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, Don Montoucet et al
Lionel Leleux, Don Montoucet, Evelyn Goller, Mrs. Montoucet, Mrs. Leleux, Nicole Deguire
-Mrs. Joe Falcon (Cleoma Breaux est morte jeune. Thérèse Meaux de Gueydan était sa deuxième femme). Il y a 15 jour de différence en age entre Lionel et Thérèse;
Records;
-Lionel playing with Joe Falcon in 1960. Lionel's son played with Joe before he did. Lionel played with him south of Kaplan, St. Martinville/Parks (Angelle Inn which is now Cinderella Club), Bayou Benoit, Crowley (pas de batailles);
-Batailles aux bals à la Nouvelle-Orléans;
-Playing at the Triangle Club in Scott (Adam Maitre);
-Le dernier bal que Joe a joué était le 4 Juillet 1963 au Reno Club à Kaplan. Il avait pour arrêter pour une opération. Allen Richard qui jouait guitare;
-The musical abilities of Elmas(?) Brandon (State Trooper from Scott now in Monroe). He played reels, howdowns, polkas. He's younger than Lionel. Related to the -Blanchards from Kaplan. Playing with Lionel for fun;
-Les 'tit graçons à Andy Morgan? (Eric et Edgar);
-Lawrence came to talk with Lionel. He never kept musicians because he was so funny about who he hired;
-Lawrence played accordion and fiddle;
-Lionel didn't want to commit to Lawrence incase he didn't like it. He played with Lawrence until he died;
-Lionel started playing with Don. As long as Don would play like Lawrence, there'd be no trouble;
-Chère Alice;
-She writes the songs they'll play April 5th in New Orleans. Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler et Lâche Pas La Patate, et plusieurs chansons traditionnelles;
-Whistling "La Valse de Samedi Soir/Mon Cher Bébé Créole";
-Lionel a des tracas à siffler?;
-Rodney Balfa, a brick layer from Mamou, will go sing "La Valse de Samedi Soir";
-Don's father winning an accordion contest in 1921;
-Déus Monceaux au sud de Rayne. Acheter un camera pour prendre un portrait de la première communion. Lawrence est mort le 15 août tant qu'il peinturait une maison;
-Lionel goes to mass in Lyons Point and that's where he found out Lawrence had died. Lawrence's brother, Elton, died June 1st around Thibodeaux, LA;
-Talking about it after mass, going home to find out about it, and going to the hospital in Rayne. He was dead upon arrival at the hospital and was at Gossun Funeral Home in Rayne;
-Lionel told Lawrence he was next in line in his family to die;
-Walkers spoke English, but his mother was a Leger;
-Walker Brothers. Amos Walker was their father;
-Passepartout, Attrape mon chapeau;
-Lionel learning to make fiddles and reading textbooks, Lionel's education;
-Lionel being caught teething with his father's fiddle;
-Lionel didn't study, because he wasn't interested in school, until he started making fiddles;
-Discovery of 'pirate' treasure by Dédé Anderson and the Judices;
-Les grosses chaudières. Map de la chaudière de l'argent à 6 pieds de diamètre. Duson et au nord de Kaplan;
-Mr. Dédé n'était pas instruit. Il a acheté toute la terre qu'il pouvait pour que personne ne vole son argent;
-Personne pouvait couper la chaudière;
-Discovery of other buried treasures in south Louisiana;
-Sybils;
-2 hommes fusilié à L'Anse des Stelly. 12 buried, 1 was a LeLeux married to an Abshire. La vieille femme a fait enterré l'homme à L'Anse des Stelly, Les autres étaient enterrés au cimetière des Abshire;
-L'argent enterré à L'Anse Stelly était la terre à Pierre et Jean LaFitte, Lafitte Cutoff (Hwy 14);
-Les platins, les terres-basses;
-The killing and burial of 12 men charged with desertion of resisting the draft in Vermilion Parish during the Civil War;
-Submarine dans le Lac des Stelly;
-Man from Gueydan found a treasure;
-Cow Island evidently was a safe-haven for deserters or draft resisters;
-Reputed crimes of the men who were executed -- rape, theft of money and horses;
-Vigilantes;
-Marguerite Hanks hid a horse in the house (with dirt floors) to keep the Union soldiers from stealing it, Euclide LeLeux.
