Cajun Honky Tonk

by CAJUN HONKY TONK: KHOURY RECOR

Overview

Drawn from the vaults of the Khoury's label and its Lyric Records subsidiary, the 26 sides here date from the late 1940's and early 1950's. This is some of the best documentation available of what was a thriving music scene, spawned by the absence of younger players during the mid-1940's (they were off fighting the war), leaving the field to older musicians, who played Cajun music and found an audience in local clubs and an outlet in these two labels. Nathan Abshire's 1949 hit "Pinegrove Blues" got the ball rolling, and all of the 26 sides here (including Abshire's "Crying Pinegrove Blues") were spawned from that beginning. The sides here, in addition to Abshire's "Crying Pinegrove Blues," include various waltzes, stomps and blues laments by the Texas Melody Boys, Harry Choates ("Valse de Lake Charles," "Jolie Blon's Gone"), Floyd LeBlanc, Elise Deshotel with Dewey Balfa (his first four records), Lawrence Walker (his five earliest sides), and Shuk Richard and Marie Falcon. The focus may be history, but sound is also astonishingly good, incidentally. ~ Bruce Eder

Product Details

Release Date:	03/31/1995
Label:	ARHOOLIE RECORDS
UPC:	0096297042724

Tracks

1. Crying Pine Grove Blues  - Nathan Abshire
2. Chere Te Mon  - Nathan Abshire
3. Mamou Two-Step  - Lawrence Walker
4. Country Waltz  - Lawrence Walker
5. Old Time Waltz  -  Texas Melody Boys
6. Ain't No More  -  Texas Melody Boys  -  Traditional
7. Valse de Lake Charles  - Harry Choates
8. Jol¿¿ Blon's Gone  - Harry Choates
9. Orphan Waltz  - Floyd LeBlanc
10. Louisiana Stomp  - Floyd LeBlanc
11. Tu le du Po la Mam  - Lawrence Walker
12. Ton Papa Ta Mama Ma Sta da All  - Lawrence Walker
13. Evangeline Waltz  -  Traditional  - Lawrence Walker
14. Reno Waltz  - Lawrence Walker
15. Boscoe Stomp  - Lawrence Walker
16. Tran la Ezy  -  Musical Four Plus One
17. Lawtell Two Step  -  Vincent & Cagley
18. La Valse de Bon Baurche  - Dewey Balfa  - Elise Deshotel
19. Le Two Step de Ville Platte  - Dewey Balfa  - Elise Deshotel
20. La Valse de Courage  - Dewey Balfa  - Elise Deshotel
21. La Valse de Tamper Tate  - Dewey Balfa  - Elise Deshotel
22. Le Cote Farouche de la Vic  - Marie Falcon  - Shuk Richard
23. Jole Brun  - Marie Falcon  - Shuk Richard
24. Madame Entelle Two Step  - Marie Falcon  - Shuk Richard
25. Waltz of Regret  - Lawrence Walker
26. Wandering Aces Special  - Lawrence Walker

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Lawrence Walker   Primary Artist,Vocals
Floyd le Blanc   Primary Artist
Dewey Balfa   Primary Artist,Fiddle,Vocals
Nathan Abshire   Primary Artist,Vocals
The Musical Four Plus One   Primary Artist
Texas Melody Boys   Primary Artist
Harry Choates   Primary Artist
Vincent & Cagley   Primary Artist
Elise Deshotel   Primary Artist,Slide Guitar,Guitar (Steel)
Marie Falcon   Primary Artist,Vocals
Shuk Richard   Primary Artist
Mitch Davy   Vocals
Edwin Duhon   Vocals
Esther Deshotel   Drums
Jake Miere   Vocals
Maurice Barzas   Accordion
Pee Wee Pitre   Vocals

Technical Credits

George Khoury   Producer
George Morrow   Audio Restoration
Chris Strachwitz   Producer,Re-Editing,Remastering
Elise Deshotel   Composer
Marie Falcon   Composer
Shuk Richard   Composer
Jon Broven   Liner Notes
John Boven   Liner Notes
Texas Melody Boys   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Lawrence Walker   Composer
Floyd le Blanc   Composer
Dewey Balfa   Composer
Nathan Abshire   Composer
Harry Choates   Composer