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 Preston Frank Part 1
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
Interview with Preston Frank Part 2
Preston Frank:
0:06 - Continued conversation about festivals
0:30 - Louise Frank; Books and manages band
1:40 - Liberty Theatre; 6-8pm every Saturday night
-Theater is still under construction
-The show has been at Bobcat auditorium
3:30 - Not touring too much because kids are in school; Keith is at McNeese
4:25 - Keith talks about playing trail rides
4:40 - Play about three nights a week; Late nights
6:10 - Larry wants to take pictures
Interview with Murphy Richard
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
Interview with Albert Davis
Albert Davis:
00:25 - Father Molette was their pastor; He was a farmer; Born May 6th, 1936 in Leonville
-He went to school with Murphy till he was 12 then he went to school with Gabriel
02:15 - After the Swing Masters, he made his own group: The Blue Eagles
-He sang and played guitar; They played until some of the guys went into the service
-They called Clayton "Fats"
03:30 - Recorded with J.D. Miller but it was never released
04:40 - King Carl; Joseph Zeno; Story about playing at the rec center in Lafayette for teenagers
-They actually made double than what Joseph told them; Another story in Franklin
-Joseph kept extra money for himself, so Albert stopped playing for him
08:10 - After Blue Eagles, he joined a group from Opelousas called the Reboppers
-Played with them for about 4 years until he moved to Lake Charles
10:00 - Played with Katy Webster in Lake Charles
-Katy Webster recorded at J.D. Miller's studio; Warren Storm
12:00 - Story about playing with Katy; Bamboo Club in Lake Charles
-He met Otis Redding and he asked him to play, but he had a family
13:50 - Eddie Shuler; George Khoury
14:15 - Band after Katy: Mitzi and the Mystics; Mitzi was the best female singer after Katy
-Played in a lot of clubs; He played guitar
15:10 - Big Ike; Played with Mitzi for 5 or 6 years
16:25 - Beginning of the 1970s; Played with The Cupcakes
-Cookie was in California but Shelton Dunaway kept the band going; Hot Rod
17:25 - Rosco Chenier; Gradnigo boys
18:30 - Murphy lived across the Teche from him
19:40 - Joe Walker joined the Cupcakes; Didn't get along with Shelton
-He did a lot of recording with Joe; In the 1980s
22:45 - Worked at Conoco - oil refinery
24:00 - He played guitar on some CDs with Joe recorded with Lee Lavergne
25:00 - Joe went overseas twice, but he didn't go with him
25:30 - Played with Rosie Ledet; He traveled with her
-Then played with Roy Carrier; He went overseas with Roy
27:20 - 50 years of playing music; Story of how the band started
-Jerry Morris was a drummer; His brother, Joe Morris, started playing bass
Interview with Joe Walker, and Raymond Randle (part II); Interview with Nathan Williams Sr.
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 Felton Marlborough and Joe Walker (part I)
Larry talks to Joe, Raymond, and Felton; Part II is BE2-075
Interview with Felton :
00:35 - Born March 12th, 1934 in Opelousas
-Started playing guitar when he was 14 and was playing dances when he was 15; No radio or TV
02:25 - Blues music; Would listen to a blues radio program from 11-11:15 pm
03:46 - Had his own band at the age of 15
04:15 - He recorded one record when he was 15, but he doesn't know what happened to it
05:10 - He stopped playing music to do construction work at 21
-In 1973, he got burned at the chemical plant
-Took 8 years to recover and during that time he started playing again
07:05 - Went back to construction in 1980, but had a back injury and surgery in 1983
-Now he only plays guitar
07:45 - Got in a wreck in 1987 and had to get neck surgery
08:50 - He did one record with Lee Lavergne in 1975 or 1976; Classie Ballo;
11:05 - When he was recovering, he played with different bands in the Lake Charles area; Katy Webster
12:00 - He played with Clifton Chenier, B.B. King, Fats Domino, Lightnin' Hopkins when they played around Opelousas
13:45 - Turned down playing with Clifton because he was more into blues instead of zydeco
15:10 - Plays gigs with Joe and Raymond; Made recordings with them
15:45 - They play maybe once a week together; Talk about gigs
17:40 - Talk about the record; They recorded parts at different times
Joe Walker:
21:00 - Born December 13th, 1944 in Lafayette
-Started playing the blues on guitar when he was 6
-Influenced by Lightnin' Slim, Jimmy Reed
22:45 - Played with Rockin' Dopsie when he was 15
-A few gigs with Clifton; Familiar with zydeco
23:35 - Recorded when he was 16 with Rockin' Sidney - "Just To Spend My Life With You" / "Our Last Goodbye"
-Recorded with Eddie Shuler; He played guitar and keyboard on the recordings
26:20 - Larry offers to help with booking
-Chubby Carrier; Story about Nathan Williams playing in New York
-How much bands get paid in Baltimore
34:30 - Lee recorded another LP with Joe with zydeco music; Not out yet
35:35 - Played on some sessions at Goldband; One solo that wasn't released
-One album with Rockin' Sidney
-Recorded a single with Henry Randle and the Zydeco Soul Express in 1984 at J.D. Miller's
39:00 - Lil Alfred and Charles Mann are playing, but Larry has to miss it
41:00 - At the beginning of the 1960s and into the 1970s, he had his own band; Rock and roll and blues
42:10 - Things were good while the oil industry was doing well, then it went down
-They used to have a lot of gigs; One man band
44:00 - Bon Temps Rouler Club, Grant St.
