April 14, 2025
by: OffBeat Staff

New Orleans blues fans have something to look forward to this Jazz Fest season: Love Letters: Samantha Fish Live from New Orleans will return to the local airwaves for its fourth consecutive year. The half-hour documentary is slated to air on WYES-TV Channel 12 on Saturday, April 26 at 10:30 p.m. and again on Monday, April 28 at 9:30 p.m., coinciding with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Produced by Very Productive Pictures and Carl Van Productions, Love Letters offers an intimate portrait of award-winning blues guitarist and singer Samantha Fish. Shot during the summer of 2021, the film captures a pivotal moment in Fish’s career as she prepared to release her seventh studio album, Faster, and embark on her first post-pandemic tour.

Set largely at Chickie Wah Wah, the beloved New Orleans music club, the documentary blends live performance footage, behind-the-scenes moments, and narration by NPR’s Gwen Thompkins. It explores the rich history of the blues while celebrating the emotional power of live music.

The project is a co-production of WYES, Carl Van Productions, and Very Productive Pictures, and was co-directed by Marian and Jonathan Evans. Producer Carl Van led the project, which has become a staple of local Jazz Fest programming.