-Jokes et histoires à la fin by Lionel Leleux;
-Américain tout embourbé;
-Broussard got a flat tire. La roue ne gonflait pas, mais lui gonflait;
-Les vieux joueurs d'accordéons s'assisaient. Mr. Aldus Roger, la braguette ouverte. "Non, mais si tu peux la siffler, je peux la jouer." He thought it was a song request;
-La femme avec la chambre peinturée;
-Arranger la braguette de 10" de long;
-La fille nouvelle-mariée a appelé sa mère. Son mari a un oeil en crystal, des fausses dents, et un pieds. La mère a fait avec 6" toute sa vie;
-Le joueur de violon. Il est mort et sa femme voulait metter le violon dans le cercueil. C'était mis entre ses jambes, elle aurait manqué ça entre ses jambes;
Lionel Leleux, Don Montoucet, Evelyn Goller, Mrs. Montoucet, Mrs. Leleux, Nicole Deguire
Shane Bernard Interviews Lee Lavergne
00:30 - Interest in music - plays guitar, steel guitar, has not appeared on any of the albums he produced and only occasionally plays live shows;
01:20 - Explains how he became interested in the production side of the music business after returning from serving in Korea;
02:05 - The change in popularity of Country Music, Rock 'n Roll and Rhythm and Blues;
03:45 - Establishment of Lanor Records;
04:25 - First recording with Shirley Bergeron;
06:00 - Use of various music studios (Crowley, Goldband, Cosimo's, Huey Meaux's studio in Houson, Muscle Shoals, etc from 1960-1965;
07:10 - Elton and the Eltadores;
07:50 - Recording with Bill Matte - "Parle Vous Francais" - Did well on Rock 'n Roll stations around the state;
10:48 - Duke Stevens and Sputnik;
12:00 - Discussing Elton and the Eltadores, found Charles Mann through that band;
13:54 - Defining Swamp Pop - "Country with a Rock beat";
15:30 - Cosimo Matassa - says how impressed he was by Cosimo's engineering skills and the sound of the studio;
17:00 - Recorded Elton Anderson, King Carl, used Dr. John (Mac Rebbenack) on some sessions at Cosimo's studio;
17:50 - Charles Mann - discussing the stage name, was Charles Domingue. Complication of artists having Cajun names;
20:30 - Music and Dating;
23:00 - Talking about Jimmy C. Newman, Benny Graeff, Kris Kristofferson;
24:45 - Charles Mann - Lee says the first record that Charles recorded for him wasn't good. Says the band wasn't good and Charles wasn't comfortable singing at that point;
29:00 - Talking about how big record labels influence artists - They didn't know how to handle regional music styles and typically over-produce them;
30:30 - Discussing the future of Swamp Pop
Interview with Eddie Shuler (cont.)
