"Lover's Waltz" - Louis Spell

Feature Records was created by Jay Denton "J.D." Miller in the late 1940s to market the music of south Louisiana.  Local groups around Acadia Parish approached Miller to record songs in his new studio in Crowley.  Native of Indian Bayou, the Spell family eventually moved to Crowley where Louis formed the French Serenaders.  Sometimes referred to as "One-Eyed Spell", he had been blinded by an accident early in life. According to his daughter Margie,

At a house party, he got stuck with a bobby pin in his eye.1  

Moi j'connais, chère 'tite fille,

La plus belle, chère 'tite fille, que mon j'aimais,

C'est pour ça moi j'te vu,

Pour restez à la maison, mais, avec moi.

Mon aller au si loin,

Pour me voir les 'tite fille dans la Louisiane,

C’est le belle qui m’aimes autant,

C’est pour ça mon je tes mander de viens tant donc.

Daily World
Apr 23, 1954

The French Serenaders played around Acadia Parish from 1949 to about 1953. He recorded for J.D. Miller at his studio in Crowley where his group waxed the "Lover's Waltz" (#1040) around 1952.  The ensemble featured Phillip Abshire on guitar, Tan Benoit on fiddle, and Elton Harrington on guitar.  According to Louis' son, Paul,

My mom could speak French, but my daddy couldn't.  He could sing in French, but couldn't speak it.1  

French Serenaders
Elton Harrington, Tan Benoit
Louis Spell, Mabel Spell, poss. Phillip Abshire

Having played on the same stages as Aldus Roger in the mid-50s, Aldus recorded a similar song in 1958 known as the "Midway Waltz".  Edval Joseph "E.J." Abshire, native of Lyon's Point community, was a good family friend.  Affectionately known as "Nom" Abshire, he and his cousin Phillip Abshire were known to sing in the band together.   Elton Harrington lived in Crowley and soon after filled in for groups such as Claby Richard's "Rayne Friendly Playboys" and Sidney Leblanc's "Louisiana Playboys".  Record producer Lee Lavergne remembered his short career.

They had a KSIG Barn Dance and they would have local guys. They had a French band there by the name of Louis Spell (who recorded for Feature), accordion, guitar and drums. You would gather around the radio and listen that. That was fantastic!2  

I know, dear little girl,

The most beautiful girl, dear little girl, that I loved,

It's that I see you,

Staying at home, well, with me.

I'm going so far,

To see the little girl in Louisiana,

It's the beautiful girl that loves me so much,

That's why I'm begging you to come back so much.

1. Discussions with Margie and Paul T
2. South To Louisiana by John Broven
3. Lyrics by Herman M

Release Info:

The Fifty Cent Song | F-1040-A

Lover's Waltz | F-1040-B

Find:

Acadian All Star Special - The Pioneering Cajun Recordings Of J.D. Miller (Bear, 2011)

"The Fifty Cent Song" - Louis Spell

Feature Records was created by Jay Denton "J.D." Miller in the late 1940s to market the music of south Louisiana.  Local groups around Acadia Parish approached Miller to record songs in his new studio in Crowley.  Native of Indian Bayou, the Spell family eventually moved to Crowley where Louis formed the French Serenaders.  According to his daughter Margie,

He picked up the accordion from my father-in-law, Ray Claby "R.C." Terro. My father-in-law could play a little bit.1   

How Louis teamed up with Feature record producer J.D. Miller is unknown however, Louis had a popular radio show at the time.  Margie stated,

He used to play on KSIG radio on Saturday mornings.1  

Crowley Post Signal
Jun 30, 1949

Moi et ma belle on a été au bal,

C'était-z un samedi soir,

Moi et ma belle on a été au bal,

C'était un samedi soir,

(O)n a revenu le lendemain,

Le lendemain matin z-au jour,

(O)n a revenu le lendemain,

Le lendemain matin z-au jour.

J'ai demandé si elle avait pas faim pour manger quelqu'chose,

J'ai demandé si elle avait pas faim pour manger quelqu'chose,

Répondu l'avait pas beaucoup faim, mais elle,

Aurait mangé quand même,

Répondu l'avait pas beaucoup faim, mais elle,

Aurait mangé quand même.

Quand j'ai mis mon cinquante sous (des)sus le comptoir,

Quand j'ai mis mon cinquante sous (des)sus le comptoir,

Massacré un coup d'poing, (il) m'a tiré dans la fenêtre,

Massacré un coup de pied, (il) m'a tiré dessus la rue,

Écoutez-donc, les bons conseils, prenez-un bon principe,

(A)llez jamais dedans un restaurant avec cinquante sous dans la poche.

French Serenaders
Elton Harrington, Tan Benoit
Louis Spell, Mabel Spell, poss. Phillip Abshire

Louis and his French Serenaders recorded "The Fifty Cent Song" (#1040) along with Clifton "Tan" Benoit, Elton Harrington, and quite possibly Phillip Abshire or E.J. "Nom" Abshire in 1950.  Louis' son Paul recalled the family mentioning how someone has tried to record the same song at that time.1  Frankie Mailhes, who had recorded the version back in 1938 as "Moi Et Ma Belle" with the Alley Boys, re-recorded the tune around the same time as "Mes Cinquante Sous" with Eddie Shuler's band.  

