This is how New Music America 1986 in Houston was launched:
Photo by George Hixson, from the CultureMap Houston article - Tom Cora is on the left with his top hat and cowbell (sorry, no cello)
Michael Galbreth’s Facebook site is still active (he passed away in 2018, sigh) and this is the link to his post specifically about the Art Car Parade (and Tom Cora’s thank you letter at the bottom of this blogpost). For those of you who are smart enough to not subscribe to Facebook, I’ll also be sharing more stuff that he posted to commemorate the 30th anniversary in 2016, and for those of you foolish enough to still subscribe, I’ll share those links as well.
Tom Cora (with Rachel Hecker and Trish Herrera) - the NMA Parade
The New Music America Parade was the very first event of New Music America 1986. The complexities of the organization of it were, to put it mildly, unusually difficult. It's success was due to the vibrant determination of Trish Herrera and Rachel Hecker who truly organized the whole thing. The parade began at Westheimer and proceeded south on Montrose to the MFAH Sculpture Garden where it ended. Securing the parade permit from the City of Houston was interesting. "You want to do what?"
In 1984, Kit and Carl Detering donated a 1967 Ford station wagon to The Orange Show Foundation to be auctioned at our annual Gala benefit. Houston artist Jackie Harris transformed the car into a mobile work of art with a budget of $800 for paint and plastic fruit. The "Fruitmobile" was donated back to the foundation by the group of six who purchased it. Also in 1984, Ann Harithas curated an exhibition called "Collision" at Lawndale Art Center that featured two art cars. All this activity resulted in a number of art cars seen on Houston streets. In 1986, Rachel Hecker and Trish Herrera organized a New Music Parade in conjunction with the New Music America Festival. Some 20 artist floats and art cars paraded down Montrose Boulevard, ending at the dedication of the MFAH sculpture garden. A few months later, Susanne Demchak organized a "Road Show" at The Orange Show on June 29, 1986, 11 art cars were exhibited alongside the Fruitmobile at The Orange Show, with Lowrider demonstrations, and children's art bike workshops. 1,400 Houstonians came, along with WFAA-TV and National Public Radio.
- Article in Culture Map by Tyler Rudick, 2012; photos by George Hixon
Mg wrote: The New Music America Parade was magnificently documented by George Hixson. In 2012 an exhibition of his photographs of this event were presented as documented in this article and photo essay by Tyler Rudick of CultureMap. Please see link below. Note photograph number 9: The man in the tall hat is Tom Cora.
And Tom Cora’s thank you note, for which Michael Galbreth wrote:
Although I spoke with Tom Cora many times by phone prior to the NMA Parade, due to the chaos of that day and my many commitments, I never got to meet him personally. I later finally met him at New Music America 1987 in Philadelphia. This kind letter by Tom was hand written on the back of a Skeleton Crew flyer for a tour they had in Japan. It is a letter I treasure.
