Center for Louisiana Studies Archival Catalog
This searchable database provides information on images, documents, and audio and video recordings, made between 1934 and the present.
Ballads and Fokltales by J.E. Marcantel and Revon Reed
J.E Marcantel, Revon Reed:
-Histoire d'un Negre ˆ la grocery qui voit une boule de feu tomber;
-Histoire du pirate Lafite (controleur d'esprit);
-L'homme sans tte; Deux orphelins qui n'allaient pas ˆ la messe pour chasser; J. Breaux;
-Black man of Broussard; Voyage ˆ Bosco: une apparition;
-Bouki Lapin qui doit diviser ses recoltes avec son voisin;
J.E Marcantel, Revon Reed
***ERRONEOUS DESCRIPTION***
Cajun and Creole Folktales Martin Latiolais and Revon Reed
Martin Latiolais:
Bouki Lapin:
-la secheresse; le mariage;
-Qu'est-ce qu'un Bouki?;
-Bouki qui attrape la queue de l'ours;
-Pauvre vieille femme qui rencontre une Cendrillon; Vieux bougre, malade, qui meurt;
Revon Reed:
-Explication des contes de Bouki Lapin et de Jean Sot.;
-Conte qui est devenu Jack and the Bean Stock; Jean Sot qui doit aller vendre du beurre.
-A vu des craques dans la terre; Jean Sot:
-En charge de la maison; Jean Sot:
-Qui va emprunter une aiguille puis une charrue; Jean Sot:
-Le petit rien tout neuf; en charge du domaine;
-Pascal et son bicycle tellement vite; Pascal le bon nageur;
-Le bougre en panne qui couche chez/avec un couple;
-Jeux d'enfants: Pigeon vole, comptine (le boeuf);
-Discussion: segregation entre les Noirs et les mulatres;
-Vendeur de produits Watkin.
-Jeu pour determiner qui lavera la vaisselle;
-Autre version du conte; chanson;
Cajun Folktales by Revon Reed and Elby Deshotels
Revon Reed, Elby Deshotels:
Bouki et Lapin:
-Les deux chemins (les Cadiens goutent pas bon);
-Tonnerre, la plus vieux chien de la bande;
-Les cocodriles dans les rivires de l'Afrique;
-Pascale dans l'Afrique;
Storytellers (Revon Reed, Elbt Deshotels)
***ERRONEOUS ENTRY***
Musical performance by Varise Connor
Varise Connor
Paroles et musique
Parole et Musique II (Presentation Litteraire a la maison Francaise de USL):
-Le Plat Pays--Chanson de Jacques Bruel;
-Des Gestes Demesures--Pome de Queneau dit par Evelyne Lautonne (France);
-Je comprends pas--Chanson de Jacques Dutronc interprétée par Frank Bruynbroek (Belgique) et Mary Mahone (Louisiane);
-Dame Pétrole (histore);
-La Jambe me Fait Mal--Chanson interprétée par Gerard Philippeau (France);
-En Rouge dans Le Texte--Pome Quebecois;
-Histoire sans paroles--Musique de Fleur de Lys (Quebec);
Folktales told by Victor Aubry
Victor Aubry:
-Lapin et son cheval;
Victor Aubry
Folktales told by Wilson Ben Guinee Mitchell;
Wilson Ben Guine Mitchell:
-Tales
Wilson Ben Guine Mitchell
Interview with Clifton Chenier
Clifton Chenier:
-Interview;
Clifton Chenier
Interview with Wade Garth and Lionel Bourque
Wade Garth, Lionel Bourque:
-World War I;
-WWI Stories;
Wade Garth (New Iberia, 1895) & Lionel Bourque (1898)
Interview with George Holmes
George Holmes
-World War I;
-WWI Stories;
George Holmes
Musical performance by Lionel Leleux and Varise Conner
Lionel Leleux, Varise Conner:
-La Veille Malheureuse;
-Honey in the Rock;
-Grand Night Special; Waltz; Shuffle;
-Grand Mamou;
-Grand Basile; Swing Shuffle;
Lionel Leleux & Varise Conner
***Possible copy of AN1-001 and AN1-086?***
Pascal stories told by Deshotel
Deshotel et al:
-Contes 1975;
-Pascal stories
Deshotel et al
Interview with Barry Jean Ancelet
Barry Jean Ancelet:
-Ancelet comments on his collection 20 years later
Barry Jean Ancelet
Interview with Norris Mitchell
Norris Mitchell:
-Chien et Lapin;
-Why dogs don't talk;
-Lapin et Bouki trouvent des graines dans le jardin; Bouki Lapin always comes out ahead;
-Dede Anderson; Dede Anderson trouve l'argent avec L. Leo Judice et Baptiste Perez;
-Les deux boefs noires qui se battaient a l'e(?)Ile Navarre; des histoires pour faire peur des enfants; des traiteurs;
Norris Mitchell
Interview with Ambrose Thibodeaux
Ambrose Thibodeaux:
AN1.255.i
