Center for Louisiana Studies Archival Catalog

00:01:35 - D.L. explains how he got into playing music. His uncle had a Cajun band, he went to a practice session and fell in love with the guitar;
00:02:30 - D.L. ordered a guitar from a catalog that cost $11. He tells a story about growing out of that guitar and needing a better quality one. He was sent a more expensive guitar than he had ordered;
00:04:00 - Played his first gig 6 months later in 1949 and has been playing ever since;
00:05:25 - Talks about his Country & Western influences. He says that in those days, a Cajun band that couldn't play Country music was more or less, not considered a good band;
00:06:30 - Sang Country songs for 3 years before he started singing French tunes - Talks about meeting Hank Williams in 1951;
00:07:10 - D.L. Talks about being called the "Cajun Hank Williams" It came from an article in "Sing Out" in 1973 after playing the National Folk Fest at Wolftrap;
00:08:00 - Highlights of his career - Traveled to 45 states, 38 countries. Talks about his experiences in China. He taught them how to say "Hot Dog;"
00:09:30 - D.L. talks about his time spent in the Shetland Islands. He says they were some of the nicest people he ever met;
00:10:45 - Touring Asia with Rickey Skaggs and Jerry Douglas;
00:11:30 - Talking about some of his other tours, meeting a fan from Holland on the streets; He says "La porte d'en arrière" brought him all over the world;
00:15:24 - D.L. tells the story about writing "La porte d'en arrière" while working at a gas station and translates the lyrics;
00:17:40 - D.L. says that he's most proud of his family and the songs that he's written; He mentions how much he loves meeting people through playing music;
00:19:45 - Talks more about Hank Williams' influences on his music and on how he treats people;
00:21:20 - Says that he didn't make money from record sales - they mainly cut records to get better gigs;
00:22:30 - Talks about playing with Terry Huval and Jambalaya, he jokes and says that they are about the only band who would put up with him;
00:24:50 - He talks about his relationship with fans; Hank Williams told him "You have to live your songs on stage."
00:26:10 - Differences between playing at home and out of the country - dancing crowds versus seated crowds;

00:28:00 - Interview switches to French;
00:28:10 - Talking about why it's important to preserve Cajun French when he writes his songs;
00:30:00 - D.L. mentions being forced to learn English in school;
00:32:20 - Talking about other musicians he likes - Simon Saint-Pierre, Bois-Sec Ardoin, Belton Richard, Aldus Roger, Lawrence Walker;
00:35:15 - Talking about young musicians he has influenced - Doesn't name anyone but says that "La porte d'en arrière" is always one of the first songs young players learn;
00:36:20 - Advice for younger musicians - Play what you like, don't try to be someone else, be clear with your lyrics;
00:38:00 - Close up footage for B roll; Talking about the hat that he's wearing;
00:40:50 - D.L. talks about his CA Guitar;
00:42:10 - D.L. performs "La porte d'en arrière;"
00:46:00 - Footage from the outside of Randol's Cajun Restaurant;

00:47:15 - Interview with Merlin Fontenot begins;
00:50:30 - Merlin talks about the different types of music he plays - Says he had to learn different genres of music so that he could get gigs; plays by ear;
00:52:20 - Started playing when he was 8 years old. Made his own fiddle because they were too poor. Made it out of a cigar box, screen wire, thread, cow horn
00:53:00 - His first real fiddle was ordered from Sears Roebuck. He talks about his favorite fiddle that his brother in law brought home from Germany after WWII;
00:55:30 - Difference between violin and fiddle - No difference other than the kind of music you play.
00:56:00 - Merlin plays a few "jazzy" licks; Talks about how he's learned different types of music;
00:57:30 - Motivation to continue playing - Merlin says he loves it because he's always learning;
00:59:55 - Highlights of his career - Playing at the Grand Ole Opry with Faren Young, Patsy Cline;

Family gathering - Recording speed shifts randomly

Laisse les bons temps rouler;
Grand Mamou (00:00:53);
Lake Arthur Stomp (00:02:23);
T'es petite et t'es mignonne (00:03:53);
T'en as eu, t'en auras plus (00:05:17);
Preordain Two-step (00:06:05);
Untitled Two Step (00:07:00);
Swing tune - Recording overdriven (00:07:58);
La robe barré (00:11:00)
Conversation
Untitled tune (00:18:30)
Reel (fragment) (00:21:50)
Mulberry Waltz (00:22:15)
Conversation;
Jolie Blonde (00:24:07)
Grand Mamou (00:25:57)
Chere Alice (00:30:40)

