A unique window into the world of Cajun music between 1928 and 1965. Compiled histories from websites, books, news articles, liner notes, and interviews. Most come from my personal 78 collection. Also covering Creole, Cajun-Country, and Cajun swing.
The Hackberry Ramblers were one of the first Cajun string
bands in the rnid-1930s to imitate the swing sounds from Texas (such as Bob Wills, Milton
Brown and the Light Crust Doughboys), but they also played the latest jazz tunes of the
time, such as "High Society", re-titled after a local town, called "Vinton's High Society", and "Careless Love". The Hackberry Ramblers were one of the first Cajun groups to use amplification in dance halls
and they were the first band to record a string band arrangement of "Jolie Blonde" that is still heard today.1 Radio waves emanating from Texas, Shreveport, and New Orleans ignored south Louisiana's cultural boundaries as they crisscrossed Cajun Country and spilled Western swing, hillbilly music, and jazz across the region.2Influenced by music across the boarder, the original members got their big break when they were invited to play on the radio. Darbonne stated:
There were no radio stations in southwest Louisiana. Not until the Lafayette's KVOL and Lake Charles KPLC came on air in 1935.2
By 1937, several members changed out and landed in New Orleans recording for RCA's Bluebird Records at the St. Charles Hotel. There, they recorded a rendition of the 1929 Harrington, Landry & Stewart instrumental "La Stomp Creole", re-titled as "Darbone's Creole Stomp" (#2025). Along with "Darbone's Breakdown", this is one of two songs which were odes to the band's founder, Luderin Darbone. The recording featured Darbone on fiddle, Lennis Sonnier and Floyd Shreve on guitars, and Claude "Pete" Duhon on bass. After the war, musicians such as Nathan Abshire re-titled the melody again as the "Hathaway Two Step".
J'ai Ete Au Bal Vol. 1. ARhoolie CD 331. Liner notes.
Joe Werner, the Cajun harmonica player and entertainer rode the airwaves with his rendition of popular tunes and Cajun ballads. One of Joe's earliest public performances was at a Houston radio station KTRH in 1930. There he surprised listeners with his renditions of songs played on his harmonica.2
Je te donnerais un bague en or
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi,
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi, chère.
Allons s'marier chere!
Je te donnerais un char neuf,
Et mon portrait de mon petit coeur,
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi,
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi, petite.
Je te donnerais la clef de mon coffre,
Et toute mon or et mon argent,
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi,
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi, chère.
Allons s'marier Jimmy
Je te donnerais un char neuf,
Et mon portrait de mon petit coeur,
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi,
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi, chère.
Je te donnerais la clef de mon coffre,
Et toute mon or et mon argent,
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi,
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi, chère.
Je te donnerais un bague en or
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi,
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi
Si tu voudrais t'marier avec moi, chère.
Rayne Tribune Dec 5, 1936
Probably during the time he was courting his wife, he recorded "Si Tu Voudroit Marriez Avec Moi" (#2060) for Bluebird Records in New Orleans with Julius "Papa Cairo" Lamperez on guitar and possibly Wayne Perry on fiddle. By 1936, he was engaged and married to Annie Thibodeaux of Crowley in a quiet ceremony with only immediate family.1 While living in Crowley, he attained much recognition as an outstanding musician and entertainer, being the first "live talent" to appear on KSIG.3 They remained in Crowley until the 1970s when they moved to Fort Worth, TX.
I would give you a gold ring,
If you'd marry me,
If you'd marry me,
If you'd marry me, dear.
Let's get married, dear.
I'll give you a new car,
And my portrait of my sweetheart,
If you'd marry me,
If you'd marry me, little girl.
I'll give you the key to my chest,
And all my gold and my money,
If you'd marry me,
If you'd marry me, dear.
Let's get married, Jimmy.
I'll give you a new car,
And my portrait of my sweetheart,
If you'd marry me,
If you'd marry me, little girl.
I'll give you the key to my chest,
And all my gold and my money,
If you'd marry me,
If you'd marry me, dear.
I would give you a gold ring,
If you'd marry me,
If you'd marry me,
If you'd marry me, dear.
In 2009, Linzay Young & Joel Savoy covered this obscure tune as "Si Tu Voudrais Marier".
