Center for Louisiana Studies Archival Catalog

Johnnie Allan:

-00:15 - Popularity of Swamp Pop in Europe
-02:30 - Background information - Falcon and Guillot; Joe Falcon's dad came directly from Spain and learned how to speak French
-05:30 - Walter Mouton and the Scott Playboys - played with them when he was 13 in 1951
-05:50 - Rodney Miller's son, Timmy, plays sax with Johnnie
-06:45 - Played rhythm guitar, switched to drums, then to steel guitar when playing with Walter
-09:00 - State of South LA music business in the 70s
-10:50 - Putting together the "Memories" book - meeting old musician acquaintances
-14:50 - Jimmy Donley
-16:25 - Playing drums and steel guitar with Lawrence Walker - sang 5 or 6 songs a night
-16:50 - Rock 'n Roll influences - Fats Domino and Elvis Presley
-20:15 - Parting ways with Lawrence and starting to play rock 'n roll music - Krazy Kats with U.J. Meaux, Al Foreman
-22:10 - Al Foreman working as a session musician
-22:30 - Beuhl Hoffpauer's death
-24:30 - Writing of "Lonely Days, Lonely Nights;" Recording with Floyd Soileau for Flat Town
-24:50 - Rhythm Kings
-28:00 - recording and record sales; Bill Hall, signing over writers credits for songs
-30:30 - "Dego" Rutledge - Viking Label - songs were never registered and Johnnie never received royalties; collecting on songs
-35:50 - Switching to Jin
-39:00 - Johnnie's musical roots, defining swamp pop

Benny Spellman:

-00:10 - Singing solo parts in mass
-01:00 - background information - Father died when he was a baby, Mother had a large record collection and a hi-fi system, which influenced his musical tastes
-03:20 - Left Saint Josephs High School to play football. Had to get the bishop's permission to transfer to Booker T. Washington high school
-04:10- Received scholarships to play football at Southern University in Baton Rouge
-08:00 - Winning the freshman talent show and being given a job with the collegiate swing band with Alvin Baptiste
-10:15 - "white" music influences - orchestration, learned a lot from listening to music scores from old Western movies
-11:30 - Classical music - Visiting the Radio City Music Hall and Carnegie Hall as a child in New York City
-13:00 - Learning to play piano
-13:55 - Describing his voice - bass baritone
-15:30 - Was in the ROTC and drafted into the Army, served until 1961
-19:00 - Minit Records
-19:15 - mother's death in 1958, wrote "Life is too Short"
-21:45 - First recording of that song - Allen Toussaint wrote his first string orchestration for the studio session
-26:45 - Gigging at the Dew Drop, Biloxi, Thibodeaux
-27:55 - Backing musicians
-31:50 - Benny and Irma Thomas used many of the same studio musicians
-32:30 - Tommy Ridgely opening the door for Irma
-33:45 - Allen Toussaint - Was a catalyst for many of the New Orleans musicians of that era. Knew how to get the most out of them
-34:30 - Esquerita - Benny says he was a great entertainer, talks about how he influenced others
-37:00 - Percy Stovall
-37:40 - "Life is Too Short" on the Minit Label; Allan Toussant
-39:10 - Joe Baltimore
-40:20 - Allen Toussaint was in demand as a producer
-42:00 - Other releases

Barbara George:

-00:30 - background information - Born in Gilbert, LA on 09/26/1941
-01:50 - Started singing in church
-02:40 - Studied music in school
-03:20 - Started out singing with Walter "Wolfman" Washington
-04:10 - Sitting in with different bands at Club Tijuana, Dewdrop Inn - Hotspots for New Orleans musicians (circa 1959)
-05:45 - Senator Jones - was a talent scout
-06:25 - Harold Baptiste first brought her into the studio - A.F.O Records
-07:30 - WMRY "Groovy Gus" Lewis - Pushed and promoted her first record
-10:45 - Dick Clark - American Bandstand and other caravan type shows
-12:00 - Wrote all of her early songs, talks about her new album
-13:00 - Recorded her new album with Milton Baptiste, discussing her current band
-21:00 - Giving up music, moving to Florida and becoming a teacher
-22:00 - Moving back to New Orleans in 1985 - starting to perform again
-22:30 - "Take Me Somewhere Tonight;" "I've Got My Guard Up"
-24:00 - Discussing her new album
-24:30 - Played at the Lions Den with Irma Thomas during the Jazz Fest. Also plays Maple Leaf, Tipitina's
-25:20 - TV Special with Eddie Bo
-28:00 - Discussing booking agents, press materials
-35:00 - Looking at and discussing pictures
-40:00 - Jazz Fest - Two Live Crew being invited to perform - Alienating local acts

Senator Nolan Jones:

-00:00 - Background information - Born in Jackson, MS on November 9, 1934
-01:15 - His Mom was a gospel singer. Sang with Mahalia Jackson
-02:10 - Heard his favorite songs on the Ice cream parlor juke box - Louis Jordan, Cap Calloway, T-Bone Walker, Roy Brown
-04:15 - Moved to New Orleans in 1947. That's where he really got into music
-04:45 - Met Allan Toussaint, Dave Bartholomew, Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, Smiley Lewis, Guitar Slim
-07:15 - Enterred armed services in 1955
-07:45 - Joined a band, The Desperados, while in the army - played service club gigs
-11:50 - Dew Drop Inn
-13:20 - Late 1950s - Would hand-pick his musicians and play in the Lower 9th Ward - Billy's Night Club,The Amusement Palace
-14:50 - Band members - Earl King, Johnny Adams, Aaron Neville
-16:15 - Went to Chicago around 1965. Worked with Junior Wells, Wilbur "Hi-Fi" White
-17:25 - Songs recorded during the early part of his career
-20:50 - Recording hiatus around 1967-68
-22:00 - Working at Club 77 - Was the entertainment booker - Booked artists like Etta James, Joe Tex, Lil Milton
-23:50 - Producing and recording on his own label, Shag Records - The Barons
-25:50 - Working at Cosimo Matassa's studio
-27:40 - JB's records - Johnny Adams, James Rivers
-29:55 - SuperDome Records, Jinmark Label
-32:25 - Hep Me Records - artists recorded