-First accordion "Lester Brand"; Father; Monarch and Sterling accordions; His current accordion; 38 years without playing
-Courtship practices; Raising a family
-La vie d'un musicien; Jouer des bals dans le temps; Leaving music for marriage and starting again 38 years later
-First record with La Louisianne; Popularity of Cajun music at festivals
-Appreciation of style and timing and the importance for dancing; Tour de force in young musicians; The current state of music--festivals
-difference between music of the old days and now
-difference of singing in English or French
-the story of "Kaplan Waltz"; plays Kaplan Waltz; differences of other songs
-songwriting
AN1.255.ii
-differences of other songs
-Two-step des platins
-songwriting
-La valse d'Independence
Ambrose Thibodeaux (72)
***Possible Copy of AN1-118 + AN1-121?***
Interview with Marc Savoy
Side B of 255
Marc Savoy:
-L'histoire de l'accordeons en Louisiane
-Comment faire un bon accordeon
-Les accordeons de l'Allemagne et l'Italie
-Les accordeons Cadiens
-Les clefs des accordeons
-Les musiciens:
-Iry Lejeune
-Des musiciens qu'a des bonnes oreilles
-Les accordeons de Marc Savoy; Inlay work
-Comment il a appris a faire des accordéons
***Possible Copy on AN1-094?***
Interview with Sady Courville
Sady Courville:
-Commencement de la musique
-Des Fruges et la musique de vieux temps; des vielles danses
-Amédée Ardoin; Courville arrêté la musique
-la musique de vieux temps
-Courville commence a jouer encore
-Dixieland music; la violon seconde
-Dennis McGee; comment faire la bonne musique
-Ses musiciens favorites--Dennis McGee et Nathan Abshire
Sady Courville
***Possible Copy of AN1-124?***
Joke telling at Fred's in Mamou
Fred's in Mamou
-Joke telling at Fred's
-double shot of whiskey
-Moses; the dress; Dry Prong sign
-Sagging Mattress
-Arkansas
-book titles
-bouillon
-Le boulanger
-pantyhose
-Pascale
-des mentries
Interview with Clement Boudreaux
Clement Boudreaux:
-Giraumon
-L'homme qui peut pas dormir le soir
-les maringouins du Texas
-des gros cochons
-Pascale et ses amis dans la lune; sur les barills
-le bourgue qu'avait tomber dans la puit; des patates; l'enfant perdu
Clement Boudreaux
Interview with Clement Boudreaux
Clement Boudreaux:
-Deja moru
-M. Rouge Jaune
-la bataille entre les negres
-l'argent enterrée
-feu-follets
Clement Boudreaux
Cajun music audio clips
Iry Lejeune:
-La valse du pont d'amour;
-Jolie catin;
Lawrence Walker:
-Valse du malchanceaux
D.L. Menard:
-La porte d'en arrire
Canray Fontenot:
-Barres de la prison
Les Frères Balfa:
-Valse des Balfa
-Valse du bambocheur
Joketelling at Fred's in Mamou/ Pascale Stories
Fred's in Mamou:
-Les deux frères a la pêche
-les tites filles baigne dans le bayou
-the bartender; the train
-slaughtering a dog with pitchfork; hitch hiking
-Fred Tate
-Les contes de Pascale marquer des poules
-le prêtre; une femme
-les femmes suivent les filles au bals
-deux pouces
-une vielle fille
Musical Performance by Odile Falcon
Musical Performances by Lula Landry, Canray Fontenot; Inez Catalon et al
Lula Landry, Canray Fontenot, Inez Catalon et al:
Lula Landry:
-Le papier d'épingles
-Quelle petite homme
-La sauterelle
-La terre nourrit tout
-La Ôtite poule gris
-A mon beau chateau
-Isabeau
Inez Catalon:
-Malbrough
-Frank Blanchard
-La jolie Rochelle
Canray Fontenot:
-Les barres de la prison
-Edouard Alleman
-Pas ici et pas la-bas
-Fiddle Tune
Varise Connor and Lionel Leleux:
-Valse de la Belle
Varise Connor:
-Grand Bois
-blague
-"Rabbit Stole the Pumpkin"
Freeman Fontenot:
-unaccompanied accordion;
-Bonsoir Moreau;
Varise Connor, Lionel Leleux and Don Montoucet:
-La Dernier Valse;
-Les flammes d'enfer
Lula Landry, Canray Fontenot, Irez Catalon et al
Poetry recitiation by Jean Arceneaux
Jean Arceneaux:
-La nuit s'aperoit
-Le loup se pose de question
Jean Arceneaux
Don Montoucet Joue l'Accordion
Don Montoucet- Joue l'Accordion
16mm film by Barry Ancelet, Stephen Duplantier, and Marc Porter- Featuring Don Montoucet and Roger Montoucet:
-Don Montoucet on phone giving directions to his home
-Virgil Montoucet working on a car
-Don talking about where the accordion has taken him
-Don working on a school bus
-Don playing Chère tout tout
-Virgil Montoucet - Les flammes d'enfer
-Don Playing Jolie Blonde
-Don and Virgil playing Jolie Blonde in a jam session - footage of women cooking
-Family eating gumbo and conversing at the dinner table
-Folkmusic, Work, Foodways
Redigitize - Cell Phone Noise
Don Montoucet et al
American Rice - Food for the World
American Rice - Food for the World
16mm film by Kennedy Film Productions
-Machines replacing animals to help produce rice
-Rice in Asia, Africa and Europe
-First rice planted in North America
-Preparing soil for rice planting
-Machines used to plant rice
-Making rows for proper irrigation
-Planting, Fertilizing
-Harvesting rice - drying and being stored at the rice mill
-Sorting and grading the rice
-Refining the rice - Brown and white rice
-Quality certification
-Different rice dishes made around the world
Featuring: Rice, work, farming, foodways
Mardi Gras Louisiane
Mardi Gras Louisiane - 16mm film by Bayou Films
-Footage of New Orleans, Mississippi River, coastline, from riverboat;
-Harmonica playing a tap dancing;
-Old man describing Mardi Gras day;
-Hog butchering and boucherie footage - Saint Martinville, LA
-Cracklin making;
-Food being served;
-Dance footage;
-Ambrose Thibodeaux Band playing live at Fred's Lounge (10:30)
-Footage of musicians - Nathan Abshire, Zachary Richard, Preston Manuel, Sady Courville
-Nathan Abshire - Pine Grove Blues (12:00)
-Mamou Mardi Gras Courir footage (16:20)
-Band footage at American Legion Hall - Petite ou la grosse (25:00)
Director Robert Audet - Featuring Nathan Abshire, Guy Beaudoin, Andre Belanger, Francoise Berd, Raoul Bertucelli, R.B. Desrosiers, Gabriel Gagnon, Gilles Garand, Blaine Kern, Charles Leborgne, Fritz Lewertoff, Preston Manuel, Jose Mena, Gaby Persechino, Revon Reed, and Michel Robitaille
Cajun film
Cajun - Produced and Directed by Robert D. Clark
16mm film by CBC Ottawa
-Merlin Fontenot playing fiddle walking in woods;
-Aerial shots of bayous, towns, & oil rigs;
-Interview with Jimmy Domengeaux - state of French language in Louisiana, development of CODOFIL;
-French classroom scene - interview with teacher Marie-Claude Petrault;
-Children sing in French;
-Interview with Jan Lobelle;
-CODOFIL program coordinator;
-Street scenes with horse drawn wagon sales;
-Interview with Aaron Flegeance, St. Martin Parish school board;
-Car driving rural Breaux Bridge;
-Interview with Bill Clause and Tom Periou, bank executives about French usage in business;
-Mamou Mardi Gras courir- masked riders on horseback;
-Interview with Revon Reed, teacher and broadcaster- old world traditions;
-Mamou Mardi Gras street parade- Manuel's Bar- unknown band on bandstand;
-Gumbo
-Cemetery scene
-French names on business signs
-Interview with Leo LeBlanc, Quebec Government Representative about French and CODOFIL;
-Aerial shots of bayou and houses under credits
Interview with J.C. Alpough and John Stewart
Interview with J.C. Alpough
00:30 - Drafted into the service, went to Camp Funston in Kansas;
01:30 - Came down with Pneumonia and Influenza after being shipped to France;
02:05 - After getting sick, was sent back home to a camp in Mississippi and then Hoboken, New Jersey
02:20 - Didn't see any battle. Mentions that that was the first time he left home;
04:00 - The weather was bad in France while he was there - cold and rainy, stayed in canvas tents
05:00 - Says that he met many French people while there, but had trouble understanding them. He says they were nice to him;
06:00 - He saw some wounded soldiers while in France and that he feels very lucky to still be alive;
07:45 - Came into contact with German prisoners but wasn't allowed to talk to them;
09:20 - Description of a typical day while in the service;
10:20 - Talks again about not being able to understand the French people he met.