45:30 - Recorded with Roy Simon (Joe Simon's brother)
Interviews with Bobby Charles; Johnny Allan; Cosimo Matassa; Lynn Ourso; and Luther Kent regarding John Fred
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
Interview with Lynn Ourso regarding John Fred and the Playboys
Lynn Ourso:
01:00 - Publishing rights
02:00 - Boogie Chillin'
04:00 - Started working with John Fred in 1960
04:45 - Starting playing bass with John Fred and The Playboys, switched to guitar
08:00 - La Louisianne Records - Carol and David Rachou
09:15 - John's recording gap 1962-64
13:00 - Gigs that The Playboys would play around the state
15:00 - Soul versus Pop music
16:30 - Music company and the Playboys
17:30 - Returning to manage and produce the group in 1967
19:30 - The band playing on the Johnny Carson Show
23:30 - John meeting Elvis and the Beatles; Overseas tour
26:30 - Last album
27:00 - Russ Regan
29:00 - Amy Bell Single
30:00 - Sugarcane Label
34:00 - Montel Studios - converting the old mono studio into a multitrack studio
42:30 - Poorly written eulogy in an Opelousas newspaper
44:30 - Fred's kidney issues, transplant
Les douze jours de Noel
Les douze jours de Noel - version francais
On va les embêter
On va les embêter par Jean Arceneaux et Michael Doucet
Tape was sticky, a better recording is available in BE3-010
Beausoleil France 1976 Copy of master tape #1
00:05 - Tit Maurice
04:05 - Johnny Can't Dance
06:15 - Jeunes filles de la campagne
09:25 - Travailler c'est trop dur
12:25 - C.I.A.
16:00 - Take it to me
Beausoleil - France 1976 Copy of master tape #2
00:05 - Lovebridge Waltz
04:13 - Johnny Can't Dance
07:10 - Bayou Teche Waltz
11:30 - La valse de grand chemin
16:30 - Bosco Moscow two step
20:50 - Arc de triomphe two step
John Dubois sings 10 from his collection of Cajun folksongs
00:00 - J'étais au bal
01:16 - Allons danser Colinda
02:39 - T'es petite et t'es mignonne
03:25 - J'ai passé devant ta porte
4:45 - La chanson à André (Gallop, Gallop)
06:27 - Saute crapaud
07:33 - Un petite bonne homme
08:25 - C'est les hip et taieau
09:24 - Les maringouins ont toute mangé ma belle
10:19 - Allons à Lafayette
Tommy McClain and Freddy Fender Live show at Municiple Auditorium - Part 1
Live Performance by Tommy McClain
Radio show with Pete Bergeron and Houston Lejeune from 1985
Lache pas la patate - Jimmy C. Newman;
Leroy Broussard - Lawtell Waltz;
Adam Hebert - Mon tour vas venir;
Doris Matte - Trop jeune pour marier;
Camey Doucet and Wayne Toups - Pan Pe Po (To the melody of Les flammes d'enfer);
Ed Gary - Joe pitre à deux femmes
Iry Lejeune - 99 year waltz
Jim Olivier - La valse de Tolam
Hadley Castille - La dernière valse
Hector Duhon and Octa Clark - Bosco Stomp
Paul Daigle - La nouvelle valse d'anniversaire
Advertisement for CODOFIL;
Fred Charlie - The Good Times are Killing Me;
Leeman Prejean -
Radio show with Pete Bergeron and Houston Lejeune in 1985
00:03:00 - Link Davis - Madeline;
00:07:30 - Leeman Prejean - La valse de tout le monde;
00:11:15 - Paul Daigle - La valse des jeunes marriers;
00:14:30 - Belton Richard tune - Mom and Dad's Waltz;
00:19:36 - Jo-El Sonnier with Michael Doucet - Jolie Blonde (recording from unreleased live performance);
00:24:50 - Austin Pitre - Opelousas Waltz;
00:29:20 - Lawrence Walker - Chère Alice;
00:32:00 - Houston talks about seeing Lawrence Walker live;
00:34:55 - Shirley Bergeron - La dernière fois
00:37:42 - Spot with Harold Hollier, L.J. Alleman Principal
00:40:16 - Nathan Abshire - Kaplan Waltz
00:49:00 - Ivy Dugas - Offshore Waltz;
00:53:39 - J.B. Fuselier - Chère Bassette;
00:57:15 - Belton Richard - Chère tout tout;
01:03:15 - Camey Doucet - Moi et mon cousin;
Len Harrington - Louisiana Hidden Corners
00:00 - Chère la Louisiane
02:28 - Fleur de lis
05:20 - Old Cajun Mazurka
07:01 - Chanson de noces
10:46 - Lacassine Special
13:47 - Cajun Blues
16:57 - Lover's Lament
19:49 - Eunice two-step
22:15 - Cool Summer Night
24:20 - Two step de Moua Kie
26:09 - Wish You Well
28:35 - If Not for You
Tommy McClain and Freddy Fender Live show at Municiple Auditorium part 2
Live Performance by Tommy McClain and Freddy Fender
Interview with George Visser
00:00 - Visser was a former schoolboard member
00:35 - Working for Union when he wanted to go back to school. He ended up not going back to school and worked for Union for 42 years;
02:40 - First contact with the oil industry in 1940 - Started as a roustabout; Laid pipelines by hand in the marsh;
03:30 - Describing how they built drill rigs;
04:45 - Cajuns were used to the marsh and did well working in marsh conditions - Talking about their impact on the oil industry
Tape degraded badly, Audio breaks up
Interview with Amanda Hanks.