Beau Jocque:

-00:00 - Background information - Born in Basile, LA 11/1/1957. His father played music but stopped after he got married
-01:35 - Influenced by Gustave "Bud" Ardoin (Morris Ardoin's brother), was killed in a car accident
-02:40 - "Bud" Ardoin learned to play the accordion from Nathan Abshire - Talking about Nathan's junkyard
-04:00 - Other instruments played in high school - tenor sax and tuba
-05:00 - Bud encouraged him to play the accordion
-05:40 - Sunday afternoon community dances at Morris Ardoin's place
-08:00 - Plays a B flat diatonic accordion
-08:45 - Hearing his father play the accordion for the first time
-10:00 - Had a band with Warren Ceasar in high school
-11:30 - Mastering the instrument
-12:45 - Boozoo Chavis and John Delafose - hottest bands at the time
-13:45 - Injury from work at the refinery - unable to walk for 9 months
-14:55 - Recording for Lee Lavergne "Pop That Coochie"
-16:15 - Hip Hop influence in his music
-17:25 - Plaisance Zydeco Festival; Hamilton Club
-18:50 - Festival International
-20:15 - Six-piece band

Johnny Vincent:

-00:10 - background information - Born on 10/3/1925 in Laurel, Mississippi
-01:10 - Got his start in the jukebox business
-01:50 - Went work for a regional record distributor in New Orleans - William B. Allen Supply (late 40s)
-03:40 - Buying a jukebox business and then started taking over small labels
-06:30 - Griffin Distributing
-07:55 - Types of records he was selling for Allen Supply
-09:30 - Popularity of jukeboxes at black locations
-12:00 - Talking about going on the road when distributing records, seeing live shows and starting to sign musicians to record
-14:35 - Artists signed - Frankie Lee Sims, Guitar Slim, John Lee Hooker, Sam Cooke
-15:45 - Being let go from Specialty Records and starting Ace
-18:00 - Producing Lloyd Price
-20:50 - Talking about signing Guitar Slim
-23:35 - Started Ace around 1953 - Eddie Bo recorded at Cosimo's on Rampart
-26:00 - Sonny Boy Williams, Earl King, Huey Smith, Frankie Lee Sims
-29:10 - Rex Records - Cosimo Matassa - Mickey Gilley, Dr. John were on Rex
-31:55 - Jimmy Clanton
-33:50 - Regrouping after having money issues
-35:10 - British Invasion - effects on New Orleans music
-36:40 - Frankie Ford - "Cheatin' Woman"
-38:50 - Let go from VeeJay Records
-41:00 - Memphis Records; Talking about his building that was once the headquarters for Ace
-45:45 - Lost all of his masters
-45:00 - Cliff Thomas

Rosco Chenier:

00:30 - Talks about musicians in the family; Learning from them; His father, Arthur "Bud" Chenier, played accordion
-Played at house dances; Duke Stevens father, John Stevens, played fiddle with Arthur; Mention Lanor records in Church Point

02:00 - Duke Stevens was on Rosco's early recording
02:30 - Larry tells a story of meeting John Hart's backing band at a truck stop
03:35 - Talk more about John Stevens and Bud Chenier playing french music; Music was in the family
04:45 - Larry says Roy Carrier might take Duke to London with him

05:20 - There wasn't much black music on the radio back then
-A lot of his songs came from Good Rockin' Bob, Lonesome Sundown, Lightnin' Slim, Leroy Washington (His first cousin, his mom's nephew)

06:00 - All of those people recorded with J.D. Miller; Leroy died pretty young; He played with Good Rockin' Bob in Leesville Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
-He died on a Saturday night; Lil Bob was playing with Good Rockin' Bob back then; Rosco was born in 1941; He started as a singer

07:50 - Started playing with Rockin' C.D. when he was 15 in the mid-1950s; The record came out in about 1962; This was his first real band

09:10 - White Eagle Club in Opelousas - Little Richard, Ray Charles, B.B. King played there; Southern Club - Fats Domino played there; Guitar Slim
-Rosco was too young to go to the clubs; The man who ran the club, Bradford, told him he could stand there but not dance
-White Eagle (Blanchard St. - it was known as "the Hill") was a black club and Southern Club (Highway 190) was a white club

11:40 - Not as many clubs as there used to be; Rita's Continental Lounge in Opelousas
-He's been gigging on Sundays at the Charcoal Lounge in the Hill on Academy, which was owned by a man named Mason who owned hotels
-Rosco plays Franks every Thursday night; Bob's pub in Lafayette

13:00 - He hasn't had to call for a gig in two months; Turning down jobs; Did a workshop at Festival Acadien with Lil Buck, John Henry, and a few others
-Talk about Baton Rouge; Tabby's Blues Box; Rosco wants an agent to book some tours
-Larry has been started to book zydeco up north; Murphy's mother is cousins with Rosco's dad and is related to C.D. too

