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.
Request a fileInterview 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