Interview with Eddie Shuler (cont.):
01:00 - Story about Freddy Fender being arrested in Baton Rouge for possession of Marijuana seeds - was sentenced to 5 years;
02:00 - Talking with the penitentiary about Freddy being let out on work release to record albums;
03:40 - Building a studio inside of the jail food storage warehouse; Backing musicians were other prisoners;
06:00 - Releasing of Freddy's prison recordings;
07:30 - Al Ferrier;
10:00 - Brian Ferrier played at the Louisiana Hayride;
10:25 - Johnny Janot;
12:10 - Gene Terry - "Cindy Lou;"
14:10 - Cookie and the Cupcakes;
14:55 - Yellow Jacket Band;
15:50 - Little Billy Earl - Dolly Parton's uncle;
16:45 - Clarence Garlow;
19:10 - Elton Anderson - "I Love You";
23:40 - Guitar Jr., Katie Webster, Barbara Lynn, ;
25:30 - Katie Webster getting out from her recording contract with J.D. Miller;
26:30 - Producing Phil Phillips' "Sea of Love"
32:50 - Cleveland Crochet
33:05 - Other labels owned by Shuler - Folkstar, Goldband, TEK, Jador, Anla, Tic-Toc;
34:00 - Personal history - Born in Wrightsboro, TX, March 27, 1913;
35:30 - Musical influences - learning to play the saxophone;
37:00 - K-MAR and TEK Publishing;
39:00 - Current projects - Mickey Newman, Cari Gregory,;
40:00 - Studio equipment - Studer 24 Track, DNR Console, Ampex tape recorders;
41:30 - Gene Terry and the Downbeats - "Cindy Lou;"
41:50 - Shuler's sound;
44:30 - More on J. D. Miller;
46:00 - New releases on CD;
Moondog Matinee - Tall Tom's Radio Show on WESU
Moondog Matinee - Tall Tom's Radio Show on WESU
***Recording date unknown***
-Unknown song;
-"Don't Wave Goodbye" - Gene Faulk
-"Loneliest Man in the World" - Willie Mallory
-"I'm a Country Boy" - Iry Lee Jackson
-"Bye-bye, Little Angel" - Elton Anderson
-Tall Tom - radio banter
-"Highway Zydeco" - "Bon Temps" St. Marie
-"You're No Longer Mine"
-"Lean on Me" - Willie Mallory
-Tall Tom - radio banter
-"My Little Angel" - The Royal Jokers
-"Do the Best You Can"
Moondog Matinee - Tall Tom's Radio Show on WESU
-Unknown Song - Little Junior Parker
-"It's Alright" - Unknown artist
-"I Love You So" - Elton Anderson - Lanor Records recorded at Cosimo's Studio
-"Love Repairman" - Donald Jacob
-"Little Honey" - Marvin and Johnny
-"Hot Hot Lips" - Ralph Prescott
-"House of Love" - Henry Hall and the Bellaires
-"Move on Down the Line" - unknown artist
-Unknown song - Earl Bostick
Interview with Lee Lavergne
Lee Lavergne:
-00:55 - Background information, Born Dec 10, 1932
-01:40 - Early exposure to Cajun Music - Amedé Ardoin, Joe Falcon, Aldus Roger, Nathan Abshire
-02:50 - Eddie Shuler - Iry LeJeune recordings. He also made one recording in Houston
-03:35 - Radio programs - Nathan Abshire was on the radio every Thursday afternoon
-04:10 - Lee always had an interest in music, but never played much
-04:35 - Sold seeds to buy his first guitar
-05:30 - Talks to another person (unknown) in the room. He played with Lawrence Walker
-06:30 - Johnnie Allan leaving Lawrence Walker's band and taking several members
-07:15 - Lee says he really liked Nathan Abshire and Hank Williams
-08:30 - Lee leaving for the service - changes in the music while he was gone
-09:00 - Good Rockin' Bob - Camille Bob, Cookie and the Cupcakes
-10:00 - Racial issues at live music shows back in the 50s and 60s
-10:55 - Lanor Records started in 1960. Lee talks about recording music, first reel to reel tape machine
-12:10 - Used Floyd Soileau's, J.D. Miller's, Cosimo Matassa's, Huey Meaux's studios
-13:00 - Lee says it was tough to get good session musicians
-13:40 - First releases - Shirly and Alphée Bergeron, Elton Anderson
-15:30 - Goldband's release of Sugar Bee - others trying to release French Rock 'n Roll records
-16:30 - Talking about various musicians - Duke Stevens, Elton Anderson
-19:30 - King Karl / Guitar Gable songs - "This Should Go On Forever," "Irene"
-21:00 - Lee started his own studio in 1982