00:10 - Jack mentions that Amanda is co-owner of Chenier aux tigres;
00:58 - Amanda tells about her life growing up on an Island along the gulf coast. Mentions that they were very isolated and made it with what little they had;
02:20 - Talks about traveling through the canals in Vermilion Parish - was safer than using the Gulf;
03:40 - Teaching in a two room school house on Chenier aux tigres, 36 children attended the school, Worked her way through school at SLI;
05:05 - Living during the depression and how it changed people's perspective;
10:00 - How the first generation of Cajuns handled the oil industry coming to Louisiana - Improved their homes, bought refrigerators, automobiles, etc;
11:10 - The effects of the oil industry on the younger generations;
14:00 - Speaking about current education needs;
16:55 - Genteel Acadians, plantation owners around Vermillion Parish;
25:00 - More commentary on Cajun people;
27:00 - Positive impacts of the oil industry on South LA people;
Interview with Sanders Gaspard.
00:35 - Importance of land to Cajun people - Land was the most important thing in his life. Says he worked as hard as he could to own land;
01:35 - Says that younger people today aren't as interested in owning large amounts of land to farm;
02:20 - Problems of salt water coming into the marshes; Mentions that the land isn't able to be used anymore for farming or for grazing animals;
04:55 - Saltwater intrusion in Vermilion Parish became really bad in the 1960s;
07:00 - Possible solutions for saltwater intrusion issue;
Interview with Sanders "Boo" Gaspard
00:55 - Historical background. His Father was police Juror in Forked Island;
01:30 - "Cuz" Gaspard and grandfather were engineers for canals;
02:25 - 1880 to 1900 - His Grandfather helped with designing and digging canals in Vermilion Parish. They were mainly used for irrigation and drainage purposes. Eventually oil companies used the same canals for their purposes;
03:20 - Discussing his father's dealings with the owners of the oil companies - permits;
04:05 - His father's work was mostly farming rice, goats, and cattle. Wasn't very involved in oil leases;
06:00 - Sanders' involvement in the community - City Councilman, says he just tries to help all people in any way he can;
07:25 - Buying his first piece of land in 1946, about 100 acres. Discusses his farming career Southwest of Gueydan;
10:15 - In 1953, a huge flood destroyed 172 acres of rice; Hurricane Audrey also destroyed all of his rice in 1957; Had to refinance his farm 3 times - Says it was rough, but he made it;
11:40 - Weren't many oil wells in his area in the early 50s;
12:40 - Says there are currently oil wells next to his property, discusses dealing with the oil companies;
14:50 - There's not much trust between locals and the oil companies;
17:00 - Health effects on locals from oil companies' use of chemicals;
20:45 - Dump sites, open pits and the eventual clean up of these sites;
23:00 - Positives of oil companies for his farm;
24:30 - Concerns about chemicals on the health of the people;
25:00 - Cajuns never went hungry before or after oil companies came into town, they were resourceful;
28:00 - Effects of oil industry on the family units and family farms;
30:05 - The impact of the Cajuns on the oil industry;
33:00 - His mother's father, Mr. Primeaux, bought land and told his children he was going to start a town call it Primeaux Ville but the area was already Forked Island;
34:00 - Mr. Primeaux gave land to build the church and school. He was a talented woodworker, used Cypress
C.J. "Bubba" Montgomery
00:30 - Mr. Montgomery describes himself as a Jack-of-all-trades - hunter, crawfish retailer, farmer;
01:25 - Inflation and the grain embargo and the impacts on local economy;
04:15 - Oil revenue helping land owning farmers;
06:00 - C.J. Montgomery, Sr. - Part owner and president of the Kaplan, LA Rice Mill. Sold the mill in 1975. It had a milling capacity of approx. 750 barrels of Medium Grain rice per hour and 700 barrels of long grain per hour;
07:40 - Kaplan rice mill ran off of steam power from 1920-1975; Was one of the last rice mills in the country to convert from steam to electricity;
10:00 - Discussion about coastal erosion; Lock systems in canals effecting erosion on the gulf coast and coastal canal and marshes;
11:00 - Impact of oil industry on shrimping and fishing industry;
11:45 - Drilling mud and trash being dumped off rigs and polluting water;
12:50 - Commercial divers, construction work and cleaning up debris under older drilling rigs;
14:00 - Government regulations to make oil companies clean up their pollution - Items found under drilling rigs: drilling mud and chemicals, I-beams, forklifts;
15:00 - Long-term effects of drilling mud and caustic chemicals on the fishing industries;