16:40 - J.J. Caillier record; Rosco started learning guitar to gut bucket blues; Popular back then in the area until mid-1960s
-He started playing guitar on the bandstand around 1964; He played with C.D. for 12 years

20:00 - Blues in competition with zydeco; He mostly plays at white clubs (Franks); White kids are getting into blues; Not as popular with black kids

22:50 - Talk about his band; Early 1970s; Said Clifton Chenier would play zydeco and people would laugh, but he kept playing
-Rosco wouldn't change his style for the audience; He knows at least 350 songs

25:15 - He was a teenager when he started playing guitar; His mom bought him a Kay guitar for $21; His first electric guitar was $57 ($5 a month)
27:20 - He retired from playing with C.D. 5 years ago; He was a truck driver for almost 20 years and has some back and leg injuries; So started playing music full-time

29:00 - After C.D.'s band, he played with Good Rockin' Thomas for a year and a half; After that, Good Rockin' Bob; Sometimes with Lonesome Sundown
-C.D. started being a DJ; Rosco played with C.D.'s brother Robert's band for a year; Then played with Duke Stevens for about 3 years (about 1979-1980)

31:00 - Now he plays with his own band: Wadsworth Johnson - tenor sax, Patrick Lavergne - bass, Peter Burby? - drums; Blue Angel club in Lafayette

33:00 - Talk about the old clubs he played with C.D.; Lafayette clubs: Chipped Mirror, Bon Temps Rouler, Cliff's Country Club
-Opelousas clubs: Gabriel's Lounge, Hollywood Inn Club, Southern Lounge; Frank Andrus' Bar and Lounge in Port Barre; Teenage parties, school dances

34:35 - His band started in 1980; Played for 3-4 years; Original band members started moving, so he replaced them

36:45 - Recorded a single on ?; Then recorded a single on his own label called Chenier about 6 years ago; 500 pressings; A side: You Don't Understand
-Recorded it in Eunice and Floyd Soileau pressed it; Then recorded CD in Vidrine Label; Avenue Jazz label picked him up and he's recording a new CD at Vidrine studio

41:10 - Touring overseas; Explains how he got booked overseas
43:15 - Talk about Raymond Randle and his family
45:20 - Talk more about booking
46:40 - Audio cuts out

Willis Prudhomme:

-00:15 - Background information; Born in Kinder, LA, September 22, 1931
-00:50 - Father was a sharecropper, he helped on the farm growing up
-01:30 - Farmed for himself for many years - soybeans and rice
-02:15 - His older brother (played bass with John Delafose) got him into playing music
-03:30 - Started playing diatonic accordion around 1970
-04:30 - Inspired by and learned a lot from Nathan Abshire. Used to watch him play in Basile
-05:45 - Time he spent with Nathan Abshire, talks about his house in the junkyard
-07:00 - Talks about Nathan's accordion - he wanted to buy it after Nathan passed away, but somebody beat him to it
-09:20 - Talking about his recording experiences - Maison de Soul, Lanor, Rounder
-12:15 - Singles on Lanor, recording with J.D. Miller
-14:30 - Band members - Cornelius Guidry, Lee Andreas Thomas
-16:00 - Casinos affecting crowds for bands

Crawford Vincent:

00:06 - Born October 4th, 1921 in Gueydan; His dad played fiddle for house dances; His mother didn't play; He started playing with Hackberry Ramblers in 1940
01:50 - Stationed in Hackberry in a CC camp; He played guitar and fiddle, but they needed a drummer so he played drums; Talks about Hackberry Ramblers
04:10 - Traveled with Hackberry Ramblers; Music was a side gig
05:35 - Drafted into the Army in 1942; He was wounded and was discharged after one year; Moved to Lake Charles and started playing with Harry Choates and Leo Soileau - Jolie Blonde band
07:15 - Accordion wasn't very popular until 1948; Played drums with Leo and Harry for 3 years; Harry died in 1951
09:30 - Played with Harry on and off for 6 years; He recorded one record on Khoury with Harry: Jolie Blonde Is Gone / Lake Charles Waltz; Recorded in 1948-1949
11:20 - Started playing with Marie Falcon in the 1950s; Marie played guitar, Shuk Richard on accordion; Bertrand (?) on fiddle, and Crawford on drums
12:25 - Played with Iry Lejeune, Joe Bonsall, Marie Falcon and Shuck Richard; Played with Iry first then Marie;

13:45 - He became a barber; Went to school in barber school in Houston; Worked as a barber during the week and played music on the weekends
-Conversation jumps back to playing with Leo Soileau's band; Harry was a member of Leo's band, then had his own band; Crawford played with both groups

16:20 - Played drums with Joe Bonsall

16:40 - Cover of the Johnnie Allan photo book is Crawford playing guitar while he was at the CC camp
-Photo was taken behind the barracks in a field of salt grass--not a rice field; He wishes he had his shirt on

17:22 - Recorded with both Marie and Iry; Marie's band recorded with Khoury; Iry with Eddie Shuler at Goldband
18:45 - Played with Joe Bonsall for about four months than with Sidney Brown for a year in 1953
20:00 - Rufus played with Happy Fats and Papa Cairo; Crawford played with Papa Cairo in the 1940s with Leo's band
22:30 - Recorded one record with Sidney Brown on Goldband
23:10 - Played with a string band; Algia Breaux and Cledis Mott (Matte); String bands still sung in french but no accordion
26:30 - Made more playing music than barbering when he just started out
27:50 - Rock and roll; He rejoined the Hackberry Ramblers in 1953-1954; Continued playing for about 10 years
30:30 - Played at the World's Fair in 1984 then retired; Worked as a barber till 1970
31:00 - Hackberry Ramblers reunion; Touring

33:22 - Recording with Hackberry Ramblers in 1963; Talk about Ben Sandmel (Johnnie joins the conversation--Johnnie Allan?)
-Recorded at La Louisiane with Carol Rachou; Arhoolie; Luderin Darbonne; Frying Fish Records

38:30 - Crawford did some vocals on the most recent recording; Glen Croker, Edwin Duhon; Eddie?