-21:25 - Charles "Drifting Charles" Tyler, Lloyd Renault, Classie Ballou; Elton Anderson
-24:25 - Phil Phillips
-26:15 - Classic Ballou release circa 1980
-27:10 - Robbie Robinson
-28:45 - Maw-Maw Theriot - In Angola
-29:25 - Charles Mann - Talking about first recordings and musical style
-35:15 - Jim Olivier
Interview with Johnnie Allan (part 1)
Johnnie Allan:
01:00 - Music in family and how Johnnie started in music
-Nightclubs in old days
-Cajun song lyrics and structure
09:00 - Joe Falcon's popularity and recording career
12:15 - String Bands, Hillbilly music and their effect on Cajun music and later musicians - steel guitar
13:50 - Harry Choates - Popular songs like Jolie Blonde and Grand Mamou
16:20 - Younger generations getting into Cajun Music
17:20 - CODOFIL
-Hit Cajun/Zydeco recordings of the period (early 1980s)
20:00 - Differences between Cajun/Zydeco Music - Clifton Chenier
22:40 - Development of Swamp Pop music
23:00 - Swamp Pop started in 1957-1958; Fats Domino, Joe Barry, Jimmy Clanton
26:30 - Discussing influential records - Guitar Slim, Earl King, Johnny Ace
28:30 - Bobby Charles
31:20 - Johnnie's first recording - Band members (U.J. Meaux, Al Foreman, Beul Hoffpauir, Nicky Stutes, Lee Castle) and Studio Information
34:50 - J.D. Miller and sales numbers - This Should Go On Forever being picked up by MGM and released nationwide
37:00 - Johnnie's recording career (MGM, Viking, Flat Town) after first record
38:30 - Huey Meaux's relationship with Floyd Soileau
39:50 - Other local record labels- L&K, Drew-Blan, Carl
42:15 - Local Artists - Big Poppa, Elton Anderson, Joe Barry
Interview with Lee Lavergne (part 2)
Lee Lavergne:
00:00 - The growing popularity of Cajun Music
01:50 - Buying records when he was younger, collecting pictures of artists
03:00 - Recollections on running Lanor Records - disappointments, successes
05:20 - Recording Shirley and Alphée Bergeron
07:45 - Meeting and working with Charles Mann
09:30 - Working with Eddie Shuler to get distribution on records - Bill Matte record
11:20 - Working with Johnny Shuler - Elton Anderson
14:50 - Scrounging to find new recording artists
17:00 - Huey Meaux
18:45 - Charles Mann (Domingue) - band personnel changes, talking about their friendship
23:00 - Having one of his songs on American Bandstand
28:20 - Capitol releasing some of Charles' records
29:20 - Elton Anderson records - recorded in New Orleans. Talks about the band members
-Other musicians who Lee worked with - Dr. John, James Hall, Duke Stevens, etc.
Interview with Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack (Part 1)
Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack
00:00 - "Guitar Slim" and his showmanship on stage and his first record "Feelin' Sad"
02:40 - Guitar Slim's vocal inflections - using church style singing
04:30 - Joe Corona's record label; The Clowns - members and albums recorded
07:45 - Working with Eddie Shuler and Elton Anderson
08:30 - Jerry Raines
09:40 - Jimmy Beasley and other New Orleans studio musicians
10:30 - Nicknames
11:10 - Walter "Papouse" Nelson's guitar playing style
13:30 - Musicians being arrested for drug possession
18:00 - Story about Dr. John having a song stolen by Lloyd Price - Song was meant for Willie West
22:00 - Talking about the Wild Magnolias and Chipaqua Chaouis
24:00 - J.D. Miller
27:30 - Experiences with Joe Barry
32:00 - Talking about Cosimo's Studio, Cosimo's start in record business
-Mac talking about how he started working there
37:00 - Walter "Papouse" Nelson's sound - Doubled guitar and bass parts
38:15 - Record companies using New Orleans music for their benefit
43:10 - Frank Fields
43:50 - Charlie Williams
45:00 - Lee Allan - types of solos, "king of the funky saxophone"
56:15 - Radio exposure for local New Orleans artists
Elton Anderson, Eddie Shuler, 1960, "Secret of Love" Mercury
L-R Elton Anderson, Eddie Shuler, 1960, "Secret of Love" Mercury
C.Lil Alfred