The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival returned only eight months after the floodwaters provoked by Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in August 2005.

It drew more than 350,000 attendees this year.

The Neville Brothers

But without the Neville Brothers, it just wasn't the same.

The hometown heroes, displaced by Katrina, are set to return to the jazz fest in 2008 for the first time since the hurricane. They'll close out the two-weekend event as they had done for years before 2005, event organizers said.

"There's been a hole in our soul without the Neville Brothers in New Orleans," festival producer Quint Davis told a news conference in the city's historic French Quarter. "And I think [their return] is symbolic of some greater return to New Orleans that a lot of people have not made."

The festival, to be held April 25-27 and May 1-4, will also feature a performance by Louisiana native and country music star Tim McGraw, as well as R&B vets Maze featuring Frankie Beverly.

A full lineup will be announced in the coming months, but having the Neville Brothers back in the fold is a big step in the right direction. The Nevilles have not yet said if they intend to return to live in New Orleans anytime soon.

Tickets are on sale now through the festival Web site and through Ticketmaster.