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.
Interview with Lionel LeLeux
Tape recorded sometime in 1975, no exact date given;
00:00 - Talking about house dances;
02:20 - Lionel says that in the early days, men would leave the house or dancehall in between songs. Eventually, they would gather in the middle of the dancefloor between songs;
03:20 - More on dancing etiquette;
04:15 - "faire la march" - Men would stay with their dance partner when the music would stop. He would fan his lady and they'd walk around the dance floor - Similar to a wedding march;
05:50 - Lionel started to play music at age 13, stopped playing music when his kids were born. Restarted in 1955 after his kids graduated;
08:00 - He says that playing music wasn't considered a good job. When he quit playing music, he was with the Rayne-Bo Ramblers;
08:50 - Willie Vincent - Lionel says he was as good as Jimmie Rodgers, also died young;
10:00 - Talks about the Dixie Ramblers and the band members;
11:25 - Lionel generally played within the Leleux, LA area when he was first playing music. He then lists some of the dancehalls where he played;
12:45 - Lionel didn't always play in bands that had accordions. Mentions that he played with Bascom Mouton before the accordion became the main instrument;
14:05 - Talking about Amplification. Lionel says that he still has heavy bowing from the time before amplification;
14:45 - In 1935, in some dancehalls that had electricity, they used a sound system that had one microphone;
15:25 - Talks about the Model A Ford generators - there were two types. They could use the "Powerhouse type generator" to power their P.A.;
17:10 - They discuss more about etiquette and dances;
18:30 - Rarely played dances with drums. It was usually just fiddle and accordion, maybe a t-fer. Steel Guitar, Guitar, Drums, etc, came later;
20:40 - Fais do do - talks about the beds for kids in the dance;
22:20 - Order of songs played at dances. Dances were started with a waltz called "Ton 'tit bec est doux"
23:45 - Popularity of French music in those days versus modern day;
25:20 - Catholic people wouldn't have dances during Lent. They would have 'les danses rondes"
26:45 - They didn't always charge a "cover" at house dances. Sometimes they would pass a hat;
29:35 - Proper attire for dances - Coats and ties required. He mentions how hot they got with no air conditioning;
30:20 - During prohibition, they'd kick you out of the dance if you brought liqour. They'd sometimes feel men's coat pockets for flasks;
Interview with Lionel Leleux
No exact date given - Tape was recorded sometime in 1975;
00:10 - Songs named after clubs or landmarks - Reno Waltz, 73 Special;
01:55 - Home, Sweet Home was played to close dances; Would start as a waltz and they'd speed it up;
03:50 - The mothers were always with their daughters at dances, guys and girls would never go to dances together;
07:00 - Frequency of dances in old days - Usually on Sunday nights at the OST, also talks about the Blue Goose - mentions that there were always fights at the Blue Goose;
08:15 - Talks more about fights at dances;
10:45 - Food at dances - burgers, sweet dough pies;
11:45 - His dad was the postmaster, but also had a race track, dancehall, grocery store, mill. Leleux was named after his grandpa in the 1800's;
15:40 - Talks more about sweet dough pies and how they are made;
18:00 - Talking about soft drinks, pepsi, coke, cream soda, Delaware Punch, Sherby (sp?) Syrup etc;
Interview with Ambrose Thibodeaux
There is some audible tape print through for first several minutes
00:17 - Introduction - Ambrose says he was born and raised in Acadia Parish near Eunice;
01:50 - Started playing at 15 years old. Says that he was 72 years old at the time of the interview. Learned to play by ear;
02:38 - His father was a fiddle and accordion player; Ambrose tells a story about not knowing that his dad played the accordion until he decided to buy his first one at 15;
04:00 - Ambrose would pull "Coffee Weed" out of the rice fields when he was younger, that's how he made enough money to buy his first accordion;
05:30 - Talking about watching his dad play at small house dances and learning some of the songs that he would play;
06:40 - Mazurkas - different dance steps from normal, songs were played differently;
07:45 - Talking about the Valse à deux temps and jigs;
09:00 - Ambrose talks about his timing when playing and also how musician's timing affects dancers;
10:10 - Discussing what house dances were called - Ambrose says they used the word "bal" not "fais do do;"
12:15 - No amplification used in Ambrose's early days of playing.
12:45 - Mentions he never played with a fiddle or guitar until right before he made his first record in the early 60s;
13:30 - Ambrose quit playing music and never went to dances when he got married - He stopped playing for 38 years;
15:20 - Ambrose says that Revon Reed's radio program is what inspired him to start playing music again;
16:50 - Ambrose tells a story about finding and buying his new accordion from a coworker;
20:45 - Talking about playing on Revon Reed's program;
25:10 - Played many dances by himself, occasionally had triangles and spoons;
27:15 - Talking again about musical timing and how it affects dancers;
28:55 - Ambrose says that most of the dances he attended when he was younger were at homes;
28:40 - Talks about the first dancehall he went to in Eunice. Ambrose says that it was a converted house;
30:00 - When dancehalls started becoming a thing, many parents didn't want their daughters to attend;
30:45 - Bal de maison musicians were typically paid at the door or they would pass a hat. The charge was typically 10 or 15 cents;
Interview with Ambrose Thibodeaux
Tape print-through is audible for the first few minutes;
00:30 - In the early days, dances were typically once per week;
01:45 - At the dancehall that Ambrose grew up playing, dances were usually Sunday afternoons. They would usually start at 1 in the afternoon and they'd go until dark;
03:34 - Dances that happened at night time usually went until 11 pm;
04:45 - Talking about crowd sizes - house dances might have 20 couples;
06:55 - Dancehalls became more popular when more automobiles were used;
09:30 - Ambrose talking about modern life vs. old days. Talks about how people used to save more money, today people spend money they shouldn't spend;
16:45 - Ambrose says that most of the old songs he plays are still popular these days. Talks about jigs, mazurkas, polkas. Square dances were danced as a group, other types of dances were only danced as couples;
20:45 - Talking about current popular songs;
23:45 - More about old songs that are still played - La valse des Cajuns (Angelas LeJeune), La valse de Grand Marais, Chère tout tout, Kaplan Waltz;
29:45 - Talking about Belton Richard - Ambrose says Belton ruined his career because he mixed other influences into his music