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 Tommy Ridgley
Tommy Ridgley:
00:00 - Beginnings in music - going to music school after finishing the service
02:45 - Singing with Earl Anderson's band - Starlight club
03:00 - First recording with Dave Bartholomew
05:00 - Legal issues with Tommy's recording "Tra La La; Conversations about royalties
12:50 - Records made with Imperial Records and Atlantic Records
13:00 - Signing to Atlantic Records
15:00 - Band members over the years and Dave Batholomew's influence on his band
19:00 - Clubs he plays in New Orleans
22:40 - Musicians he's played concerts with
23:45 - Playing concerts with James Brown and Bobby Darin
26:00 - Esquerita - Eskew Reeder, Jr.
29:00 - "Let's Try and Talk it Over," "In the Same Old Way," "Should I Ever Love Again"
34:30 - Recording a song for Phil Santo - recording was leased to an English label
28:45 - His latest recording in 1970, "Live While you Can"
40:50 - White Cliff Records - Cosimo Matasa
39:55 - Edward Frank - organ player
44:00 - Tommy's brother's music
45:00 - Future of the New Orleans music scene, Other talented younger musicians in the New Orleans area
48:15 - Most popular local artists in the 1950s - Paul Geyton, Larry Darnell, Roy Brown, Lloyd Price
50:00 - Traveling out of state
51:30 - Playing at Jazz Fest in New Orleans
Interviews with Tommy Ridgley and Justin Adams
Tommy Ridgley:
00:00 - Other Band Members - Delton Russo, Allen Dejean, Walter Harris, Leroy Joseph, James Jackson
02:40 - Recording before Fats Domino - recorded November 1949
03:20 - Working with Irma Thomas
04:45 - The Dewdrop and group member names
08:40 - Other musicians - Lawrence Cotton, Alonzo Stewart, "Dimes"
10:20 - "Lonely Man Blues"
13:00 - "Boogie Woogie Mama"
Justin Adams:
15:30 - Music in Justin's family - his beginnings
16:45 - Playing with Tommy Ridgley
17:15 - recording sessions he took part in - Fat's Domino, Little Richard, Charles Brown
19:18 - Justin's family history with music; - Manuel Manetta, Dollie Adams, Placide Adams, Gerald Adams
21:30 - Joe Jones recording - Delton Russo, "Honeyboy," James Prevost
23:30 - Dixie Cups
25:46 - Fats Domino's band members
27:00 - Big Bands he started out playing with
32:30 - New Orleans' current music scene
Interview with Marshall Sehorn (Part 1)
Marshall Sehorn:
01:00 - Marshall's history in the music business and working as a disc jockey - 1958
06:20 - Working as a record promotion rep
10:45 - Making records with Lightnin' Hopkins - "Mojo Hand"
12:15 - Discovering Lee Dorsey and signing him to a contract with ABC Paramount
15:55 - Legal problems with the Bobby Marchan record "Kansas City." Lawsuit with Johnny Vincent
26:00 - Sehorn records
36:45 - Downfall of Cosimo's studio - Forming a partnership with Allen Toussaint and discussion about Allen's records
39:15 - Building and running a studio with Allen (Sea-Saint Studio)
40:00 - Different artists that Marshall and Allen worked with - Browning Bryant
Interview with Marshall Sehorn (Part 2)
Marshall Sehorn:
01:20 - Marshall talking about actually making New Orleans his true home
06:00 - Dealing with major labels for Dr. John and The Meters
10:00 - Major labels not pushing New Orleans music
18:30 - Some record producers don't take an active role in the recordings
20:00 - Marshall's recent lack of hit records
24:00 - Continued discussion about hit records - Why some records are hits and others aren't
28:00 - The new Lee Dorsey album which includes five Dr. John songs
33:38 - Future of New Orleans music
35:30 - Texas oil money coming into New Orleans
37:00 - Trying to keep local musicians in New Orleans for recording
42:00 - Upcoming albums
Interview with Medrick Martin Conducted by Carl Brasseaux and John Laudun
Interview conducted at Marin's store near Oaklawn Plantation;
00:00 - Introduction - First job in New Orleans at Saenger Theatre;
02:25 - After coming back home from New Orleans, worked in the sugar mill and fields at Oaklawn. Would also caddy at the local golf course for wealthy people;
03:20 - Martin tells a story about being tipped $10 after caddying. His parents questioned him and whether the money was actually given to him.