16:30 - Dumping and cleaning of platforms done under the cover of night so the Coast Guard wouldn't see the actions of the companies;
17:30 - Oil industry separating families for longer periods of time, but pay and jobs where plentiful;
19:00 - Cajuns know the oil industry better than any other group;
21:30 - Some Cajuns have shunned their roots and family backgrounds;
23:50 - Man-made coastal canal erosion doubled or tripled the size of the canal;
26:30 - 1973-1981 was the boom time for growth and drilling; Larger companies bought out local specialty service companies in the oil business;
31:40 - Discusses his career as a diver; labor pay is one of the most affordable parts of the oil industry but was the first to be cut. Costs on rental supplies and equipment stayed the same;
33:30 - Cajun workers were not taken care of if they were injured;
34:00 - Law protecting divers from working in unsafe conditions;
Interview with C.J. "Bubba" Montgomery III
00:40 - Importance of the land to Cajun culture - livelihoods depend on their land;
01:15 - Condition of the land is deteriorating, oil companies responsible for erosion in coastal canals;
02:25 - A study at LSU, concluded that the canals that oil companies dug are responsible for 80% of the coastal erosion;
03:25 - Bubba says that the cleaning chemicals used and vacuuming mud from under offshore drilling platforms is more of "a show" than actually helping clean up the environment;
05:20 - Mentions that not as many locals are working in the oil business;
06:50 - Offshore divers being paid less than in previous years and companies are exploiting new arrivals to the business;
07:45 - Local companies have more experience and knowledge than northern companies when it comes to drilling in the marsh
Interview with Father John Inverse
02:05 - First oil well in LA was in Jennings, found local workers in the Cajun community. (1901);
01:50 - 7 on 7 off schedule of offshore workers. Discussion about people not attending church because of work schedule and families being pulled apart;
05:00 - Demands on priests trying to help families
05:55 - Anyone can rough-neck without a college degree.
06:10 - Local workers having tougher time making a living off the land (hunting, fishing, trapping) because of damage to the environment;
08:20 - Family units and the oil industry, continuing education diminished to work offshore work;
10:40 - Pagers (beepers) interrupting mass on Sunday;
12:45 - What other industries would step in to help the southern Louisiana economy?;
13:20 - Oil companies only spoke with the church on regards to drilling around church grounds or cemeteries; Conflict with economics and the spiritual world;
22:55 - Cajuns were an assett for oil companies;
23:50 - Discussing future generation of workers: will they be spoiled by the affluence that was gained when oil was found on family land?
29:30 - Talking about early settlers in Point Misère
Interview with Father John Inverse
00:30 - Importance of religion to the Cajun Religion - The Church was the focal point of the community.
01:30 - Education affected the attendance of mass as did the harvest season
04:00 - The priest was the only one that had education when the first settlers arrived; Lawyers would bring documents that were written in French to Father John for translation.
Interview with Barry Heinen
00:30 - Family background - German, one of 8 children;
01:00 - Great-grandfather bought property in Robert's Cove from a German abbey in 1883;
03:00 - Little interaction between German and Cajun settlers until 1950-1960 then intercultural marriage began;
05:50 - Family has leased land to oil companies since the 1950's - talks about lease amounts;
08:00 - Barry, as an attorney, deals with the oil companies for his family and placement of rigs on the properties;
09:00 - The German community was hesitant to lease to the oil companies. Pugh clause and leasing acreage to the oil companies;
12:00 - Regulation on price of gas depending of depth the rig would drill, thus paying more for gas locally than out of state;
15:00 - Federal government regulating oil prices, and oil companies limiting production to make profits;
16:30 - Supply and demand on the price of gas prices; Mexico and UK not members of OPEC;
19:00 - Economic impact in Lafayette "Lafayette lives and dies in the oil field." All the money was new money coming in, not money circulating within the community;
23:30 - Comp law lowered to 25% disability for workers;
24:00 - Overall slow down in the area is due to fewer exploration in the out areas around Lafayette;
Wilma Subra
00:30 - Subra Company 4 years old in 1985;
00:55 - Main services of her company - Chemical Analysis, Environmental Services, food chemistry, etc. Funding comes from private industry and some government work;
01:50 - Her company assesses chemical spills on oil rigs and the long-term environmental impacts; They are not a "watchdog."