Side B Starts
Chere Alice (00:32:55)
Grand Basile (00:36:03)
Untitled Tune (fragment) (00:38:56)
La Malheureuse (00:39:30)
Untitled Waltz (00:43:00)
Chere Tout Tout (00:46:30)
Untitled guitar song (00:49:50)
Your Cheating Heart (00:51:14)
Chere Alice (00:53:09)
Untitled Waltz (frag); (00:56:10)
T'en as eu, t'en auras plus (00:58:06)
Chere Tout Tout (01:00:00)
Overdubbed recording of Grand Basile;

Varise Connor and unknown guitar & mandolin player playing at a family party in Fenton, Louisiana
Over the Waves
Blues tunes on guitar;
Guitar song (Spanish?) (06:45)
Guitar song (Spanish?);
Jimmy Bryant's Waltz (frag); (09:18)
Allons à Lafayette (11:30)
Over the Waves (13:14)
Memphis Blues (frag); (14:59)
Varise Blues (17:19);
Untitled Waltz (17:55);
Guitar song (19:25);
Mandolin & guitar waltz (21:50)
Mandolin & guitar swing; (22:30)
Mandolin & guitar swing; (23:40)
Untitled Waltz (24:20)
Country Fiddle tune (25:38)

Live Performance at Artmosphere
00:00 - Blues de Cajun;
02:35 - La valse de grand bois;
03:20 - Mamou two-step;

Courtney Granger - Fiddle and Vocals
Kevin Wimmer - Fiddle
Jimmy Breaux - Drums and Accordion
Chas Justus - Accordion
Blake Miller - Bass
Thomas David - Bass
Colin Gould - Drums

00:00 - Les veuves de la coulée;
02:06 - Grandfather's Waltz;
03:12 - Somewhere Between Your Heart and Mine;
04:29 - If Drinking Don't Kill Me;

Courtney Granger - Fiddle, Guitar, and Vocals
Kevin Wimmer - Fiddle
Dirk Powell - Upright Bass
Chas Justus - Guitar

00:00 - Hello Darling;
01:24 - Quand j'étais pauvre;
02:25 - You're Still On My Mind;

Courtney Granger - Guitar, Fiddle, and Vocals
Kevin Wimmer - Fiddle
Chas Justus - Guitar
Kelli Jones - Guitar
Thomas David - Bass
Jimmy Breaux - Accordion

00:00 - Blues de tac-tac

Courtney Granger - Fiddle and Vocals
Kevin Wimmer - Fiddle
Jimmy Breaux - Accordion
Chas Justus - Guitar and Vocals

Transferred from 16mm filmNo Audiogathering at home- children in costume; sipping drinks; adults with cocktails; food; King comes downstairs to fanfareNew Orleans Mardi Gras Rex ball 1955

Transferred from 16mm film - No Audio - New Orleans Mardi Gras Rex - Comus ball 1961

Harry Choates and his band at the Rio Vista Club in Bandera, Texas, 1950. Steel guitar, Phil Marx, piano, Louis Oltremari, electric guitar, Ivy Gaspard, fiddle, Harry ChoatesC.Crawford Vincent

Brunswick 590 - Denus McGee and Ernest Frugé - La valse de Rosalie and One-step des McGee

Recorded November 1930

Denus (Dennis) McGee - Fiddle
Ernest Frugé - Fiddle

Victor 22206 - Columbus Frugé - Point Clear Blues and Pleur Plus

Columbia 40514 - Armadie (Amédé) Ardoin - Tante Aline and Two step de Mama

Recorded in 1929

Amédé Ardoin - Vocals and Accordion
Dennis McGee - Fiddle

Victor 22366 - Slim Doucet and Alius Soileau - O Bébé and Les blues de Slim

Slim Doucet - Accordion and Vocals
Alius Soileau - Fiddle

Bluebird 2182 - The Falcon Trio - La valse j'aime and En route chez-moi

Joe Falcon - Accordion and Vocals
Moïse Morgan - Violin
Cleoma Breaux - Guitar

Decca 17004 - Joseph Falcon And Cleoma Falcon - Soucis quand j'etais gamin and Blues negres;

Joe Falcon - Accordion and Vocals;
Cleoma Falcon - Guitar and Vocals;