2010 was a year of big wins and losses. The year started off right with the first Saints Superbowl win, but only a few months later, the Gulf Coast would be hit with the largest oil spill in history.

But New Orleans kept on going, with Gulf Aid, a star-studded event to raise money for the Gulf Coast. The year was filled with successful membership drives, our first "Groovin' in the Vines" event, lots of festivals put on by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, and the release of our smart phone apps. The year ended with our 30th Birthday Bash and Second Line, celebrating 30 years of WWOZ on the air!

Against all the naysayers and 'Aints, the Saints won their first Superbowl in February of 2010. In the lead up to the event, dozens of songs about the Saints were written by New Orleans musicians and the entire city went black-and-gold crazy.

» Saints Superbowl Victory Songs

A dash of Irma Thomas, a sprinkling of Al "Carnival Time" Johnson and shake or two of Theresa Andersson and you have the recipe for a successful Spring Membership Drive!

» More about the Spring 2010 Membership Drive

Jazz Fest this year featured some of our favorites, including Aaron Neville, Irma Thomas, Buckwheat Zydeco, The Roots of Music Marching Band and about a billion more great live acts. Look through our photos, get psyched for Jazz Fest 2011, and your Brass Pass now!

Piano Night is a key-pounding good time, wedged into the Monday between weekends of Jazz Fest. Featuring famous national and local pianists, it is one of the most fun WWOZ fundraisers! Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, Zachary Richard, David Torkanowsky, and Joe Krown amongst other great pianists.

» Piano Night 2010

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill wrecked havoc on the Gulf of Mexico, but New Orleans and its friends banded together, a regular Band-Aid, to help fisherfolks in the aftermath. 'OZ broadcasted many sets live from inside the eastbank Mardi Gras World. The line up included New Orleans originals like MyNameIsJohnMichael, Irvin Mayfield and his Playhouse Revue, Allen Toussaint and the Soul Rebels, with New Orleans transplants like Lenny Kravitz and Ani DiFranco.

» Learn more and support the Gulf

» View the Gulf Aid line-up

OZ broadcasted the DC Jazz Festival live from George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium to broadcast an all-day jazz extravaganza live. Acts that went out over the air included the Claudio Roditi Quartet, the Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Band, and the Roy Hargrove Big Band with special guest Roberta Gambarini.

A field trip for adults should include swanky buses, commemorative bottles of wine, and the tunes of Sunpie Barnes and the Louisiana Sunspots. Our first ever fundraiser at the Pontchartrain Vineyards was a wonderful day out in the country, with lawn chairs, wonderful music and wine.

» Pontchartrain Vineyards Event

Blues and barbecue are a match made in heaven, and they were plentiful at the Blues and Barbecue Festival this year. Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Lil' Ed, Anders Osborne and Stanton Moore all played at the festival, and some of the best barbecue in New Orleans showed up to sell their wares. OZ's Outreach Krewe was at the festival in full force, with awesome OZ gear for sale.

» View the full weekend

We boogied down this fall drive, where everyday was chock-full of special music performances, delicious food and awesome friends. Johnny Sansone, The Charmaine Neville Band, the We Are One Brass Band, the Young Fellaz Brass Band, and even out-of-towners showed up to support us, like the Jack Brass Band!

November 2010 - New Worlds Rhythm Festival

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation continues to pump out amazing festivals throughout the year, showcasing music that is both historically important and fun to listen to. This year, NOJHF combined a tribute, two music festivals and a symposium into a jam-packed festival.

For more photos from the New World Rhythm Festival events:

» Tribute to Idris Muhammad with Donald Harrison & Congo Square Nation

» Fiesta Latina 2010

» Tom Dent Congo Square Symposium

» Congo Square Rhythms Festival 2010

If anyone knows how to throw a party, it is probably WWOZ. With the help of our lifelong friends over at Tipitinas, and the best musicians in the city, we held an afternoon second line through the French Quarter, and then a night of special guests at Tipitinas, coupled with our annual Volunteer Thank You party.

This year saw the update of our iPhone app, and the release of 'OZ live streaming Blackberry and Android apps! With alarms to wake you up to the sweet sounds of 'OZ, and easy access to events, announcements and Livewire music listings anywhere in the world, you just can't leave home without it.

» Get the Android, Blackberry or iPhone app!