RT 4-10-1936
"Local Boy Plays From Houston Radio Station" RT 12-05-1936
The Rayne Acadian-Tribune (Rayne, Louisiana) 18 Jun 1978
Lyrics by 'ericajun'
Release Info: BS-027890-1 Si Tu Voudroit Marriez Avec Moi (Marry Me) | Bluebird B-2060-A BS-027891-1 La Two Step A Chachin (Asa's Two Step) | Bluebird B-2060-B Find: Raise Your Window: A Cajun Music Anthology 1928 - 1941 (The Historic Victor-Bluebird Sessions Vol. 2) (CMF, 1993) Cajun Country, Vol. 2, More Hits from the Swamp (JSP, 2005)
By the mid-1950s, the country found itself absorbed in rock n roll and Cajun accordion players adapted to the new sound in various ways. In early 1955, Nathan Abshire and his Rhythm Five recorded a jumping, jiving instrumental in which he called the "Lu Lu Boogie" (#647). His "Five" at the time consisted of Nathan on accordion, possibly Dewey Balfa on fiddle, possibly Jake Miere on lead guitar, possibly Ernest Thibodeaux on rhythm guitar, and possibly Shelton Manuel on drums. Believed to be named after Leleux's Dance-hall near Estherwood, the club was owned by locally-known fiddle luthier Lionel Leleux's grandfather, Ernest Leleux. His dance-hall was located in the community of the family's namesake.
Leleux's Dance-hall, 1938 Russell Lee Collection, LOC
When young Lionel Leleux began playing music in 1927, he teamed up with the young Nathan Abshire. They rotated between playing at Leleux's Dance-hall and the Martinez Dance Hall in Morse. Neither had transportation, so one week, Lionel walked the 12 miles to Morse; the following week, Nathan hiked it to the community of Leleux.2 According to a 1941 Louisiana brochure by the Work Projects Administration, "Leleux is little more than a post office, general store, and combination saloon and dance-hall, where fais-dodos, or Cajun “breakdown” dances, are held each Wednesday evening."1
Ernest Leleux, 1938 Russell Lee Collection, LOC
Ernest's dance-hall featured the likes of Dennis McGee and Sady Courville in the earliest days and was the chosen location for U.S. Farm Security Administration's photographer Russell Lee. In 1938, he took some of the most iconic photos of post-Depression life in the Cajun prairies, including dancers dancing to the popular string band: the Alley Boys of Abbeville. His photos taken in Leleux's Dance-hall are located today in the Library of Congress. Another possible origin for the name could have bee Lulu's Dancehall, located southwest of Gueydan, not far from where Nathan lived. Lastly, it could have been a reference to local man named Lester "Lu Lu" Faulk that lived in the southwest area of Vermilion Parish; an area which contains the road named Lu Lu Rd.
Louisiana; a guide to the state, compiled by workers of the Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of Louisiana ... sponsored by the Louisiana Library Commission at Baton Rouge.
The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, Louisiana) 26 Jul 2009
Release Info: Casa Blanca Waltz | Khoury's KH-647-A Lu Lu Boogie | Khoury's KH-647-B Find: French Blues (Arhoolie, 1993)
An immigrant from Texas, musician and record producer Eddie Shuler was operating a tiny music store when he started Goldband as a private label around 1945 to promote his western outfit, the All Star Reveliers.1 An excellent group that went toe-to-toe with Cliff Bruner, Leo Soileau, Harry Choates, the Hackberry Ramblers, and the other top Gulf Coast swing bands of the time.2 He recalls:
I had this eight-piece band and I had a packed house because I had a radio show down there on KPLC Radio. That was a thirty-minute show in the afternoon.1
Eh, jolie,
Moi j'm'en va, va à la maison,
C'est pour t'voir, mais, chère 'tite fille,
Que si mignonne, mais, pour ton nèg.
Eh, couche mal, tu m'a dit, mais, tu m'aimais,
Oh, jolie, mais, aujourd'hui, t'après m'quitté.
Eh, jolie,
Moi j'm'en va, va à la maison,
Tout fais ça, mais, tu m'aimer, ça m'fait du mal, mais, aujourd'hui.
Sears in Lake Charles Johnny Babb, Pee Wee Lyons, Johnny Reems, Ronald Ardoin, possibly Johnny Porter, unknown, Eddie Shuler
Many of Eddie's singles are solid western swing, Cajun, and country efforts comparable to anything else coming out in those genres at the time.2 Shuler cut his first records using the facilities of two Lake Charles radio stations, KPLC and KAOK, since the nearest dedicated recording studios were in distant New Orleans and Houston. He said:
There wasn't no tape recorders back in those days. You had to cut the thing on an acetate disc. So you'd go into the radio station and give the engineer ten dollars and a bottle of booze, and he'd make you an acetate.1
Hey, pretty one,
I'm going, going home,
It's to see you, well, dear little girl,
That's so cute, well, for your man.
