Tyler Abadie, civil engineering sophomore, recorded his first album for his aspiring label, Gauntlet Records, in a Kirby-Smith bathroom in November 2004.
More than five albums and a year and half later, Abadie and Jimmy Rumney, English junior, are planning the release of the album titled “Death Valley Vol. 1,” which will feature 22 University athletes, artists and leaders.
Abadie said all of the proceeds from the album will be donated to the Hurricane Katrina-Rita Student Relief Fund.
Artists on the record include Alley Broussard, running back; Marlon Favorite, defensive tackle; Xavier Carter, running back; April Burkholder, gymnast; Willy Felton, Phi Beta Sigma president and saxophone section leader of Golden Band from Tigerland; and Elysian Fieldz, local rap group.
Abadie said he and Rumney began working on this project because they wanted a way to help the hurricane relief.
He said the subject matter of the songs range from University pride to club songs to the revival of New Orleans.
Felton, biochemistry senior, said he was drawn to the Death Valley project because of his passion for music and philanthropy.
“I have a genuine passion for music, and as the president of [Phi Beta] Sigma I also have a passion for community service and helping people,” Felton said. “It was double the pleasure.”
Felton said he did a song with Broussard, Favorite and Burkholder about pride for University sports.
“This song could be an anthem for all LSU sports,” Felton said.
Felton said he hopes the success of “Death Valley Vol. 1” will help promote his own musical career.
Favorite, sports management sophomore, also said he has an aspiring music career.
Favorite said his songs on the album are about Hurricane Katrina, LSU football and the Confederate flag.
Favorite said the donations to the SRF influenced him to participate in the album because he is from the Westbank in New Orleans, and his family is living in a trailer until their house is repaired.
He said he thinks the album will be successful because of its positive message and because it will showcase the musical talents of several prominent student athletes.
“I think it’s going to be very popular,” Favorite said. “There’s a lot of positive people. Besides sports, we have a passion for music as an extracurricular.”
Abadie said Gauntlet Records postponed the release of the album because of this past semester’s controversy with the purple and gold Confederate Flag.
He said the protests inspired their album’s back cover, which will be a purple and gold Louisiana state flag that says “Tigers United Relief Effort ’06.”
Abadie said he invited Collins Phillips, Student Equality Commission president and leader of this past semester’s purple and gold Confederate Flag protests, to speak about local issues on the album for an intermission.
Abadie also said he thinks the issues with the hurricanes and the Confederate flags are related.
He said students want to see the University come together on both issues and show respect and state pride.
Abadie said the record should be released after spring break of this year at the latest.
 
Contact Rebekah Allen at [email protected]