George Porter:

00:05 - Marshall tries to make a new Meters band with Art; George and the others were still using the name and touring
00:45 - Warner Bros. looking at Allen Toussaint; The Meters played on Allen's albums but didn't get credited

03:15 - Zig and Leo learned the business faster than George and Art; Naive about the business
-Stayed out of the business side of things

05:05 - The band broke up in 1969 and 1979; Reconnecting with Art after the first split
-Ultimatum was that they could have the Warner Bros. deal if Art rejoined the band

08:30 - They started writing songs individually for their albums; Leo and Zig knew about the publishing side of things
10:15 - After five albums, the band broke up; They stopped playing Bourbon St. and went touring two moths after Sophisticated Cissy

12:00 - Disco and DJs almost put them out of business; They'd play Jazz Fest every year
-They made money through touring and royalties

13:20 - Second breakup; Conflict of interest law: manager, booker, and producer couldn't be the same person; Different agencies

14:45 - In 1975, they toured with The Rolling Stones for 13 shows in US
-Opened for a lot of big R&B artists (Isley Brothers, The Four Top, etc.)
-They would only open for bands once because they were so good; Reviews said The Stones had to work hard following The Meters

18:20 - They would headline in clubs like Tipitina's

19:00 - In 1978, Rupert Surcouf was their road manager and tried to be the band manager; Marshall was still trying to control the band
-Cyril joined the band to play percussion in 1975 right before The Rolling Stones tour

21:55 - The band disagreed with the contract/arrangement from Rupert; After the New Directions record
-When the band split, Art and Cyril went together

23:15 - Wild Tchoupitoulas album - The Meters and the Neville Brothers
-Rupert tried to make Wild Tchoupitoulas band without The Meters; That later became the Neville Brothers

25:15 - Same situation without Art; Saturday Night Live with David Baptiste Sr. playing keyboards
26:10 - He was frustrated musically because he wasn't getting as much of a say in song writing, especially when Cyril joined the band
26:30 - They did a 1976 European tour with the stones

27:45 - The Neville Brothers got a contract; Live album
-Rupert was trying to recreate Wild Tchoupitoulas with just the Neville Brothers; Rupert put the Neville Brothers on tour

29:30 - Instead of advertising it as a new band, they just said The Meters changed their name to the Neville Brothers; They were playing Meters' songs

31:40 - Back in New Orleans in 1980, he made a band called Joyride
-When Meters weren't on the road, he would play with David Laster (A Taste of New Orleans)

32:45 - Zig and Leo played a couple of more years as The Meters
33:30 - 1980s; more rock and roll, funk-rock; 5 piece band; Joyride lasted 1 year
34:25 - He went on tour with Jimmy Buffett
34:50 - After David Laster and James Black died, he cleaned up and has been clean for 5 years
36:00 - A Taste of New Orleans
37:30 - Touring and doing sessions with people

39:10 - Started snorting cocaine in the 1980s
-Realized he had a problem about a year before getting treatment; Went after Laster and Black died

41:30 - Put out a single, "Running Partners", in 1989; Got a deal with Rounder Records
44:00 - Finished a live recording with The Running Partners at The Red Box rehearsal space in New Orleans

Carol Rachou:

***Warren Storm is part of the conversation***

00:07 - They are watching a documentary about monkeys having sex
06:40 - They mention Lee Lavergne; Carol doesn't know him
07:20 - Born December 27th, 1932
08:40 - Started in the business from scratch; Started playing music when he was 14-15 years old; Played horns
09:30 - Big bands in St. Martinville; Slick Signorelli; Toby's at the four corners in Lafayette; Casablanca's in New Iberia

10:40 - He went into retail business selling records and phonographs
-Floyd started as a DJ with KVPI; The first store was on Vermilion St., then Jefferson St.
-Then another spot on Jefferson closer to campus
-Then Johnston St. next to the bowling alley, then next door to Bud's music

12:15 - He doesn't have a store anymore; Johnnie Allan represents the business
12:50 - First started recording; Charlie Ailaet big band music; Recorded onto tape then sent the master off to a press

14:00 - First recording of cajun music: Alex Broussard "Sud de la Louisiane"
-That is where he got the name La Louisianne; Recorded it in the store on Johnston St.
-He started the business in 1954; Started recording in late '50s, early '60s; The record did well locally

15:45 - Starting looking for other artists; Cajun humorists; Lil Bob; They used one of his songs in a movie
-Carol owns the copyright to the song

18:20 - Larry asks about another "I Got Loaded" but it is a different song
-They'll get some money for using the song in the movie
-Lil Bob wasn't listed as a writer with BMI, so he couldn't get paid directly from BMI
-He got Lil Bob to sign the papers with BMI

