Legendary New Orleans musician Dr. John doesn’t mince words.The Gulf Restoration Network posted a YouTube video April 13 featuring Dr. John, aka Mac Rebennack, endorsing a banner that will fly over the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival aimed at its own sponsor, Shell Oil Company. The video and banner implore Shell to “Hear The Music – Fix The Coast You Broke,” taking aim at Shell’s careless destruction of the wetlands in the Gulf of Mexico. The message immediately created a controversy, considering Shell’s sponsorship of Jazz Fest being essential in 2006 after Hurricane Katrina. At the time, Jazz Fest producer/director Quint Davis said the festival might be shrunk to one weekend or eliminated altogether without Shell’s sponsorship, which has since been expanded past its original two-year deal. “For some reason, Shell and their friends in the industry don’t think they owe anything,” Rebennack says in the video. “Shell acts like it’s their fest now, but we can let ‘em know we did just fine for decades without their help.” Rebennack later clarified his position, saying Shell’s sponsorship of Jazz Fest was a good thing for the community, music and culture. While its sponsorship of Jazz Fest helped keep the event alive, we think Shell must provide more of a commitment to New Orleans as well as Gulf Coast restoration efforts — especially considering more than 80 percent of Shell’s U.S. oil and gas production comes from the Gulf of Mexico, according to Shell’s Web site. In the words of Rebennack, “Let’s just keep on, keepin’ on!”- – – -Contact the Editorial Board at [email protected]