"La Valse De Louisiane" - Walker Brothers

Introducing Louisiana-based Cajun music to outsiders was a risky endeavor.  It could have gotten you boo-ed off stage or worse.  Texas-influenced string band music was all the rage in Louisiana and not much cultural exposure was headed the other way.  This didn't stop Lawrence Walker from trying. By 1935 he was recording Cajun tunes like "La Valse De Louisiane" (#2198) for Bluebird records in New Orleans and quite often playing Texas hillbilly music in Dallas. While Walker enjoyed entertaining his Texas audiences with hillbilly music, he was determined to try to introduce Cajun music.  He recalls his discussions with his father:

One night as we were packing our instruments to go play for a dance, I told daddy, "You know something. I want to bring my French accordion and play some old French music for those Texans."  But daddy was doubtful.  "They'll laugh at you" he told me.  But I said "Let them laugh".1

Lawrence Walker, 1936

Songs like "La Valse de Louisiane", a simple instrumental of the Cajun favorite "Jolie Blonde", was ideal for Lawrence and his brother Elton Walker to introduce Texans to Cajun music.  Backed by his brother, it's possible guitarists Junior Broussard and Norris Mire were at the session.  His early stage performance in Texas must have gone over fairly well. He continues:

During Intermission, I announced that at the next dance I would have a "surprise" for them.  A big crowd turned out that night and at 10 sharp, I strapped on my accordion and announced "I am going to play a French instrument and if you like it --applaud, and if you don't, I'll just change right back to my fiddle.  No hard feelings".  Well, they all clapped and clapped and hollered, too. And from then on I played straight French accordion.1   

1. Interview by Mona Mel Mouton.  Jan 18, 1968

Release Info:

BS-87612-1 La Valse De Louisiane | Bluebird B-2198-A

BS-87613-1 Pourquois Vous Etes Si Cannai | Bluebird B-2198-B