02:50 - Biggest problems - Potential for surface and ground water contamination, soil contamination;
04:30 - discussing who checks for leaks in casings;
05:00 - Discussing Mr. Landry - a man who had a solid waste disposal site in a marshy area. Moved his site to Big Woods for "home industry" disposal, had no soil borings for 2 years, looking for new sites to dump trash, he was accepting oil field debris/trash. These sites have been contaminated with heavy metals surrounding the dump site. The heavy metals being found are the same used for drilling. Out of state companies dumping on these sites as well;
10:30 - Environmental impacts of these disposal dumps - Groundwater, surface water, soil is all contaminated with Barium, Chromium, Cadmium, Zinc, Arsenic, Mercury;
12:15 - Super Fund investigating spills and clean up areas;
13:15 - In only Vermilion Parish, there are 55 surface disposal sites;
17:30 - Marlow Corporation - They are a commercial saltwater disposal well permitted by the LA Office of Conservation;
20:30 - Discussing the biggest challenges for the Subra Company;
29:00 - Land owner, Leo Fontenot , allowing a company to use a borrow pit for dirt and sand to heavy metal offshore waste. Gulf Coast Pre-Mix dumped in the pit for $7 a load;
30:30 - Possible solutions for dumping - Subra says more money into enforcement to stop allowing dump sites is necessary; Education is important, as well;
Interview with Sonny Qurik
00:30 - Family and biographical information - Went to LSU, was in the Marine Corps;
02:30 - Discussion about how the oil industry affected the banks;
04:45 - Lack of education and sudden income lead people to "run" through their new-found wealth; They overspent on new property and equipment;
07:00 - Some farmers received federal money to stay and farm their own land
08:30 - Oil drilling started dropping in 1983 around Washington, LA;
11:00 - Lafayette banking grew during the oil growth, larger banks began to acquire banks when oil drilling slowed down.
16:15 - Fewer oil leases but more farming around Washington
17:45 - Did smaller banks see the decline in the oil business coming?
19:00 - Short term fixed loans were most used to accommodate the oil industry
22:00 - Mr. Quirk's bank saw some profit FHA loans
23:15 - Deregulation on interest rates hurt the local farmers;
Agnes Derouen
00:00 - Grew up near Avery Island, has been at KATC for 3 years. Father was salt miner;
01:30 - Interviewed Jimmy Owens for KATC, featured in Esquire Magazine;
04:40 - Hosts "Acadiana Down Home" on KATC - Reported most of up-beat stories at the time of slower economic times;
06:20 - Younger people started doing a "Cajun Jam" but size of the crowd became so large, they moved to a night club, around Milton, at Mr Sam's Club;
07:30 - Talking about musicians Cedric Benoit, Bois-Sec Ardoin, Canray Fontenot;
08:50 - Being Cajun becoming popular across the country
12:20 - Agnes says it's a good thing to speak Cajun French out in the open, it helps people to take pride in the area and their culture;
Interview with Carl Braseaux
00:30 - Born in Opelousas, Attended Sunset High School (class of 1969);
01:10 - Both parents owned property around Sunset to Cankton, LA Highway 1776;
03:30 - Brasseaux says that Cajuns settled around Cankton, LA. It was "prime" land - land that was on or near waterways;
07:00 - First generation houses were 16'x20' raised on piers, near Coulée Croche area (Upper Bayou Vermilion);
08:50 - Jean Mouton developed the Lafayette area (Bayou Carencro);
10:30 - Small houses were doubled in size by the mid 1800's;
11:00 - Cotton was the main small farm crop;
11:35 - The federal government owned most of the land, so people squatted on the lands; Lands weren't put up for sale until late in the 19th century;
13:40 - The "marais," referred to the prairie that would flood during for a short time during rain storms;
16:30 - Rice boom in the Lafayette area around the time of the Civil War, property values spiked; Number of stores and merchants doubled around Vermillionville;
17:30 - Washington, LA was large exporter of cattle to New Orleans
24:20 - During Civil War, most soldiers foraged around the Lafayette area for food.
25:10 - During the war, the area continued producing sugar and cotton;
25:35 - Spring of 1863, the Union Army march through Lafayette, many cattle were killed, buildings were destroyed, homes were looted;
27:50 - Lafayette area very slow to recover after the Civil War.
29:15 - Citizens Bank in New Orleans was the only major bank in Louisiana. Plantation owners had to take out large loans;
30:15 - Mechanization really didn't come to the area until after WWII.