21:00 - Soundtracks; Los Lobos copied the Lil Bob song exactly

23:00 - He recorded the Shondelles around the same time as Lil Bob
-Around 1964; Other black artists: Tim Phillips, Don Frederick from New Iberia, King Carl

24:20 - Some gospel stuff; Don Frederick from New Iberia or Franklin
-Blues musician; Recorded "Big Boys Cry"

25:45 - He says to hold onto the records because some people will want them in the future

25:52 - Talk about selling Shondelles records in England
-Tommy James and the Shondelles came after this band

26:45 - Eddy Raven recorded when he was 17 years old
-Carol thinks he recorded Eddy more than anyone else

27:40 - Story about Bessyl Duhon and Eddy
-Told Jimmy Newman to give Eddy a break in Nashville; Bessyl played accordion with Jimmy

29:15 - Glen Hebert is the only local person playing with Eddy
-Jacques Leblanc; Eddy wanted to sue Carol for some songs; Carol was hurt by that

31:45 - Opry; Roy Acuff

32:30 - Eddy is probably the most successful person that started with Carol
-Jimmy Newman; Dale and Grace "I'm Leaving It Up To You"
-Sam Montel came to Carol to record a session; They cut four songs that day

35:00 - He knows a hit when he hears one

35:45 - The Shondelles; Played at the Southern Club in Opelousas
-They had a TV show, which led to the album
-It didn't sell well here; "San Antone" 45 sold well; They wouldn't air it on the radio

38:00 - "Kidnapper" and "Lache pas la patate" sold well locally
-"Kidnapper" by Jewel and the Rubies was almost a national hit
-ABC-Paramount picked it up; Warren played drums on that record

41:00 - Larry asks when he decided to leave the business: "When I got into it"
-He had some medical issues so he had to retired; He's still the boss; David Rachou is managing now
-Rex is the engineer and David is an assistant engineer; They are still recording; Cut demos

43:00 - Asks about cajun bands he recorded; List of all the singles
-They always put out a single before an album, except for Bud Fletcher

45:00 - He always tried to put out the best possible product; He'd handpick session musicians

Interview with Malcolm Walker:

00:48 - Percy Walker and the House Rockers; Percy on accordion
-Joe Walker was playing guitar in his dad's band; Musical family

02:20 - Played drums in high school; His older brother, Percy Walker Jr., plays drums too
-Percy Jr. played drums for their dad; Played drums sometimes

03:40 - Started going on the road when he was 17
04:00 - New CD

04:30 - Started playing keyboard, then played accordion
-His grandfather, Melvin Walker, had a band and taught him accordion

06:25 - Triple note accordion, to the keyboard, to the piano accordion
-He's been playing piano accordion for about 10 year

07:40 - He dad played piano accordion; He replaced his dad in the band
08:25 - Recordings: "On My Way"; He was still in school

10:20 - Talk about Joe being able to play all kinds of instruments
-Lil' Malcolm and the House Rockers on Maison de Soul

11:15 - First album recorded in Kinder and the second in Crowley and J.D. Miller's studio
-Mark Miller was in charge; New CD is about to come out; Recorded in South Carolina

13:35 - He toured to Sydney, Australia; Played at New Orleans Jazz Fest

Interview with Percy Walker:

17:00 - Born in Lafayette on July 17th, 1953; Melvin Walker was his dad
-His grandfather, Willie Walker, played accordion; French music
-Melvin and Willie would play at house parties--accordion and washboard; Playing drums on a cardboard box

19:30 - Didn't play any instruments in school; Drums were his first instrument
-Joe, his brother, taught him how to play; Joe convinced their dad to buy him a drums set

21:25 - End of the 1960s, they played "The Twist" and "Limbo Rock"
-Couldn't play zydeco back then
-Melvin played triple note and single note; He was in Joe's rock and roll band

23:00 - Joe, Darrell, Wade, and Percy all played with their dad
-Darrell and Wade were his younger brothers

25:15 - Marcel Dugas and Rockin' Dopsie were some of the only people playing zydeco
-He played with Rockin' Dopsie for a little while when he was 10

27:30 - Sat in with Clifton sometimes on drums; Joe would play guitar; They played with Marcel Dugas

28:45 - They didn't record their early stuff
-He played with Rockin' Sidney and Katy Webster in Lake Charles; His family moved there in 1966

30:50 - After the family band, he started playing accordion at house parties
-Eventually he made a band with Raymond "Toe" (guitar), Butch (tenor sax), Wade (Bass), John W. (drums)
-Joe wasn't in the band

32:20 - Played some zydeco mix with blues

33:00 - Cookie and the Cupcakes; He toured with Katy Webster in the 1970s
-Before, Katy was playing keys on the road with Otis Redding until he died

35:35 - Percy Walker and the House Rockers; They started in the early 1970s

37:15 - 1988 was first recording with Malcolm
-He bought Malcolm a little keyboard, then he started playing accordion; He played piano accordion

40:00 - He recorded one song "Going to the Country" on an independent label in the 1970s
-He never made an album; Mike Leger in Kinder

41:35 - He appeared on "Louisiana Red Hot Tribute to Clifton Chenier and Rockin' Sidney" a couple of years ago

44:40 - Conversation with Percy is over; Phone call with Rog

Bert Frilot:

00:15 - Born in April 24, 1939 in Uptown New Orleans; Moved to Chalmette when he was 12
-At 17, he went into the service for five years 1957-1951; Electronics