10:55 - Says that they never had a day off in the army and says the happiest day of his life was when he found out he was coming back home;
12:45 - Talks about his trip back to the US and about his return home. Arrived home in March on a train out of Camp Shelby;
14:55 - Received a bonus payment;
15:40 - He was a farmer before he went into the army. He went to school until the 7th grade, raised Catholic;
17:58 - Went back to farming and also got married when he returned from the service;
18:50 - African Americans were not allowed to vote when he went into the service, talks a bit about segregation in the army;
20:23 - Name of his Division (unclear) Company 806 Pioneer Infantry? Barry says that George Holmes was in Company 816;
22:00 - His birthday is June 6, 1894;
New Interview with John Stewart starts;
25:00 - Born in Jackson, LA in 1888; Was drafted in 1917
27:00 - His father was a cotton farmer. Was a fireman on the railroad after returning from the army;
27:30 - Was shipped to Camp Funston in Kansas, took a train from Donaldsonville;
28:25 - Talks about training at Camp Funston - tear gas training, was exposed to Mustard gas;
29:15 - Says he was rejected due to an injury, didn't go to France. Was in Company 805;
31:45 - Says that even thought they trained and marched together, he lived in segregated barracks;
32:45 - They had plenty of food, was payed $7.50 per month while serving; Next few minutes are unclear, talking some about benefits from the VA;
36:30 - Talks about when he came back from Kansas - went back to work, worked at Standard Oil in Baton Rouge and as a railroad fireman;
37:30 - Says it wasn't too hard for him to find a job, got a bonus after leaving the army;
39:10 - He says that he wanted to serve in WWII, but they wouldn't take him;
29:40 - Talks about how his family felt when he left; Didn't have voting rights when he was drafted;
40:50 - Talks about how happy family and friends were when he returned home, audio is difficult to understand;
41:40 - He says he wasn't scared to leave home;
42:50 - Talks about when he moved to Palmetto;
44:30 - Was also a fireman at the sawmill in Palmetto;
45:45 - More about being exposed to gas and being trained to use the gas mask;
47:20 - Discussing his discharge papers;
48:30 - Talking about hunting and life in the old days;
50:50 - Mentions that his father didn't serve in the army, talks about his dad's reaction to him being drafted;
54:00 - Flood of 1927, then mentions other floods that they had in the 20s;
53:30 - Barry asks if people working in the sawmill ever sang songs. John says he remembers them, but doesn't sing any;
Interview with C. Arceneaux - WWII Oral History Interview
Interview with Donald'd Father about his World War II experiences.
Recorded at their camp in Butte La Rose, LA
Bayou Boogie Television Show Hosted by Herman Fueslier - Featuring Anne Goodley
00:00 - Herman Fuselier introduces Anne Goodley;
00:27 - Anne Goodley plays part "Oh Bye Bye" leading into and out of commercial break;
03:00 - Herman Interviews Anne - started playing accordion in 1981, plays with the Zydeco Boneshakers;
04:40 - Anne discusses her influences and inspirations - Combining Zydeco and Gospel music;
09:10 - "The Queen of Zydeco Salutes You";
11:00 - She was 10 when she made her first record;
11:55 - Grew up listening to John Delafose and Clifton Chenier;
12:30 - Rockin' Sidney recorded her first 45 record and was one of her early promotors;
13:20 - Talking about different bands that backed her over the years;
14:00 - Drug and alcohol issues she had; advice she has for other musicians who are having problems;
16:25 - Working with Cullen Washington and the Zydeco Boneshakers;
19:00 - "Goin' Back to Big Mamou";
22:00 - Interview - Current shows, Isle of Capri Casino;
23:50 - Herman joins Anne and plays "Jolie Blonde" on accordion;
Shane Bernard Interviews Lee Lavergne
00:30 - Interest in music - plays guitar, steel guitar, has not appeared on any of the albums he produced and only occasionally plays live shows;
01:20 - Explains how he became interested in the production side of the music business after returning from serving in Korea;
02:05 - The change in popularity of Country Music, Rock 'n Roll and Rhythm and Blues;
03:45 - Establishment of Lanor Records;
04:25 - First recording with Shirley Bergeron;
