Cajun Steel Guitar

Jimmy Douglas · Post by **Jimmy Douglas** » 25 Jun 2002 9:09 pm

Can anybody direct me to where I might be able to obtain some cajun steel recordings and if it exists instruction material for E9.

Thank you in advance.

Jimmy

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Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 25 Jun 2002 9:24 pm

Contact Jr. Martin in Lafayette, Louisiana. 337 232 4001. best regards .Jody.

Jimmy Douglas · Post by **Jimmy Douglas** » 25 Jun 2002 9:39 pm

Thank you Jody, I will contact Jr. BTW, do you know if he has an e-mail address?

Once again, thank you

Regards,

Jimmy

Quesney Gibbs · Post by **Quesney Gibbs** » 26 Jun 2002 1:38 pm

You really don't need any learning material to do Cajun (Coon A$$) music.

Just play out of tune and get the worst tone you can. And (Very Important) end every song in C no matter what key it's played in.

Ques

Doug Childress · Post by **Doug Childress** » 26 Jun 2002 2:00 pm

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Contact Jr. Martin in Lafayette, Louisiana. 337 232 4001. best regards
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What Jody said is true. Jr. is probably the best known cajun steel guitar player. He also builds accordians and has a shop in Lafayette, Louisiana. A cajun steel player is a separate breed and you just about have to be born there to play the licks. Jr. is an excellent musician and can play with the best of PSG players (in any key).

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 26 Jun 2002 2:22 pm

There is a distinctive steel guitar tradition--both pedal and non-pedal--in Cajun music. Search the web under "Cajun steel guitar" and some interesting entries will come up. Back in the 1960s Aldus Roger (pronounced Ro-jhay) had some great steelers in his band. Try Floyd's Records or Swallow Records in Ville Platte, LA--I'm pretty sure they're on the web.

Doug Childress has a good point. Getting cajun rhythm right is a subtle thing and not easy. I remember the accordionist with Seattle Cajun band Howz Bayou saying he didn't think anyone outside of LA had it right.

Matt Haney of the Bone Tones (check the web) played some nice non pedal and pedal steel on their recordings, although he apparently has left the band fairly recently.

Walter Mouton had a great steeler--can't remember his name or the name of the band (it was some kind of "Playboys," though)

Bonne chance. Just keep digging.

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 26 Jun 2002 2:32 pm

It was Walter Mouton and the Scott Playboys, although I'm not sure what recordings they have except on the Swallow anthologies.

You find some classic Aldus Roger stuff here: http://www.lalouisiannerecords.com/laloucat.htm

Floyd's url is : www.floydsrecordshop.com

Jimmy Douglas · Post by **Jimmy Douglas** » 26 Jun 2002 7:18 pm

Gentlemen,

Thankyou for your input and advice. I will contact Jr. Bob and Doug thankyou for the links to the record shops, they look very interesting and a valuable resource. The rhythm point is a very good one and that for me is one of the most attractive parts of this genre.

I used to own some LPs by D.L Menard (Arhoolie?)and his group with very beautiful lyrics and idiosyncratic NP steel which I treasured. Quesney, I beg to differ, Cajun music for me has what a lot of music these days lacks, feeling from the soul. Good and bad tone are too subjective, it is just what it is.

I think Doug is right on with his observation about being born into it as this is truly folk music. Nevertheless, this style is attractive to dancers and an aproximation of the picking style would be a handy skill not to mention an enjoyable challenge. Once again, thank you.

Regards,

Jimmy

Doug Childress · Post by **Doug Childress** » 26 Jun 2002 7:24 pm

Jackie Callier (cai-yea) of Orange Texas has done some great cajun albums and has a very good steel player. I believe his name is Danny Cormier (cerm-yea). My son-in-law is a good cajun accordian player. I produced and played on his cajun music album. We used one of the best cajun steel players around here. His name is Lane Thibodeaux (tib-e-dough). He has been used also by some of the best when they were getting started in Beaumont (i.e. Tracy Byrd). Lane grew up in cajun music and has that distinct sound.

Jerry Roller · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 26 Jun 2002 7:40 pm

Ain't you guys ever heard by buddy, Buck Grantham. You get him in a groove doing Cajun stuff and it sure sounds authentic to me. The only problem is I don't think he has an album or CD so you just need to catch him at a steel show somewhere.

Jerry

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 26 Jun 2002 8:59 pm

Before judging the Cajun players, you need to listen to Jr. Martin, Richard Comeaux, and Murnel Babineaoux.Jody.

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 26 Jun 2002 9:24 pm

What Jody said! Junior Martin is an awesome player! Murnell is too! I could sit for hours and listen. High Energy!!!!!!!!!

Jimmy Douglas · Post by **Jimmy Douglas** » 27 Jun 2002 1:16 am

Right on Guys! A pal of mine showed me a video from a steel show featuring Jr.Martin, Murnell Babineaoux and Richard Comeaux..Awesome steel guitar!..as you put it Reggie...High Energy!!!!!