Hey, naughty one, you told me, well, you loved me,
Oh, pretty one, well, today, you're leaving me.
Hey, pretty one,
I'm going, going home,
All that's done, well, you loved me, that makes me sad, well, today.
Norris Savoie
During one of those sessions in 1948 or 1949, Eddie and Norris Savoy recorded the french tune "Hey Cushmall" (#1017) for his Goldband records. The slang term "couche mal" was a Cajun nickname used to describe a "naughty person", which fell out of favor soon after the war. It wasn't an overly impressive recording, sounding more like a country hillbilly band rather than a Cajun recording. Eddie was very much into English country tunes but Norris helped change that.
We was into the Bob Wills sound. Oh, we played French music ‘cause I had a French singer. I wasn’t crazy; I wanted that money too. I had a couple of [French singers], but the one who stayed the longest was Norris Savoie. He sang high, higher than a woman, and he played the fiddle.2
Record Makers and Breakers: Voices of the Independent Rock 'n' Roll Pioneers By John Broven
Release Info: Hey Cushmall | Goldband G-1017-A Faded Love Waltz | Goldband G-1017-B Find: Eddie Shuler & His All Star Reveliers: Grande Mamou (BACM, 2016)
John Bertrand may have been one of the more obscure artists during the early Cajun recording era, but his music seems to have had earlier origins than many of the Cajun folk songs of the time. His mother, Nora Boone, recalled and recited many French folk songs her family had passed down from Europe. Each one possessed a different theme and melody in which Bertrand translated into an accordion-led melody.
Bonsoir, mes bons vieux gens,
Plaidoirie tu pour d'aide,
Ma mère loger chez toi,
Pour, moi soigner son, j'ai étais,
Pour, moi soigner son, j'ai étais.
Mon coeur, mais, pour (elle) bon pas,
J'etait de satisfaire,
Voyez notre maison,
Mais, coeur, elle est si petite, (elle) etait,
Mais, coeur, elle est si petite, (elle) etait.
Allez dans ce village,
Vous trouver-z-un logis,
Allez dans ce village,
Vous trouver-z-un logis.
Comment vous refusez,
Un soldat fatigué?
Te dur viens-moi t'as meme,
Te dur viens-moi t'as meme.
...
19th century French soldier Image by Alexandr Sidorov
Having teamed up with Acadia Parish guitarist and yodeler Roy Gonzales, John brought along his son Anthony and the trio headed to Chicago in the winter of 1929 where they recorded "Le Soldat Fatigue" (#12763). Songs like this may have come from French nursery rhymes similar to "Pauvre Soldat" commonly sung in France. In this piece, the song describes an old soldier looking for a place to sleep. He is refused a the first place and told to go to another town. Many of these Old World songs have their origins during the Napoleon Era.
Release Info: 21248-2 La Fille Du Jolier (The Jailor's Daughter) | Paramount 12763-A 21251-2 Le Soldat Fatigue (The Tired Soldier) | Paramount 12763-B Find: John Bertrand / Blind Uncle Gaspard / Delma Lachney Early American Cajun Music (Yazoo, 1999)
Moise Robin learned to play Cajun accordion at a very young age. His father, Joseph, picked up the accordion in the late 1800s and learned many of the melodies that other musicians played around Leonville. In fact, it's his dad that got him interested in accordion:
He had an accordion and I would go to school and when I would come back from school instead of make my lesson. I was more interested in accordion.1 He would play dances and he would make me play a few dances for the people. My head would show up on top of the accordion, I was about nine-years old.1
Chère petite fille, rappelle-toi qu'en j'm'en allé,
J't'ai dis, "T'es canaille!", quand t'avait rencontré,
C'est plus tard, j'ai tombé en amour avec toi et z'aujourd'hui,
C'est la seule que moi, j'aime.
Aujourd'hui, j'abandonne père et mère,
Frères et sœurs pour te suivre à ta maison,
Mais, j'comprends tu vas me quitter pour t'en aller avec autre,
Malheureuse, pourquoi-donc, t'es après faire ça?
Soignez jamais un petite fille de quatorze ans qui te quitter,
Pour s'en aller avec un homme de cinquante ans,
Moi, j'connais aujourd'hui de l'après me faire, z'avec moi,
Malheureuse, tu vas pleurer z'avant longtemps.
