Aaron Neville speaks about the devastation of Hurricane Katrina

MAINSTREAM R&B star and Christian Aaron Neville spoke recently to Billboard magazine about the effects of the Katrina hurricane. In the disaster Neville lost his house as did several family members. The singer told Billboard he couldn't return to New Orleans due to severe asthma. "The toxic stuff in the water has set so long, and with the dust in the air, that would do a job on me," he said. He and his wife, who is fighting cancer, have relocated to Nashville. "New Orleans will never be what it was. But hopefully it can come back. The poor and working people won't ever be able to come back, though. Their houses were under water and they had no insurance. They were the backbone of New Orleans. It's cool to say, 'Come on back,' but come on back to what? It's been a year and the Ninth Ward and other affected areas still look the same [as right after the hurricane]."