05:00 - Opening his grocery store during the depression;
06:30 - Unemployment during the depression - Martin says there were plenty of work options in the area during the time;
07:15 - Many stores went under because of the fact that they offered credit to people during the depression and it wasn't paid back;
08:10 - Mostly sold alcohol at his store in the early days;
08:40 - Six or 700 people moved away when the sugar mill shut down - most moved to Franklin
11:30 - Talks about when tractors started to replace mules in the fields;
12:00 - Dances in the old days - talks about when he met his wife;
14:00 - Talks about asking his wife's parents if they could get married; they were married for 59 years;
18:20 - Medrick worked two jobs - his store and in the fields for much of his life
19:40 - Typical meals when he was a child - Breakfast - Buiscuits, syrup, eggs, grits. Dinner - Rice and Gravy, Pork, Chicken, Red and White Beans. On Sundays, they'd have chicken stew and potato salad;
20:30 - Games he'd play with other kids - Baseball, Roly Poly, Marbles, Tops;
21:40 - Mentions that they didn't have community boucheries, but they'd kill and butcher their hogs when they needed;
23:30 - Gumbos that they'd make - Chicken and sausage, duck, poule d'eau, guinea, okra;
24:15 - Hunting - Duck, squirrel, rabbit;
24:50 - Fishing - Catfish, gaspergou, crabs, crawfish;
30:51 - Types of music that they'd have at dances - Not Cajun or any local styles, He's unsure of actual genre;
32:00 - Changes in types of food people would buy over time - less rice and starchy food. Crops that people used to grow - potatoes, snap beans, okra, eggplant, tomatoes, white squash, corn;
33:35 - Fruit trees - fig, peach;
34:00 - Says that they didn't have as many pest insects in the garden as they do nowadays, canning fruits and veggies to preserve them;
36:00 - Discussing different schools in the area, road conditions to get to school;
37:30 - Discussing Medrick's parents and grandparents;
40:40 - First mechanized cane cutters;
45:00 - Cane combine vs traditional mechanized cane cutters, new processes from harvesting cane;
Interview with Norris Melancon
country boucheries; boucherie organizations; amount of meat member families received; lottery system for selecting order in which families contributed calves for boucheries
Interview with Norris Melancon
chaperones; Iry LeJeune; instrumentation of early 20th century Cajun bands; Tee Maurice and Pecaniere dancehalls (dance halls); string bands; popularity of the accordion in the prairie Cajun community, ca. 1928-ca. 1950; Joseph MelanconÕs band
Interview with Irma Lavergne Quirk
south Louisiana music, ca. 1930 - ca. 1955; phonographs; phonograph records
Interview with Kenny Lavergne, Edward Sibille, Irma Lavergne Quirk, Libby Lavergne Soileau
Cajun cuisine; diet, ca. 1930-ca. 1950; music; Hank Williams; influence of Country and Western music of Cajun life; Food taboos
Interview with Kenny Lavergne, Edward Sibille, Irma Lavergne Quirk, Libby Lavergne Soileau
Cajun cuisine; diet, ca. 1930-ca. 1950; music; Hank Williams; influence of Country and Western music of Cajun life
Interview with Norris Melancon and ÒTicoÓ Melancon
Stories about Marais Bouleur and the Arceneaux Cemetery
Interview with Charlie Arceneaux
Stories about Marais Bouleur; Daily Life in Marais Bouleur in the early 20th century; horse racing; Wilbur Johnson
Interview with ClŽobule LeJeune
History of Church Point, Louisiana
Interview with Hadley Castille Conducted by Ryan Brasseaux
00:00 - Hadley says that Harry Choates inspired his playing style, but he never got a chance to see Harry play live;
01:00 - Interview permissions;
02:45 - Ryan mentions that not many people are playing music from the "Cajun Swing" era; Lost Bayou Ramblers;
04:15 - "From Country to Cajun" - Panel at New Orleans Jazz Fest that Ryan Moderated
06:20 - What is Cajun Swing? Hadley says that Harry Choates got alot of his Cajun songs from Leo Soileau. Harry's family moved to Texas when he was young and he was exposed to Swing and Jazz Music;
07:30 - Moved back to Louisiana and started recording - he melded Cajun, Swing, and Jazz;
08:30 - Hadley says that the bowing is the most important element of the Cajun Swing style, Harry also used heavy double stops;
10:00 - Discussion about the fiddle that Hadley is playing - purchased in Mallorca, Spain;
11:30 - Hadley demonstrates chords and double stops that Harry used often.