Aujourd'hui, j'abandonne père et mère,
Frères et sœurs pour te suivre à ta maison,
Mais, 'contré dedans la terre, mais, des miseres,
Malheureuse, tu connais c'est pas mon temps.
Clarion News July 18, 1929
Moise's father played as far as Ville Platte and learned of the fiddle-accordion duo, Leo Soileau and Mayuse Lafleur. By the summer of 1929, Leo partnered with Moise and together they formed a musical pair and were discovered by the Paramount record company. Paramount records had the duo arrive in Richmond, Indiana for a recording session where they recorded "Ma Chere Tite Fille" (#12808). Leonville-native and Opelousas merchant Winter Lemoine, a distributor for Paramount, helped the duo make the trip. Lemoine operated a sewing machine business which sold records on the side. Moise recalls:
When we was playing, a company from the Richmond, Indiana called us to go make a record. So we met in Richmond, Indiana and made two records there.
Moise Robin by Chris Strachwitz
Dear little girl, remember that I went away,
I told you, "You're mischievous!", when I met you,
It's too late, I fell in love with you and today,
It's the only one I love.
Today, I abandoned my father and mother,
Brothers and sisters to follow you to your house,
Well, I understand you're leaving me to go away with another,
Poor woman, why is it, you've done that?
Never chase a 14 year old who will leave you,
To go away with a man of 50 years,
I know today what you've done with me,
Poor woman, you will cry before too long.
Today, I abandoned my father and mother,
Brothers and sisters to follow you to your house,
Well, getting into a world of misery,
Poor woman, you know it's not my time.
http://arhoolie.org/moise-robin/
Lyrics by Stephane F
Release Info: G15343 Ma Chere Tite Fille | Paramount 12808-A G15344 Easy Rider Blues | Paramount 12808-B Find: Louisiana Cajun Music Vol. 5: The Early Years 1928-1938 (Old Timey, 1973) The Early Recordings of Leo Soileau (Yazoo, 2006)
One of the more unique recordings during the pinnacle year of early traditional Cajun music is the harmonica-led recordings by Artelus Mistric. A native of Leonville, he sings about a beautiful lover living in the small community that straddles Leonville and Arnaudville, known as Pointe Claire. It was a low lying area named after the bayou of the same name.
T'es petite et t'es mignonne,
C'est pour moi, malheureuse,
Ça t’fais tout, moi j’ai,
Pas fait ça.
Ton vieux negre, 'garde-donc, chère,
Mais, roulait, mais, les chemins,
C'est pour toi malheureuse,
Mais, donc, pour aller.*
Moi j’croyais pas, toi,
T’avais le cœur, malheureuse,
Si criminelle que ça,
Chère 'tite fille.
Artelus Mistric
Similar to neighboring musician Moise Robin who was inspired by Mayuse Lafleur, Artelus seems to be take the popular melody of Lafleur's The Criminal Waltz (La Valse Criminale) and turn it into what he called "Belle Of Point Clare" (#22108). Most likely sponsored by Frank Dietlein or some other local store owner, several St. Landry Parish and St. Martin Parish musicians were on hand for this 1929 recording session in New Orleans including Oscar Doucet, Berthmost Montet, Joswell Dupuis, Adolph "Bixy" Guidry, Percy Babineaux, and the Soileau Couzens, Leo and Alius Soileau.
You are small and you're sweet,
It's because of me, you poor woman,
All that you've done,
I didn't do that.
Your old man, look, dear,
Well, roaming, well, the roads,
It's because of you, you poor woman,
Well, so, (he's) going.
I can't believe, you,
(That) you'd have a heart, you poor woman,
So mean like that,
Dear little girl.
The lover in the story is clearly blaming himself first, then begins to blame his love interest because he left. The Victor recordings list his instrument as the "French harp" and included Opelousas-native Eldon Gill. It's quite possible that Eldon, an "expressman" and auto mechanic, helped Artelus craft the song lyrics.
Lyrics by Smith S
Release Info:
BVE-56507 Tu Ma Partient (You Belong To Me) | Victor 22208-A
BVE-56506 Belle of Point Clare | Victor 22208-B
Find:
Le Gran Mamou: A Cajun Music Anthology (CMF, 1990)
Cajun Capers: Cajun Music 1928-1954 (Proper, 2005)
Cajun Country, Vol. 2, More Hits from the Swamp (JSP, 2005)