01:20 - Not interested in music before he was in the business
-Got a job working on equipment and electronics for Cosimo's studio
-He'd steal the manuals to learn about tape recorders
-2 studios and a disc cutting room on Governor Nichols; Two other engineers

04:15 - Cosimo would go to Audio Engineer Society meetings in New York and he'd run the sessions
-Forced him to learn; Three track machine
-Had to build your own consoles; Studio rigging; Air conditioner

08:20 - No company was mass producing consoles in the 1960s; Jone's Studio; Moving Sidewalks

10:30 - He recorded Irma Thomas, Lee Dorsey
-As well as, Ernie K-doe, Barbara George, Prince Lala, Huey Smith, Tammy Lynn, and more

13:55 - Lee Lavergne; Story about Barbara Lynn
-She changed words to a song and mentioned integration and the crowd got upset
-She had to be escorted out

16:25 - Jimmy Donley; He recorded all the Huey Meaux sessions
-T.K. Hulin; Memorial album for Jimmy

18:30 - Working with Irma Thomas;
-Used cellophane off of a cigarette pack for the rain sound on "It's Raining"

19:20 - Art Neville's "All These Things"; Lynn August

20:30 - He left not long after the Nola Label--before "Barefootin'" by Bobby Parker
-Around 1964-1965; Things had slowed down and he had a new job offer

21:30 - Worked for Bill Holford at ACA Recording Studios in Houston; British invasion

23:00 - ACA was located on Fannin St.
-Demos with Allen Toussaint when he was in the army; His band was in the Army; Alon Label

25:30 - He got along well with Allen; One of the best arrangers and producers he ever worked wit
27:00 - Marshall and Allen

28:00 - His father still lives in Chalmette; His daughter and grandkid live in New Orleans
-Cosimo recorded Bert's wedding and cut an LP

29:30 - Artists he recorded at ACA: Bobby Bland, Kenny Rogers, B.J. Thomas, Roy Head
-ACA merged with Goldstar

32:00 - Freelancing; B.J. Thomas "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"
34:15 - Junior Parker, Bobby Bland; Gospel groups

35:25 - He was freelancing--designing studios and doing sessions
-Met Mickey Gilley who was part owner of Jones Studio with Doyle Jones and Bobby N.
-Northside of Houston in the heights; They made him an offer to work at their studio

37:00 - Designed a console; He'd go to Dallas every Thursday to check on the building of the console
-He never missed a Thursday, except one week he canceled his flight
-The one Thursday flight he missed crashed and everyone died

38:40 - Jones Recording Studio; He designed and supervised the construction of the console
40:35 - The Moving Sidewalks; The first use of pan pots
41:45 - Bands would call him to record their sessions; He recorded Archie Bell and the Drells "Tighten Up"

42:30 - Bobby Bland wanted to record vocals in the corner of the studio so he can lean against the wall, put his hands in his pockets, and sing

43:00 - Larry clears up specific years
-Jones Studio turned into tape duplication business in 1974
-They use the console to make master tapes

44:20 - Other hits from Jones: Mickey Gilley "Room Full of Roses"
-Bert and Mickey flew to Nashville; Missed their flight
-Turned down by almost ever record label in Nashville

Red Tyler:

00:05 - Born December 5, 1925 in New Orleans; Youngest of 11 children; Only one to play music

01:20 - Drafted in the army January 5, 1945; Discharged in September 1946
-Went to Grunewald school of music because of the G.I. Bill of Rights
-Started playing saxophone; Was trained as a surgical technician

03:20 - Graduated in 1947; Cosimo was not in business yet
04:05 - School courses
05:30 - He was in school with a lot of professionals

06:30 - Joined Dave Bartholomew's band; First recording experience
-They would do a remote radio broadcast at Cosimo's studio; Recorded on old acetate masters

08:00 - He did a lot of session work
-Dave played trumpet, Joe Harris played alto, Mr. Hog/Hall played tenor sax, and he played tenor sax

10:10 - Played baritone with Dr. John's band then switched to tenor sax
10:50 - Rest of the band: Earl was on drums, Frank Fields on bass
-Ernest Mclaine on guitar, can't remember the piano player

12:45 - Dave's first session: "Fat Man"
13:40 - Sessions; They became popular session players

14:35 - 1950s; Dave recorded on a few different labels
-He left the band and started playing with Earl Williams

15:40 - Earl did a few recordings; Sang a lot of ballads and showtunes

16:00 - After Earl, Bumps Blackwell brought in Sam Cooke came and recorded a song Red wrote called "Forever"
-Bumps Blackwell brought in Little Richard; He played on all of his hits

17:30 - He played some sessions with Sam (Dale) Cooke

20:05 - Young kids would hang around the studio
-Dr. John was a guitar player who hung around
-Got put on a session with Paul Gates (?); He did well

23:30 - He was involved with Ace Records; RCA wanted to record some New Orleans music
-Allen Toussaint was hanging around the studio before he got in
-They worked together on some arrangements
-Allen's mom had to sign the contract for him

26:10 - Early sixties AFO period; Backed Barbara George on her hit
-All the sessions musicians decided to make a production company

28:15 - Couldn't maintain the production company
-Recorded a jazz album with Ellis Marsalis and James Black called "Monkey Puzzle"

30:00 - His company recorded "Tell It Like It Is"
-Leo Diamond and George Davis wrote that song

31:50 - Larry asks about the Meters and the Nevilles
-He did some stuff with Art Neville back in the day

32:50 - New Orleans style music started dying out
-Other musicians trying to imitate New Orleans style