35:30 - Oil companies looked at Cajuns being lazy. Cajuns were content just being comfortable and living off the land
36:30 - The oil industry workers that came for out of state were mostly Protestant (Baptist)1960-1975, a century worth of growth in a decade and a half
43:00 - Cajuns couldn't compete with larger land plots (growers) and migrated to the oil patch;
Interview with Carl Brasseaux Part 2
00:30 - I-10 under construction in early 1970's;
01:00 - Carl worked in an auto parts store through college;
02:00 - Febuary 13th, 1986 - world news, oil prices dropping dramatically, Governor Edwin Edwards wanting to start closing different departments in the state to save money;
04:15 - Integration in the 70s
05:40 - Sixteen year olds dropping out of high school to work in the oil patch. Most with minimal skills (welders) making more money than their fathers. Bottom falls out, property values decrease, unemployment soars.
07:30 - 1980's brings more of a focus on education.
07:50 - "Don't be a rough-neck, become a petroleum engineer."
09:45 - White Collar Oil workers in Lafayette demanded higher standards for education.
10:15 - School system in Lafayette Parish has been one of the better quality systems in the state
14:30 - Thoughts on the future - People working offshore less
16:30 - Cottage industries start to spring up as oil jobs decrease. (crawfish farming, welding, restaurants, boat builders)
18:45 - Growing problem of pollution from the oil industries, Louisiana cancer rates; Waste sites not looked at until 1980;
20:35 - $30 million crawfish contract fell through because of poor water tests (standards)
21:00 - Saltwater intrusion in drinking well up to Iota, LA
22:00 - Diversification is crucial to Lafayette and the surrounding areas
Interview with Lionel Leleux
Kaplan, LA
Fiddle maker
Leleux was after Ammis Leleux, Had a General store, rice mill, racetrack, blacksmith shop from 1912 to WWII, prices of crops rose;
The Post Office and school moved from Leleux to Kalpan just after WWII;
Built Leleux Grammar School in 1907-1911 (02:57);
Hess Oil Company occupied Leleux oil patch;
Lionel's father had a German made fiddle, which he had to sell to pay off his seed rice, early 1920's;
In 1924, his father made a agreement to pay him to water the live stock to buy a small fiddle;
"Memories of the Great Depression" (book) features the Leleux Dancehall;
Lionel would listen to the music from across the street because his father wouldn't let him go;
Cajun music modernized came about with Lawrence Waker (13:50);
Lawrence Walker learned by listening to Joe Falcon's music;
Different styes of Cajun music were influenced by trends;
The accordion would come in and out of popularity (17:20);
Joe Falcon's stringband (17:30);
Adam Hanks wrote and sang Chère Alyce - The horse that he sings about in the song was named "Henry" (18:30);
Listen to "The Country Waltz" by Lawrence Walker and then play "Chère Alyce", then you see the difference (19:45);
Oil Industry first moving into the area (22:00);
Out-of-state residences put more money into local economies (27:00);
Cajuns very welcoming to the new influx of people from Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi during 1950's on
Forked Island 1954, Chris’ Piano Lesson, Hidalgo/Vincent 1957
Unknown Singer (No note on box, Look in note cards and try to match to tape)
00:00 - "La Sainte Catherine"
01:25 - Unknown song
03:55 - "C’est un bonne rêve, Laisser-moi dormir"
06:55 - "J’ai passé dans les grands bois"
08:20 - "I Have a Good Job"
Marlin Hargrave - Forked Island Elementary School, March 17, 1954 - Recorded by Roland Broussard, teacher
09:00 - "Si j’aurais mes souliers (La cravate)"
Group of Fifth and Sixth Grade Students from Forked Island Elementary
11:20 - "La Marseillaise"
12:27 - "Je suis chrétien"
12:49 - "En avant poumpoum"
13:00 - "Saute crapaud"
13:18 - Pervis Hebert - "Devinez quoi ce qu’il y a"