13:25 - Hadley demonstrates a traditional style and a Harry Choates inspired style of "J'ai passé devant ta porte;" Harry's style uses different bowing techniques, more double stops, hammer-ons, triplets, etc;
15:50 - Using "Chère tout tout" to demonstrate different playing styles
18:00 - Ryan asks Hadley to demonstrate some of the walkdowns and slides that Harry would play during leads;
19:45 - Hadley says that Harry Choates was a much better player than Bob Wills;
20:20 - Harry rarely owned a fiddle, didn't practice often, was just a natural musician, his timing was always perfect;
21:25 - Hadley says that Dewey Balfa loved Harry Choates style and definitely learned some licks from him;
22:00 - Dewey Balfa vs. Harry Choates styles - Port Arthur Blues;
24:10 - Hadley says that teaching Harry's style is very difficult
25:15 - Hadley's granddaughter, Sarah Jayde, started taking lessons with Nancy Simon - talks about having Nancy transcribe Harry's version of "Jolie Blonde;"
27:10 - Carl mentions that many people remember the first time they heard Jolie Blonde. Hadley tells his story about hearing it for the first time, says that the juke box stayed playing it;
28:00 - Discussing why Harry's verions of "Jolie Blonde" was such a huge hit - combination of Harry singing it in French and his fiddle style;
30:20 - Avalon Club
31:00 - Harry's influence on other fiddlers - Frenchy Bourque, Doug Kershaw, PeeWee Kershaw, Wade Benson, Floyd "Gib" Gilbeaux;
33:45 - Discussing how difficult it must have been to transcribe Choates' version of "Jolie Blonde," says many of the grace notes and pickup notes coming out of the verses probably weren't documented;
36:45 - Hadley says that he tries to put one of Harry's tunes on each of his albums;
37:25 - La dernière valse;
39:30 - Allons à Lafayette - demonstrates how Harry would start the song with a unisson
41:20 - Hadley says that after he heard Harry play, it changed everything about how he and his friends played the fiddle;
42:00 - Discussing Harry's "crying" lick. Hadley demonstrates it using "Louisiana Waltz"
45:15 - Draggin' the Bow;
48:30 - Ton papa m'a j'eté dehors;
49:30 - Mon bon vieux mari;
50:20 - Ryan says that Harry was supposedly a big Django Reinhardt fan, they discuss some of Harry's licks that may have been inspired by Django;
51:40 - Hadley says that Harry rarely used vibrato;
53:15 - Discussing differences betwee Cajun Swing and Texas Swing;
55:30 - Doc Guidry's fiddling style;
01:00:10 - Chuck Guillory;
01:02:00 - Jolie Blonde was a hit in the entire southern region, not just Louisiana;
01:04:30 - Jay Miller's story about how Harry would drink too much and often pawn his fiddle.
French Immersion Student Performances and Interview with Herman Fuselier by Ryan Brasseaux
00:10 - Cajun Creole Hour Radio Show Introduction;
01:40 - Introduction of program
02:15 - Pledge of Allegiance led by Park Vista Elementary and South Street Elementary French Immersion students;
03:00 - "Proud to be an American" sung by South Street Elementary French Immersion students;
09:30 - "Chantez une chanson" sung by Park Vista Elementary and South Street Elementary French Immersion students;
14:05 - Speech by Mayor of Opelousas - Celebrating Opelousas being declared Zydeco Capitol of the World - Mr. Wilbert Guillory inducted into the Zydeco Music Hall of Fame;
18:00 - Interview with Herman Fuselier begins - 3rd Annual Zydeco Proclamation Celebration; Chris Ardoin and band plays in background;
18:20 - Herman talks about some of the Zydeco musicians who came from Saint Landry Parish;
19:30 - Wilbert Guillory - 20th anniversay of the original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival in Plaisance, LA, Wilbert was the founding director of the festival;
21:00 - Herman talks about the "best-kept treasures" in Opelousas as well as areas where the city can improve;
22:20 - Herman talks about some of his favorite restaurants in Opelousas;
22:45 - Slim's Y Ki Ki, Richard's Club;
Balfa Brothers, Abshire, Ardoin, & Fontenot Outtakes
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972
Nathan Abshire, Bois Sec Ardoin, Dewey Balfa, Rodney Balfa, Will Bolfa, Terry Burtram
Notes from JP Bruneau: Dewey Balfa's house in Basille, song is possibly "Bonsoir...", all people present except film crew are Balfa family members, Bruneau visible seated on ground at one point.