35:00 - Playing with Mac

36:00 - He had a day job as a sales representative with a liquor wholesale company for 25 years
-He got that job because he had a wife and kids to support
-He could be picky about his gigs; Bourbon street - The Dream Room

38:00 - Played at the Dewdrop, Joy Tavern (college crowd)
40:15 - Edward Frank and Earl Williams; Edward Frank had a stroke

41:00 - Joy Tavern was in Girt-town on Pine St.
-Xavier University, Southern University; During the 1950s; AFO band took over that gig

42:30 - Played at Mason's - club inside of a motel
-People dress up to go there; Lots of clubs like that before integration

43:45 - Someone was arrested at the Dewdrop;
-Black and white musicians weren't allowed to play or record together back in the day
-Rhythm and Blues, Jazz, Bebop all came out of black clubs

45:45 - Escorito used to play piano there
-Still have occasional shows at Dewdrop
-They would sometimes play in white clubs

Preston Frank:

00:15 - Born in Oberlin on August 30, 1947 (or April)
-His dad played rhythm guitar, but he didn't get into music till later; Played at house dances

01:50 - Got interested in music around 25 or 26 years old; Accordion was his first instrument
-Two uncles played music: Carlton Frank played fiddle and Hampton Frank played rhythm guitar

03:45 - He would hear music on the radio but didn't think much of it till he started playing
-He started in the 1970s and professionally in 1977

05:10 - Played church halls and clubs in the area
-Slim's Y-Ki-Ki in Opelousas - played there for several years; Started playing with his uncles

06:20 - Started bringing his family into it; First recording with Arhoolie in 1981
-Chris Strachwitz recorded it; 2 singles

09:00 - Album released as Preston Frank and the Soileau Playboys
-Recorded at J.D. Miller's in Crowley; Played on Classie Ballou's All Night Man album

11:30 - Singles; Keith played drums
-Name changed to Preston Frank and the Zydeco Family Band

15:15 - Cassette called Let's Dance; The whole family is on it

16:00 - Jennifer has been playing bass for the past 2 years; She's 15
-Played keyboard first; Brad plays drums and accordion

18:45 - Keith plays all the instrument

19:30 - Started playing as a family 2 years ago; Brad is 10
-His uncle Carlton plays fiddle sometimes; Mostly zydeco, cajun, blues, rock and roll

20:50 - His influences are Aldus Roger, Wayne Toups (before he changed his styles)
-Keith likes how Marc Savoy plays accordion

23:30 - Savoy Music Center in Eunice
23:55 - Recorded the LP with Lee

24:40 - Local festivals; Playing at the Plaisance Zydeco Festival this year
-Festival in Ithaca, NY; National Folklife Festival; Jazz and Heritage Festival

27:20 - Toured overseas in 1980 in Cologne, Germany
-Him and three uncles; Boogie woogie festival

Murphy Richard:

00:05 - Born in the Leonville area; Moved to Grand Coteau then back to Leonville as a child

00:45 - Zydeco back in the day; They called it La-la music; Rub-board and accordion
-Clifton and Cleveland Chenier played at a club called the Silver Slipper
-They played there every 15 days
-Clifton used to live in Leonville but was living in Opelousas at the time, then Lake Charles and Houston

02:30 - He was around 13 when they were playing at the Silver Slipper around 1950
-They weren't selling liquor; They'd play on Saturday

03:30 - When he got older, he started wanting to play music
-Borrowed an accordion to play for himself at home

04:10 - La-la music was french music - not called zydeco at that time; Origin of the name

05:20 - Farmed on his grandfather's farm from the age of ten till he got married at 24
-He was a foreman, straw boss, for a crew
-They had pigs, geese, ducks, turkeys, chickens, guineas on the farm

08:10 - His brother Joseph was on the farm too

08:40 - He got married October 1st, 1960
-Moved off the farm; Worked construction for Miller Trade (?)

09:55 - Bought an accordion in 1984 or 1985; Played for fun
-Joseph starting playing a couple of years before him

10:50 - He was part of the house band at Roy's on Thursday nights
-Started with a triple note then switch to a single note; Now he plays both

12:10 - Him and Joseph started the band together; Jockey, Chester, and Fred joined them
-Morris had a band called the High-Steppers, then started playing with different bands
-He started on bass

14:00 - His brother died mid-1990s

15:30 - He and Jo would alternate on accordion
-Jo played the piano accordion and he would play single and triple note

16:00 - He went overseas in 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1997
-He went to France, Germany, Vienna, Switzerland

20:15 - Left the band around 1998; After his brother died, Morris played some piano accordion

21:15 - Made a CD at the Friendly Club for a German label - "Live at the Friendly Club"
-Two CDs with Lee Lavergne called "Boiled Crawfish" and "Come to Party" in the mid-1990s

27:00 - Recorded the last CDs in Eunice at Fred Charlie's

27:50 - Friction with the band
-People assumed he and Joseph were the band leaders because they played accordion

30:40 - New band lineup: Albert Davis on bass, Philip Chenier on drums, Roger Charles on scrub board, and Toe
31:30 - Retired; Not raising hogs anymore
32:20 - Bluerunners; First cousins with the band; Album with Rosco Chenier; They are third cousins
35:00 - His mother was Mary Gradnigo; Her brother was David and he had three sons who played music with him
36:40 - They asked him to play with them, but he wasn't playing music at that time

37:54 - Back on his grandfather's farm; His sisters live on the property too
-One sister died; 37 acres; His aunt and uncle have 80 acres near there