Me and my girl, we went to the ball,

It was a Saturday night,

Me and my girl, we went to the ball,

It was a Saturday night,

We came back the next day,

The next morning of the day,

We came back the next day,

The next morning of the day.

I asked if she wasn't hunger to eat something,

I asked if she wasn't hunger to eat something,

Said she wasn't very hungry, but she'd eat anyways,

Said she wasn't very hungry, but she'd eat anyways.

When I put my fifty cents on the counter,

When I put my fifty cents on the counter,

He massacred me, punched me, he threw me through the window,

He massacred me, kicked me, he threw me into the street,

So, listen to good advice, take this good principle,

Never go inside a restaurant with (only) fifty cents in your pocket.

1. Discussions with Margie T and Paul T
2. Lyrics by Stephane F

Release Info:
The Fifty Cent Song | Feature F1040-A
Lover's Waltz | Feature F1040-B

Find:

Acadian All Star Special - The Pioneering Cajun Recordings Of J.D. Miller (Bear, 2011)

"Welcome Club Waltz" - Lionel Cormier

Lionel Cormier began learning the accordion from his father, Arvilian, at an early age. By the age of 12 he was playing the accordion for family gatherings and house dances in the Acadia Parish region. After marriage and a move to Gueydan, in 1935, he settled in Elton where he continued to play the accordion, mainly at house parties and family gatherings. After playing a few dances following World War II, he joined Percy Fuselier in 1947 to form the Elton Playboys. Within a couple years he regrouped and headed the Sundown Playboys.2

Tu m'as quitte, pour t'en aller,

T'en aller avec un autre,

Moi, j'connais, merite pas ça,

Ça ta fais moi a pas longtemps.

Moi, j'ma va, mais, mon tout seul,

P'us personne, mais, pour m'maimer,

Moi, j'connais ça fais la peinne,

Moi, j'connais merite pas ça, mais, malheurese.

Wallace Touchet, Lesa Cormier, Lionel Cormier,
Orsy "R.C" Vanicor, Howard Mire

Named after a popular dancehall in Acadia Parish, the "Welcome Club Waltz" (#1037) recorded in 1952, was named after the Welcome Club located in Crowley, Louisiana.  Opened in the 1930s as the Delta Club, it hosted blues and jazz musicians throughout the 1940s.  In 1951, Feature record producer, J.D. Miller, jumped into business with Welcome Club managers Henry Magnon and Leo Miller as part owner.  The use of the club's name made sense, because it was one of many places Miller kept his jukeboxes playing his store's Feature records.    Lionel's recording contained a melody similar to a version of "La Valse de Grand Chenier" and the old Creole tune "T'es Petite et T'es Mignonne".   It's quite possible it also inspired Lawrence Walker's "Reno Waltz".  By the late 1950s, the popular place became Club L'Acadien and remained that way for years.

You left me, you went away,

You went away with another,

I know I don't deserve that,

That you've done not long ago.

I'm going, well, all alone,

Nobody, well, to love me,

I know that it hurts me,

I know I do not deserve that, well, oh my.

Crowley Daily Signal
May 13, 1955

The early band featured Lionel on accordion, Emory Lapoint on guitar and vocals, John Darbonne on drums, and Percy on fiddle. Darbonne played a short while and was replaced by Lionel’s son, Lesa. Also, Orsy Vanicor played the steel guitar for a while in late 1948, until he joined his family in Lacassine to play with Iry Lejeune and the Lacassine Playboys. Larry Miller from Iota replaced Vanicor on the steel guitar, and during 1949 Percy left the band and was replaced by Jake Bertrand.  As personnel changed, Lesa renamed the band, the Sundown Playboys.2  By the time the band was in Miller's studio, it featured Howard Mire on guitar and vocals, Wallace ‘Red’ Touchet on fiddle, Larry Miller on steel guitar, and Tan Benoit on drums. Howard would continue on as a side musician with other Cajun artists such as Joe Falcon, Nathan Abshire, Lawrence Walker, Lionel Leleux, Don Montoucet, Blackie Fruge, Dick Richard, and his brother Jake Miers. 


Lionel was successful in landing radio airplay including places like KPLC in Lake Charles, KSUL in Sulphur and KJEF in Jennings.    In 1971, KJEF announcer Jerry Dugas hosted a show at the Bamboo Club on Highway 14.  The highlight of the event was not the music, but an unforeseen event.  While Lionel Cormier and the Sundown Playboys were preparing to play, Lionel had a massive heart attack, fell to the bandstand, and died while Jerry was making announcements.2

1. Slim Harpo: Blues King Bee of Baton Rouge By Martin Hawkins
2. Cajun Dancehall Heyday by Ron Yule
3. Lyrics by Stephane F

Find:
Acadian All Star Special - The Pioneering Cajun Recordings Of J.D. Miller (Bear, 2011)