Recorded circa 1990

Ben Sandmel with Lynn August:

00:00 - Grew up in Lafayette
00:40 - Had an Uncle who played accordion - Claudelle Duffy
01:30 - His main inspiration came from Ray Charles (R.C. Robinson) - playing in Four Corners

02:00 - Showed musical talent from a young age
-Drums were his first instrument. Parents were very supportive of his musical development

03:45 - His father would take him to different clubs to audition - Peppermint Lounge - Roland Dice
04:40 - Esquerita
05:15 - New Orleans Funk Beat
07:45 - Going on the road with Jay Nelson
09:00 - Starting his own band - playing with Buckwheat Zydeco (Stanley Dural)
10:30 - Status of Zydeco in the 60's - Clifton Chenier

12:30 - Worked at a Bino's Lounge in St. Martinville playing 4 nights a week solo on a Hammond B3 organ for $300 a week

13:30 - Side gigs besides Bino's Lounge
16:30 - Working the hotel circuits
17:30 - First Zydeco gig - Going on the road with Marcel Dugas
18:00 - Grew up speaking French
22:50 - Worked as choir director for churches around Lafayette
23:30 - Regional touring with lounge chains
24:35 - Worked at the Driftwood Club in Lafayette with a trio (at the Northgate Mall)
28:00 - Country artists - Ronnie Milsap, Keith Whitley, Randy Travis
29:45 - In 1988 started to get burned out so he built a studio and began writing and wanted to learn Zydeco
32:30 - How playing the drums helped him learn to play the accordion
35:00 - Blind Musicians - Blind John Davis, Henry Butler, etc
36:30 - Purchased his first accordion in 1989
37:00 - Comeback of Zydeco music
38:45 - He never let his blindness hold him back
42:30 - Singing 'Juré'