39:00 - Morris "Big" Chenier - blues guitar player from Opelousas; Related to Rosco
40:10 - Jockey played with Guitar Gable for a long time; He used to go listen to him

41:20 - Foreign tours; Ralph (Rolph?) Hubert booked them
-Met him at the Hamilton Club when he was scouting bands to tour
-Met him first at Maple Leaf then at El Sido's with the Creole Zydeco Farmers
-Sampy was playing with them - he possibly came up with the name

45:45 - Sampy wants to start a new band, but Murphy won't play with him unless he quits drinking

Larry talks to Joe, Raymond, and Felton; Interview continued from BE2-076:

Interview with Joe Walker:

00:01:10 - Jones auditorium
00:01:40 - One man band; Drum machine; Started playing gospel music on keyboard in the 1980s
00:03:00 - He was making a living playing as a one man band
00:04:00 - After, he branched into zydeco; Played with Boozoo Chavis when he was 15 or 16
00:05:15 - Touring with a zydeco band; Played with Lawrence Ardoin, Buckwheat Zydeco, Rockin' Sidney
00:07:40 - End of interview

Interview with Raymond Randle:

00:08:25 - Born in Opelousas on February 28th, 1948
-His dad, Clarence Randle, had a zydeco band, so he started with them; Clarence never recorded

00:09:30 - Started playing around 12 years old; His dad played accordion

00:11:30 - Picked up guitar then started playing professionally 5 years later when he was 17
-Played with his dad's band for about 5 years

00:12:15 - Played around Louisiana and Texas; Made his living playing music

00:13:00 - Band wasn't reliable so he left
-His band backed up Oscar Perry, Lightnin' Hopkins in the 1960s
-Some new members and some from his dad's band

00:15:00 - Blues was doing good even during the disco era; He never opened up for a band
00:16:30 - In the 1970s, he worked some odd jobs but mostly played music
00:17:25 - The first recording he made was with Lee Lavergne

00:18:15 - In the 1980s, he played with different zydeco bands; June Taylor and the Burning Flames
-Roy Carrier; Chubby Carrier; Roy's Club in Lawtell
-He's playing with Roy tomorrow night at the Holy Ghost Catholic Church

00:22:45 - Roy wants to Raymond to record with Lee on Wednesday night

Interview with Nathan Williams Sr.:

00:24:15 - His three year old son plays scrub board with him; From St. Martinville, LA

00:24:50 - His mom liked to go to zydeco dances
-She'd go see Clifton almost every weekend; He would hear music all the time from his uncle

00:26:15 - He'd go see Clifton but couldn't get in the club
-He didn't start playing accordion until 1985; He moved to Lafayette in 1979

00:27:30 - His brother Sid bought an accordion from Buckwheat for him
-Then he bought one from someone he met in Romero Music Shop in Lafayette
-Japanese accordion; He got it for $250

00:30:20 - He always played the piano accordion; He got sick in 1986 and was in the hospital for 8 months
-Thyroid issue; He'd play accordion in the hospital

00:31:30 - Play with feeling; Personal style

00:32:25 - After the hospital, he started practicing with a band
-Then Sid opened the club and they started playing there on Friday nights for free
-Buckwheat encouraged him - they were close friends

00:33:50 - Started playing Saturdays at different clubs
-The Tee Connection (?) in St. Martinville, Double D's (changed to Daulphine's Club) in Parks
-Hamilton Club in Lone Plantation (Lafayette), El Sido's, Richard's Club in Lawtell
-Slim's Y-Ki-Ki, Blue Diamond Club in St. Martinville (burned down), Tipitina's in New Orleans

00:36:45 - Toured to Boston, New York, Hartford, North Carolina, South Carolina

00:39:45 - Played at a cajun festival in Long Beach; Big Easy Festival in Rhode Island
-Frog Island Festival in Detroit; Names some of the bands at the festivals

00:44:25 - Local concerts: Golden Wheel Club with Millie Jackson, Denise Lasalle, Tyrone Davis
-Yambilee in Opelousas with Bobby Blue Bland; Jesse James
-Don Apollo Wilson and John Ford booked all these shows

00:47:00 - The radio station helped him out

Interview with Bobby Charles:

00:45 - John Fred's recording of "Shirley"
01:15 - Recollections
02:00 - Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
03:10 - Talking politics
04:00 - Discussing the Clean Water tour with Dr. John
04:30 - Cosimo Matassa getting back into recording
06:50 - Baseball song idea

Interview with Johnny Allan:

09:00 - Tour with Rod Bernard, Buck Rodgers, Jimmy Clanton, John Fred - Promoted by Sam Montel
10:45 - John Fred - helping Johnny with collecting photos for the Memories book
12:30 - John's illness
13:45 - Johnny mentions John Fred's modesty
15:00 - Discussing "Judy In Disguise"

Interview with Cosimo Matassa:

20:00 - Auditioning and turning down Sonny and Cher
21:00 - Talking about John Fred and his music

Attempting to call Sam Montel (Montelbano)

Interview with Luther Kent:

29:30 - Introduction
31:00 - First time sitting in with John Fred and eventually opening shows for him
33:00 - Sam Montel
34:15 - Current band
34:50 - Born and raised in New Orleans, talks about how he met John Fred
35:30 - RCS Records - Cyril Vetter
36:15 - Taste of the Senate show; Jazz Fest
39:50 - Montel sessions at La Louisianne
43:00 - Cold Grits Record label; Ode label