Music made by St. Landry Parish natives have traveled to the Grammy Hall of Fame, movies, TV shows, and festivals across the globe. Here’s the beginning of a #StLandryParish playlist that you can enjoy. There’s plenty more of this #GumboForYourSoul to come.
“Best of Clifton Chenier” (Arhoolie) – Born in the country between Opelousas and Port Barre, “King of Zydeco” Clifton Chenier worked his way to a Grammy, the Grammy Hall of Fame and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a supreme honor won by Hank Williams, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson and other all-time greats.
This “Best of” album shows what the fuss is all about, from hard-driving, two-steps to French blues to a live version of the hypnotic party starter, “Party Down at the Blue Angel Club).”
“Refait,” Hadley Castille (Swallow) – Imagine crawling out of a mudhole, catching a plane, and performing before thousands of screaming fans in Canada. Such was the life of Cajun fiddler/plumber Hadley Castille, a proud native of Pecanierre (near Leonville.)
Castille used his meager, sharecropping roots and Harry Choates-flavored fiddling to pen stories about neighbors making moonshine and punishment for speaking French at school. Castille’s creations, redone on the “Refait” CD, have entertained Pres. George H.W. Bush and landed in the Clint Eastwood movie, “A Perfect World.”
“Le Cowboy Creole,” Geno Delafose (Time Square Records) – The legions of fans that follow Geno Delafose have pretty much given up hope of another CD. The last one, “Le Cowboy Creole,” earned a Grammy nomination. But that was 12 years ago.
Geno’s studio absence helped fuel fans who, before coronavirus, made Delafose’s band the most booked in the region – bar none. Like his shows, the CD includes a little something for everybody – zydeco, Cajun, swamp pop, a bi-lingual “When Will I Be Loved” from the Everly Brothers, and Lionel Richie’s “Easy.”
“Zydeco Live!” various artists (Rounder) – Perhaps the best live zydeco recording ever, “Zydeco Live!” was crafted in 1989 in the music’s dearly-departed Grand Ole Opry, Richard’s Club in Lawtell. This two-album set captures zydeco pioneer Boozoo Chavis in his red-hot comeback.
Willis Prudhomme and John Delafose, Geno’s dad, were in top form. Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, now world-traveled veterans, were just starting out.
Listeners outside Louisiana have asked why there’s no applause in this live album. Back then, zydeco fans danced instead of clapping. The dance floor was packed.
“Zydeco Famous Flames Live,” Leon Chavis (Chavis) – Leon Chavis has used skills learned as a trumpet player at Northwest High School and the world-famous Southern University Jaguar Marching Band to become one of contemporary zydeco’s hottest acts. Chavis’ first live CD, released in late April, landed at No. 4 on the iTunes World Music Chart.
Less than a month later, Chavis unveiled “Encore,” part two of his greatest hits live. It checked in at No. 8 on the World Chart. Get the passport ready, Leon.
(Herman Fuselier, a longtime music journalist, is executive director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission.)
