Issue Articles
Accordion-making was considered a hobby, but Randy Falcon turned it into a business
Randy Falcon grew up in the French-speaking region of southwest Louisiana listening to the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Dave Clark Five. He had little interest in his family’s […]
The Devil Went Down to New Iberia: Johnny Sonnier
Johnny Sonnier refers to Cajun music as his blessing. Originals and covers that Sonnier put his own stamp on decades ago are some of the most requested on Cajun radio […]
The First Graduate: Ailee Pardi likes the genre and the people
Ailee Pardi wasn’t living in Louisiana when the Cajun music bug bit. But it left a mark that she happily hopes never heals. Growing up in Edgewood, Washington, Pardi remembers […]
Five Questions with Rusty Metoyer
At 27, Rusty Metoyer is experiencing success unknown to many zydeco musicians twice his age. His gigs stretch from the French Quarter Festival to shows in France and Holland. […]
In Memoriam: Andrew Cormier (1936 – 2019)
During his 60 years on stage, Cajun music legend Jo-El Sonnier enjoyed rare crossover success, with two top ten country hits, and performances at the Grand Ole Opry. Sonnier’s career […]
In Memoriam: Nolton Semien (1939-2019)
Joe Hall is a happy anomaly. In zydeco’s homeland of southwest Louisiana, Hall swims in a sea of zydeco players who mix their sounds with R&B, rap, and other mainstream […]
In Memoriam: Paul Marx (1947-2019)
In 2005, a new band called Travis Matte and the Zydeco Kingpins was having to turn down gigs. The band’s mix of zydeco, rock and pop on suggestive hip shakers, […]
Dewey Balfa Cajun and Creole Heritage Week
Once upon a time, the best way to learn Cajun music and zydeco was to leave Cajun and zydeco country. Master musicians from the homeland, meaning southwest Louisiana cities like […]
Man in the Mirror: Kevin Naquin is staying true
“Man in the Mirror” is more than a song title for Cajun musician Kevin Naquin. When Naquin looks in the mirror, he sees reflections of his father Jessie, who died […]
Going to Get Me Some Dirt: Jourdan Thibodeaux gets everybody’s attention
Barry Ancelet has heard more Cajun musicians than he can remember. A retired professor of French and folklore at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Ancelet hosted “Rendez-Vous des Cajuns,” […]
