With the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina this month, Louisiana musicians have enlisted more than 90 local and international artists to sign a letter urging Barack Obama and John McCain to weigh in on Gulf Coast issues which need Federal leadership.

Spearheaded by the Gulf Restoration Network in partnership with Grammy-nominated, New Orleans-based musician Tab Benoit and his Voice of the Wetlands organization, the letter counts signatories like Jackson Browne, My Morning Jacket and the Indigo Girls, as well as locally bred performers like Allen Toussaint, Aaron Neville, Dr. John, Galactic and Funky Meters.

"New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz, and has influenced about every American style of music that followed, from rock to hip-hop," Galactic's drummer Stanton Moore said. "The next President will need to prioritize restoring our coast to continue the recovery process. The culture of our whole country depends on it."

Despite support from Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, neither Obama nor McCain have committed to the event, which is expected to use a format similar to the YouTube forum in the primaries, members of the public will be able to ask questions of the candidates by submitting YouTube videos.

To read the letter and see the complete list of signatories, click here.