Former Accession Number TI1-002

00:00 Talks about Ardoin kids. Wants them to open for him at Richard's but Kerman says no. Mentions Club Lexus in Grand Coteau. October 1991 was his first time to play there.
2:14 During the 5 years he and his wife were analyzing and studying groups performing he would sometimes sit in on accordion. One night, Retell Chavis (bass player) called Beau and asked him to fill in on accordion in his band, The Night Rockers. Beau said he was looking for a band but wanted them to change their name to The Hi-Rollers. The Night Rockers thought about it and said no, but when Beau told them he would find a different band, the agreed and became the Hi-Rollers. He said he named the band Hi-Rollers because he wanted to accomplish great things.
5:07 Over time, Beau lost the original members. Retell (one of Boozoo's nephews) developed a bad drinking problem and fell on stage with his bass during a show. Beau fired him the next morning but they remained friends. Chuck (who had been playing guitar) became the bass player. Beau found Ray Johnson (who had been playing with Morris Ledet) and put him on guitar. The drummer got on crack, robbed and stabbed a man and was now in prison. Beau was able to get Steve Charlot who had played off and on with Roy Carrier.
10:07 Whenever you have a band with each member giving 100 percent, it's easy to get right.
11:04 Bought a Fender 6-string bass for Chuck at Vincent's Backstage Equipment
12:12 Beau talks about the clubs where he performs regularly. He plays once a month at Vincent's, Mon Ami in Grand Marais and The Big Hat in Grand Coteau. Alternates the other Saturday and sometimes goes to Houston or New Orleans. He also plays at Raymond's in Port Arthur, The Harvest Club in Beaumont, JB Entertainment in Houston and Mid City Lanes in New Orleans. He will be playing at Jimmy's and the House of Blues in New Orleans and has some tours this year in London and D.C. He says he supposed to be playing in Germany, Belgium, Canada, Africa. Concerted Efforts out of Atlanta sets up the band's international tours.
18:46 Beau had been stationed in Mildenhall aabout 60 miles outside of London when he was Andres Espre. No one calls him that anymore. He didn't listen to Zydeco music then. He started listening to Zydeco when a couple of friends told him about Boozoo Chavis and he became fascinated by the sound of the accordion and the effect it had on the crowd.
20:53 Beau's injury was September 4, 1987. He says talking about it leads to depressing things.Things looked dim to him. The person he was with at the time was not compassionate.Things went from bad to worse. He had fallen around 20 feet onto concrete while at work. He was tightening a level monitor onto a vessel when the pipe wrench slipped and he fell backwards.He was brought to a hospital in Eunice where they put him in a tub and he couldn't see a doctor. He got fed up and had his family doctor call up someone he knew in Lake Charles, Carl Gunnerson. Beau talks about his surgeries and their complications. He's not able to do heavy lifting. He says the French and triple row accordion are not heavy like the piano accordion.
28:27 Wife from first marriage did not want kids but Beau did. She became pregnant after 10 years and had an abortion.
28:50 The phone rings and Beau steps away to talk to Caveman for a bit to discuss meeting times for their gigs that weekend.