"Nouveau Grand Gueyan" - Leroy "Happy Fats" Leblanc

The popularization began in 1936 with the Hackberry Ramblers string band recording of "Jolie Blonde" for RCA records.  Having been familiar with the Breaux Brothers tune, their string band version found its way across the Cajun prairies of Louisiana and east Texas.  Known as "La Valse de Gueydan" in certain regions, singer and song writer Leroy "Happy Fats" Leblanc fatefully decided to record his under the more inauspicious title of "Nouveau Grand Gueyan" in 1938 (#2024).  Believing it to be a follow up of Leo Soileau's recording, he made the song part of his repertoire with the likes of Roy Romero on steel guitar, Moise Sonnier on fiddle,  Louis Arceneaux on fiddle and Joe Werner on harmonica.  Over time, the melody began to be known by all these names. 

RCA Bluebird producer Eli Oberstein failed to see the song's potential and placed it on the flip-side of Tex-Mex song by fiddler Melquiades Rodríguez.  Although Happy failed to make any waves with the recording, the tune continued to make it's way around other string band and western swing groups in the area including Port Arthur native Harry Choates. Eventually, Choates made his recording debut as fiddler with Happy's band at a 1940 session in Dallas, but the alliance didn't hold together.  According to Happy, working with Harry was difficult.

Harry Choates
Austin, TX 1951

In a way, he just lost his mind.  He was a very bad alcoholic, when he wanted whiskey or a drink, he had to have it.  I've seen him break glass with his elbow, right on Main Street in Lake Charles, and crack it open and reach in and get a fifth, a liquor store on Main Street.  He just had to have it, that's all he took, just one bottle of whiskey.2

Moi j'm'en va, jolie 'tite fille,

À grande Gueydan c'est pour toujours,

Rappelle-toi, mais, malheureuse,

Pour quoi t'as fais pour ton vieux negre.

J'ai pleuré et j'ai prié,,

Pour t'avoir, aye, ma belle,

Moi j'm'en va, jolie 'tite fille,

À grande Gueydan c'est pour toujours.

Rayne Tribune
Sept 3, 1937

Happy ditched Harry and he ended up working as a fiddler for other area string bands. Choates next started playing electric mandolin with Shelly Lee Alley and the Alley Cats. Later in 1941, he was playing guitar with Pancho and the Farmhands over in Beaumont.  Around this time, Choates also played guitar and second fiddle for Leo Soileau’s Aces with Joe and Abe Manuel, and Francis “Red” Fabacher. Harry had been playing with Leo Soileau when he was exposed to their song "La Valse De Gueydan (Jolie Fille)".  According to Happy:

Harry had first performed the tune in Soileau's band but on his Gold Star recording he stepped up the key from G to A.2  

Happy's last pre-war session was in October of 1941.  RCA wouldn't record him again until five years later but it was short lived.  Meanwhile, Choates had just scored a national hit with his western swing version entitled "Jole Blon" in 1946 with independent producer in Houston called Gold Star Records.  A stunned Happy Fats recalled, 

Harry went off to Houston, he left the band and got in with a fellow by the name of Bill Quinn.  And he made 'Jole Blon' and it was a million seller.1,2  

Happy Fats

Not to be outdone, it was about this time when Happy Fats began toying around with the idea of recording the melody as "Jole Blon", making it an official song with his group, the Rayne-Bo Ramblers.  According to author Andrew Brown, Steve Sholes of RCA Victor records told a disappointed Leblanc that the session had to be cancelled, allegedly because of "wartime shellac rationing".1 

I'm going, pretty little girl,

To big Gueydan forever,

Remember well, miserable woman,

For what you've done to your old man.

I've cried and I've prayed,

In order to see you, aye, my beauty,

I'm going, pretty little girl,

To big Gueydan forever.

By the time Happy managed to record the song as New Jolie Blonde for independent producer J.D. Miller, the song's popularity has already peaked.

1. Cajun Breakdown: The Emergence of an American-Made Music By Ryan Andre Brasseaux
2. South to Louisiana: The Music of the Cajun Bayous By John Broven
3. Lyrics by Herman M

Release Info:

BS-014016-1 Nouveau Grand Gueyan | Bluebird B-2024-A

BS-014204-1 Les Trois Elviras (Melquiades Rodríguez) | Bluebird B-2024-B 

Find:

Cajun Country, Vol. 2, More Hits from the Swamp (JSP, 2005)