14:20 - Agnes Saltzman - "Les maragoins"
14:45 - Agnes Saltzman and Burton LeMaire - "Et ou est-ce que t’es parti"
16:45 - O’neal Suire - "Un petit Bonhomme"
17:02 - Geneva Nunez - "Madame Baptiste"
17:30 - Christine Broussard - Piano Lesson - April 19, 1954
Dubs of disc recordings - Songs sung by Evangeline Saltzman, Allen James Dronet, Liben Simon, Emery Toups, Betty Lou Robert, Roland Desormeaux, Annie Lee Romero
Evangeline Saltzman - Gueydan High School, March 24, 1949 - ***Original discs transferred to tape at varying speeds***
00:00 - "Mon père m’a donné un petit mari"
01:25 - "Le premiere jour de mai"
03:50 - "O oui, grand Dieu que je suis à mon aise"
06:35 - "Mon bon vieux ‘tit homme"
07:25 - "La belle allait, oui, au matin"
10:58 - Allen James Dronet, Erath, LA, 1949 - "Trois petits gallants"
13:51 - Liben Simon, Erath, LA, 1949 - "Dédans Lyon" (Devines ce qu’il y à)
14:50 - Unknown singer - "Quatre belles oiseaux"
16:03 - Liben Simon - "Et quand j’étais petite" (La rose au bois)
17:25 - Emery Toups, Erath, LA, 1949 - "Y à t’un princess"
18:06 - Betty Lou Robert, Erath, LA, 1949 - "En arrière de chez mon père" (L’oranger)
21:10 - Roland Desormeaux, Erath, LA, 1949 - "Je suis parti au grand bois" (Jogue au plombeau)
Annie Lee Romero, Erath, LA, 1949
22:10 - "Gabrielle Waltz"
22:37 - "Lafayette est pris en feu"
23:00 - "Quand j’etais garcon"
Dubs of Disc Recordings of songs sung by Mabel Touchet, Marie Lange, Leonce Harrington, Huey Hebert, Evangeline Saltzman, Roland Desormeaux, Annie Lee Romero, Emery Toups, Betty Lou Robert, Ernest Belanger, Duprelie Boudreaux
Recordings by Various Artists:
00:00:10 - Unknown Singer - Unknown Song
Mabel Touchet, Kaplan, LA - Kaplan High School, February 7, 1947, and May 5, 1947
00:01:40 - "Un matin dans mai"
00:03:09 - "Trois petits tambours"
Marie Lange, Kaplan, LA, Kaplan High School, May 5, 1947
00:05:35 - "Mon père m’a donné qu’un petit homme" (Le petit mari)
Mrs. Léonce Harrington (née Marie Hebert), Abbeville, LA, March 3, 1949
00:06:35 - "Mon père était un jardinier"
Marie Lange
00:07:41 - "Goodbye ma chère amie" (multiple takes)
00:09:45 - "Y avait un petite homme" (Guillori)
00:12:05 - "Moi, je l’aime une petite fille"
Huey Hebert, Kaplan, LA - May 26, 1947
00:13:14 - "C’est la robe à Tante Dolie"
00:13:47 - "Les maringouins ont tout mangé ma belle (two takes)"
00:14:34 - "Je prends mon violon"
00:14:57 - "Tu m’as promis"
Evangeline Salzman - Gueydan, LA, March 24, 1949
00:15:36 - "La belle allait oui au moulin"
00:19:03 - "O oui, grand Dieu que je suis à mon aise"
00:21:52 - "Mon bon vieux 'tit homme"
00:22:38 - "Mon père m’a donne un petit mari"
00:24:00 - "Le première jour de mai"
00:26:20 - Roland Desormeaux - Erath, LA, 1949 - Je suis parti au grand bois (Jogue au plombeau)
Annie Lee Romero - Erath, LA, 1949
00:27:18 - "Gabrielle"
00:27:45 - "Lafayette est pris en feu"
00:28:10 - "Quand j’étais garçon"
00:29:06 - Unknown singer - "Quatre belles oiseaux" (Two takes, first take mistracks)
00:30:30 - Unknown singer - "La destinée, la rose au bois"
00:31:50 - Emery Toups - Erath, LA, 1949 - "Y à t’une princess"
00:32:30 - Betty Lou Robert - Erath, LA, 1949 - "En arriere de chez mon père" (L’oranger) (Fragment)
Ernest Belanger - Abbeville, LA, October 22, 1947) 82 years old
00:33:00 - Unknown song
00:37:40 - "C’est la caille et la perdrix"
00:39:27 - "Sur le pont de Nantes" (La belle s’est mis en page)
00:44:30 - "Par un beau lundi" (O La belle Emelie)
00:45:23 - "J’ai trouvé c’elle que j’aime"
00:45:30 - "Sur le pont de Nantes" (Fragment)
00:47:05 - "En revenant du boulanger"
00:48:50 - "C’est la vie de la nation" (fragment)
Mrs. Duprelie Boudreaux - Abbeville, LA, October 22, 1947
00:50:23 - "Je m’ai fait un nouveau beau"
00:52:05 - "Hummed Lullaby"
Ernest Belanger
00:53:14 - "C’est la belle Sylvie"
00:55:25 - "Il y à des jolies filles" (two takes)
00:58:18 - "Il est grand temps de me marier"