06:00 - Use of various music studios (Crowley, Goldband, Cosimo's, Huey Meaux's studio in Houson, Muscle Shoals, etc from 1960-1965;
07:10 - Elton and the Eltadores;
07:50 - Recording with Bill Matte - "Parle Vous Francais" - Did well on Rock 'n Roll stations around the state;
10:48 - Duke Stevens and Sputnik;
12:00 - Discussing Elton and the Eltadores, found Charles Mann through that band;
13:54 - Defining Swamp Pop - "Country with a Rock beat";
15:30 - Cosimo Matassa - says how impressed he was by Cosimo's engineering skills and the sound of the studio;
17:00 - Recorded Elton Anderson, King Carl, used Dr. John (Mac Rebbenack) on some sessions at Cosimo's studio;
17:50 - Charles Mann - discussing the stage name, was Charles Domingue. Complication of artists having Cajun names;
20:30 - Music and Dating;
23:00 - Talking about Jimmy C. Newman, Benny Graeff, Kris Kristofferson;
24:45 - Charles Mann - Lee says the first record that Charles recorded for him wasn't good. Says the band wasn't good and Charles wasn't comfortable singing at that point;
29:00 - Talking about how big record labels influence artists - They didn't know how to handle regional music styles and typically over-produce them;
30:30 - Discussing the future of Swamp Pop
Shane Bernard Interviews Jake Graffagnino
Jake Graffignino - 732 N. Main Street in Opelousas, LA
00:30 - Played trumpet on Rod Bernard's record - Linda Gail / Little Bitty Mama. It was recorded at the Southern Club
02:45 - Talks more about his time working at the Southern Club. They would use curtains when recording records there;
04:30 - Started playing trumpet in junior high, Started an Air Force band during World War II; Played many Bob Hope / U.S.O shows
06:00 - Opened his music shop in 1953;
06:40 - Musical influences - early Jazz like Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman;
07:15 - Big Jazz bands would come to South Louisiana once a month or so;
09:15 - Talking about artists he recorded - Sidney Simeon, Jimmy James, Ricky Benoit, John Leger, Lil Bob, Hal Young;
10:00 - Three record labels owned - Carl Records, High-Up Records, Jag Records. Would put different genres on different labels;
12:00 - Talking about his regrets - Regrets not locking artists up with contracts;
13:20 - Says he regrets ever getting into the music business;
15:00 - Leased Lil Bob's recording to Decca;
15:45 - Says he didn't feel right about trying to lock artists up with contracts, didn't want to hold any musicians back from better opportunities;
21:50 - Discussing songs that he has songwriters credits on - Dale and Grace - "Stop and Think It Over";
24:25 - Helping bands around town find gigs;
28:00 - Talking more about leasing Lil Bob's recording to Decca;
29:00 - Would rent out equipment and instruments to local bands
Interview with Floyd Soileau
Interest in music and early experiences in the industry;
Recording French music and beyond;
Other independent producers and labels;
Building the studios;
Record Pressing Plant taking the place of the studio;
Early releases;
Splitting off the Jin label;
Editing the spelling of Soileau to Swallow;
Starting his roots music label and his Zydeco music label - the "house of soul" "Maison de Soule" [21:30];
Flat town music co. [20:40];
Other labels founded by Soileau;
Rare records;
Popular recording artists;
Changing artists names;
Future of Swamp Pop;
Defining Swamp Pop - Origin of the name "Swamp Pop" [40:50];
Hank Williams;
Creating a great song;
A touch of sax.
Interview with J.D. "Jay" Miller
The life of a musician;
Current projects for the label;
Buckwheat Zydeco;
Clifton Chenier;
Recording before regional studios;
78rpm records;
Recording-then and now;
Nashville Studios;
Al Perry;
1950s;
Hickory Records;
Playing music- 1930s;
Military service;
Fais Do-Do Records;
Feature Labels;
Blues Unlimited label;
Zen labels;
Warren Storm;
Johnnie Allen
Interview with J. D. Miller (cont.)
Jake Graffagnino and JIN records;
Recording techniques;
Segregation and Racism;
Publishing companies - lawsuits, royalties;
Bands recorded;
Define Swamp Pop - Cajun Accent [27:50];
How the sound of Swamp Pop changes per studio;
Importance of Echos to the Swamp Pop Sound;
Trying to make an Echo Room;
Future of Swamp Pop - Roots to Country Music [39:35];
Rebel Records;
Interview with J.D. Miller (cont.)
Warren Storm releasing new music;
Benefits of modern recording techniques;
Rumors and stories - Lazy Lester