Banjo player is Terry Burtram whom Dewey Balfa played with at a folk festival and was experimenting with it in Cajun music
Bar scene - man smoking
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972 - Unknown man smoking
Notes from JP Bruneau: Possibly filmed at the Blue Angel, Lafayette, LA
Bayou Scene
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972 - Bayou scene
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at the Bayou Chicot
Bee & Ed Deshotels
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972 - Bee & Ed Deshotels
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at the Deshotels home
Bee Fontenot interview
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972
Bee Fontenot front porch interview
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at the Fontenot home in Basile, Fontenot was Balfa's neighbor
Bee Fontenot interview
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972 - Bee Fontenot front porch interview, plays accordion
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at the Fontenot home in Basile, Fontenot was Balfa's neighbor
Bosco Stomp - Reggie Matte
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972
John Hebert, Alphée Bergeron, Kenneth David, Reggie Matte
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed on the Sunday before Mardi Gras at the Church Point courir and dance. The older accordion player is John Hebert and the MC that day was Alphée Bergeron (red & blue satin jacket)
Church Point Mardi Gras Dance
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Filmed in 1972 - Unknown dancers at the Church Point Mardi Gras dance - some in costume
-Fight between two men
-People drinking beer
-People in crowd
-Sleeping child
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed on the Sunday before Mardi Gras at the Church Point courir and dance
Cemetery Footage
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Cemetery headstones, markers, flower arrangements
Notes from JP Bruneau: Probably St. Ann cemetery in Mamou - Milton Moltier (local musician) died the week we were filming
Clifton Chenier Footage
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Clifton Chenier, Cleveland Chenier, and band perform onstage
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at the Blue Angel on 12th Street, Lafayette, LA
Ed Deshotels farm and cow
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Ed Deshotels grooms cow
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at the Deshotels farm - Reddell, LA
Bee and Ed Deshotels - Boitine Boiteuse
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Bee and Ed Deshotels perform
Notes from JP Bruneau
Bee and Ed Deshotels - Take 48
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Bee and Ed Deshotels perform
Balfa Brothers, Nathan Abshire, Preston Manuel, Terry Burtram, Gilles Losier, & Jean Marcoux
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Performance of an instrumental song by Burkeman Balfa, Dewey Balfa, Will Bolfa, Rodney Balfa, Nathan Abshire, Preston Manuel, Terry Burtram, Gilles Losier, Jean Marcoux,
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at Eratse Landry's sign shop in Mamou, LA
Fiddler Gilles Losier and guitarist Jean Marcoux were visiting from Quebec
Close-up of musicians at Eraste Fontenot's
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Close-ups of instruments held by Dewey Balfa, Preston Manuel and Jean Marcoux
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at Eratse Landry's sign shop in Mamou, LA - Jean Marcoux from Quebec on spoons
Musicians at Eraste Fontenot's
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Musicians - Dewey Balfa, Will Bolfa, Rodney Balfa, Nathan Abshire, Jean Marcoux, Terry Burtram, Gilles Losier, Preston Manuel
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at Eraste Landry's sign shop in Mamou, LA
Eraste Fontenot's sign shop, Mamou, Louisiana
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Exterior of Eraste Landry's sign shop
Interior paintings of Lee Lavergne
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at Eratse Landry's sign shop in Mamou, LA
Lee LaVergne in red & black flannel
Eraste Fontenot's music session
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Performance by Dewey Balfa, Will Bolfa, Rodney Balfa, Gilles Losier, Jean Marcoux, Wallace LaFleur
Notes from JP Bruneau: Filmed at Eratse Landry's sign shop in Mamou, LA - Jean Marcoux on spoons, man trying spoons is Paul Tate, Jr., Man in black with beer in hand behind banjo player is Eraste Fontenot
B-roll featuring Dewey Balfa driving bus & nightclubs exteriors
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Dewey Balfa drives school bus - unknown children
-Cajun Frontier
-Hotel Cazan
-Manuel's Bar
-Cyprien Landreneaux in front of French Casino
-Richard's Club posters on side of building- Clifton Chenier, Rockin' Dopsie, L.C. Donatto
-Bee Fontenot and brother play music on porch (brief)
Eraste Fontenot's sign shop - "J'ai passé devant ta porte"
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Burkeman Balfa, Dewey Balfa, Will Bolfa, Rodney Balfa, Nathan Abshire, Jean Marcoux, Terry Burtram, Gilles Losier
Notes from JP Bruneau: Eraste Fontenot's sign shop - song is possibly "J'ai passé devant ta porte"
Lafayette - Children playing on12th Street, Bar Exteriors
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Unknown children playing on 12th Street
Exterior shot of Blue Angel
Exterior shot of Nite Life Café
Boy's Club billboard - children throwing things
House of Joy - Budweiser sign
Notes from JP Bruneau: Lafayette - 12th Street area
Mamou Mardi Gras
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Cyprien Landreneaux and band perform on bandstand
Mardi Gras parade in town - Horses, masked riders, Street dance
Notes from JP Bruneau: Mamou Mardi Gras
Cyprien and Adam Landreneaux perform at Mamou Mardi Gras
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Cyprien Landreneaux and band perform on bandstand
Mardi Gras parade
Notes from JP Bruneau: Mamou Mardi Gras
Les Marigouins
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Performance by Dewey Balfa, Will Bolfa, Rodney Balfa, Nathan Abshire
Notes from JP Bruneau: Dewey Balfa's house in Basile - Possibly "Les marigouins ont tout manger ma belle"
Note Canray Fontenot & Bois-Sec Ardoin in background
Make it to me end Interview
Outtake from Jean-Pierre Bruneau's film "Dedans la Sud de la Louisiane"
***NO AUDIO***
Performance and interview of Bee Fontenot - Interview by Dewey Balfa
Notes from JP Bruneau: Bee Fontenot's house in Basile