That tape in part is what prompted my question on the forum...this is a great style and these a great players. I would enjoy having a few of those rolls and licks in my bag.

Jerry, living in Japan prevents me from seeing anything much live! BTW, in my native Australia Cajun and Zydeco sounds have a good following. I reckon this style of steel would also help connect younger folk with the tremendous diversity of sounds capable on steel.

Regards,

Jimmy

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 27 Jun 2002 2:44 am

Check out http://www.cajunmarket.com/Cajun-Music/ ... lot's of great Cajun music.

Shirley Bergeron's French Rockin' Boogie features some very simple but in the groove Cajun non-pedal playing.

Ann Savoy's fine book on Cajun music features many lap steel players in the genre. Unfortunately, it appears to be out of print but used copies do turn up. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/093016900X/qid%3D1025174143/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F0%5F1/002-8352992-8128846#product-details

Quesney Gibbs · Post by **Quesney Gibbs** » 27 Jun 2002 3:37 am

Actually, my post was more in jest than anything else. Cajun music is unique and some of it is very fun to play. I have had the pleasure of playing with Rufus Thebedaux and he is one hot cajun fiddle player.

It's really not the kind of music I like to do but it can be fun.

Ending every song in C is something that is true.

Doug Childress · Post by **Doug Childress** » 27 Jun 2002 5:16 am

Cajun music was handed down verbally. It was not written and musicians had to memorize the songs to play them. The older cajun music was played to fit the phrasing of the french language thus you have songs that have unconventional measures. Ann Savoy has transcribed much of the original music in her book. The reason the songs seem to end in specific keys is that most cajun bands have an accordian player and the accordian being like a harmonica is played in specific keys. C, Bflat, and D being very popular keys. If you notice some of the major cajun entertainers (Joel Sonnier etc.) they will play several accordians during a show. This allows them to work in different keys. The steel player and the rest of the band is required to play in the key of the accordian. The tempo of the music is usually two steps and waltzes. The two step being different from the C&W version. If you ever get a chance to go to Lafayette, LA during Mardi Gras you can see some great Cajun bands. Walter Mouton plays there as does Steve Riley, Lee Benoit,and other groups. A good time will be had because of the culture and warmth of the people.

Buck Grantham R.I.P. · Post by **Buck Grantham R.I.P.** » 27 Jun 2002 8:16 am

Some of the best players and singers in the world are French people so I assume that the people who put their music down are some kind of good. I'm really not a Cajun picker however I love the people and their music and I try to play a French song or two at every one of my shows.So to whom ever it concerns, "Please don't put something down that you seem to know nothing about." Thanks!!!!!

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 27 Jun 2002 1:04 pm

Some of the best times i had was in Cajun country.
The People, the Musik, + the Food was just
Dyn

mite !
Crescent City was tops too...
Lafayette nous voila !
Steelin'France<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 27 June 2002 at 02:05 PM.]</p></FONT>

Doug Childress · Post by **Doug Childress** » 27 Jun 2002 1:20 pm

Jimmy if you need additional information about modern Cajun recordings, I can probably help you out as my son-in-law collects a lot of the albums. You are right about the music having what a lot of music lacks today. I hope it can be retained as a true folk art form.

JACK HEERN · Post by **JACK HEERN** » 27 Jun 2002 4:03 pm

Jerry
I need to correct you somewhat. Buck plays a couple of cajun songs pretty well, but he is a killer non cacusan picker. He usually wears black panty hose when he is really into it

jp

Jerry Roller · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 27 Jun 2002 4:24 pm

Well! Excuse me Jack, I always thought those were Buck's support hose. You gotta admit when Buck get to groov'n on that "C"
stuff toes are tappin' all over the place and that is what it is all about. I still vote for Buck.
Jerry

Buck Grantham R.I.P. · Post by **Buck Grantham R.I.P.** » 27 Jun 2002 10:46 pm

Gee guys---- I really don't know what to say now

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Music to light up your life

Jimmy Douglas · Post by **Jimmy Douglas** » 1 Jul 2002 8:50 pm

Well thanks guys, I have been in contact with Jr. and the web sites and all are very helpful. Andy, the cajun market makes me hungry! Doug, if you or your son could suggest any modern albums that feature the E9 pedal guitar played cajun style it would give me a good place to start.

Perhaps listing some Cajun CDs in the for sale on the Forum would be possible....bOb any thoughts? Once again thank's everybody.

Tony Davis · Post by **Tony Davis** » 2 Jul 2002 4:06 am

Funny this should come up..I was playing a cajun tape in my car today...had some good steel in it...Jimmy C Newman...my friend Marsha Fogle told me that as well as working the Opry,her late husband Harold Fogle used to be on the road with Jimmy C...dont know if this was him playing on the tape...but it sure was good cajun stuff!

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 2 Jul 2002 4:35 am

Here's a photo of myself with Jr. Martin at Jazz Fest. I'm giving him a lesson in "squeezebox" technigue. Stubborn son of a gun.

A heck of a nice guy and an excellent craftsman. His golf game can use a little work though....