'It's Official:' Here's what Louisiana leaders are listening to in their downtime

‘It’s Official’ is a series aimed at letting Louisiana residents know more about the elected officials who run their state.

What would Louisiana be without music? Our state is one of the epicenters of American music and our elected officials are, not surprisingly, music fans. We asked state and congressional office holders about what they listen to in their downtime. Take a look at the responses we received.

Music

Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain and Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon both picked hall-of-fame country music stars as their favorite artists. Strain can be found listening to Willie Nelson. Donelon loves Vince Gill. Treasurer John Schroder likes all things from pop soul duo Hall & Oates, specifically the song “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do),” released in 1981.Attorney General Jeff Landry picked “Eye of the Storm” from contemporary Christian artist Ryan Stevenson as his favorite song. Congressman Troy Carter selected Gospel-inspired “I’m Blessed” from R&B/funk star Charlie Wilson.

U.S. Reps. Garret Graves and Julie Letlow both chose contemporary Christian artist and Lake Charles native Lauren Daigle as their favorite Louisiana artist. Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser listed Daigle’s version of “You Are My Sunshine” as his favorite Louisiana song.

“You Are My Sunshine” was, of course, originally written and published by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell in 1940. Davis parlayed his success as a country music artist into a career in Louisiana politics. He served as governor of the state from 1944 to 1948 and again from 1960 to 1964.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy also said “You Are My Sunshine” was his favorite Louisiana-based song, though he didn’t say which of the hundreds of versions might be his favorite.

Congressman Mike John Johnson and Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin both picked songs performed by Aaron Neville as their favorite piece of Louisiana music. Johnson likes Neville’s version of “Louisiana 1927,” written by Randy Newman about the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. Ardoin enjoys “Louisiana Christmas Day.”

Carter and Schroder both mentioned “Mardi Gras Mambo” by The Hawketts as among their favorite Louisiana songs. Schroder also enjoys “Carnival Time” by Al Johnson, “Go to the Mardi Gras” by Professor Longhair, and “Hey Pocky A-Way” by The Meters.

Gov. John Bel Edwards’ favorite Louisiana-based song is “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” which he got to see Brooks perform live at LSU’s Tiger Stadium earlier this year.

Speaker Pro Tempore Tanner Magee’s music choices were less traditional. He recommends indie music bands Olivia Tremor Control of Athens, Georgia, and Neutral Milk Hotel, started by Ruston natives Will Cullen Hart and Jeff Magnum with their friends from high school.

“To me, to have this kind of talent all grow up in Ruston at the same time is like having John Lennon and Paul McCartney being born at the same time in Liverpool,” Magee said while explaining his selection.

Magee said Neutral Milk Hotel’s best album is “In an Aeroplane Over the Sea” and Olivia Tremor Control’s “Dusk at Cubist Castle,” but his favorite song from either band is “Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone” from Neutral Milk Hote’s “On Avery Island” album.

On the radio, Magee also recommends “The Swamp Pop & French Music Show with Bobby Richard,” which airs on Gumbo 94.9 in Houma on the weekends.

Talk radio, podcasts

Carter picked nationally-syndicated Tom Joyner as his favorite radio personality. Schroder likes personal finance celebrity Dave Ramsey’s radio show. Graves enjoys the weekly true-crime podcast “Grits with a Side of Murder.”

Landry’s favorite podcaster is Canadian psychologist and conservative internet celebrity Jordan Peterson. Peterson has been described as an anti-political correctness warrior. He has been making headlines recently for being reinstated on Twitter after a long suspension for transphobic comments.

In Louisiana, Donelon makes a point to listen to WWL-FM drivetime radio. Nungesser likes Jim Engster, who hosts “Talk Louisiana” on public radio. Engster also hosts “Ask the Governor,” a monthly Q&A with the governor that Edwards said was his favorite radio program. Johnson said his favorite Louisiana radio program is “The Moon Griffon Show,” a conservative talk show from Lafayette that is broadcast across the state.

— The Louisiana Illuminator is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization driven by its mission to cast light on how decisions are made in Baton Rouge and how they affect the lives of everyday Louisianians.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Here's what Louisiana leaders are listening to in their downtime