01:01:13 - "O la, grand dieu, que je suis à mon aise"
01:04:18 - "Logé, j’ai attendu dire que t’es parti à l’armée" (fragment)
Tape III - Re-recordings of wax discs made in 1946 and 1947
Simeon Touchet - Meaux, LA, November 22, 1946
00:00:08 - "La-bas, oui, chez mon père" (L’oranger) (two takes)
00:02:40 - "La belle Créole"
00:05:39 - "Viens, dira-tu, belle Castilliene"
00:08:31 - "O dis moi donc, mon aimable catin"
00:11:58 - "J’avais juré" (Ta tete est courronée or La fleure de la jeunesse)
Simeon Touchet - Meaux, LA, February 8, 1947
00:15:25 - "Par un beau lundi" (Le belle Emelie)
00:19:28 - "La bas dans ces vallons"
00:22:53 - "Depuis ce jour, la belle Créole"
00:28:50 - "Petit enfant"
Simeon Touchet - Meaux, LA, May 5, 1947
00:30:10 - "Je suis la délaissée"
Simeon Touchet with Sidman Touchet Trahan
00:33:05 - "Je te donnerai un petit paquet d’épingles" (Laforte : Ma-12)
Simeon Touchet
00:35:39 - "Lisa, pourquoi refusé ma tendresse"
00:39:10 - "Le long de ces beaux bois"
00:42:20 - "C’est ue petite fille de quinze ans"
Simeon Touchet - May 24, 1947
00:50:15 - "D’un beau soir en me promenant"
Marie Hebert Touchet
00:51:57 - "O si l’amour prendrait racine" (Vive l’amour)
Simeon Touchet
00:52:48 - "Sur les trois lauriers blancs"
00:55:50 - "Blanche ma bonne lumière"
00:58:30 - "O Charles cheri"
01:01:00 - "D’un grand matin dans mon jardin"
Tape 3 Side 2 - Re-recordings of wax discs made in 1946 to 1949
Re-recordings (1946-1949)
00:00:12 - Simeon Touchet - "Allons chers camarades a l’armée"
00:02:25 - Paul Touchet - Meaux, LA, May 25, 1948 - "Je me marie en quatre semaines" (Théogene Dubois)
Sidmay Touchet Trahan
00:07:07 - "Je connais qui est une femme comme moi"
00:03:56 - "Vive l’amour"
00:04:40 - "Les Acadiens sont pas si fou"
Joe Frederick - Meaux, LA, July 8, 1949
00:04:56 - "Allons chanter un chanson"
00:08:15 - "Les cantiques de mort"
00:26:00 - "Voila l’instant toute glorieuse"
00:29:05 - "Je crois en Dieu"
Ernest Belanger - Abbeville, LA, October 22, 1947
00:31:58 - "Ce soir j’ai déserté" (two takes)
00:35:35 - "O, c’est la caille et la perdrix"
00:37:53 - "Sur le pont de Nantes" (La belle s’est mis en page)
00:42:52 - "O la belle Emelie"
00:43:40 - "J’ai trouvé celle que j’aime"
00:45:24 - "En revenant du boulanger"
00:47:10 - "C’est la vie de la nation"
Mrs. Duprélie Boudreaux - Abbeville, LA, October 22, 1947
00:48:40 - "Je m’ai fait un nouveau beau"
00:50:17 - "Lullaby"
Ernest Belanger - Abbeville, LA, October 22, 1947
00:51:28 - "C’est la belle Sylvie" (Rossignol Sauvage)
00:53:38 - "Il y à des jolies filles"
00:56:25 - "Il est grand temps de me marrier"
00:59:24 - "O la, grand Dieu, que je suis à mon aise"
01:02:25 - "Loge, j’ai attendu dire que t’es parti à l’armée"
Dubs of Disc Recordings of Mabel Touchet, Sydney Romero, Marie Lange, Huey Hebert, Catherine Duhon, Mrs. Leonce Harrington, Mrs. Alphe Hebert;
Recordings:
Mabel Touchet - Kaplan, LA, Februrary 7, 1947 and May 5, 1947
00:10 - "Mon père m’a mis à l’école" (two takes) (La rose au bois)
03:45 - "Y à trois petits tambours" (three versions)
Sydney Romero - Kaplan, LA, Februrary 7, 1947
10:30 - "Si tous les garcons du monde"
12:30 - "Faites monter les pigeons blancs" (Vive l’amour)
Marie Lange - Kaplan, LA, May 5, 1947
13:22 - "Y avait un petit homme" (Guillori)
15:34 - "Moi, je l’aime une petite fille"
17:13 - "Goodbye ma chère amie"
18:25 - "Mon père m’a donné qu’un petit homme" (Le petit mari)
Huey Hebert - Kaplan, LA, May 26, 1947
19:24 - "C’est la robe à Tante Dolie"
19:50 - "Les maragoins ont tout mange ma belle" (two takes)
20:30 - "Je prends mon violon"
20:55 - "Tu m’as promis"
Catherine Duhon - Meaux, LA, 1947
21:27 - "Y avait un petit bonhomme"
Mrs. Leonce Harrington (nee Marie Hebert) Abbeville, LA, March 3, 1949
22:00 - "Mon père était un jardinier"
Mrs. Alphe Hebert - Abbeville, LA, March 3, 1949
23:05 - "Et ou tas-tu charmant Billy"