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LYRICS The unaccompanied ballad was the earliest form of Cajun music. The narrative songs often had passionate themes of death, solitude or ill-fated love — a reaction to their harsh exile and rough frontier experience, as well as celebrations of love and humorous tales. Ballads were ritually sung at weddings and funerals, and sung informally for small groups of people at house parties as the food cooked and young children played. Standard versions of songs started to emerge starting in the late 1920s with increasing sales of Phonographs . Early song lyrics were entirely in old Cajun French . Though French laguage is still common, some Cajun music today is sung in English with younger singers and audiences. INSTRUMENTS In earlier years the Fiddle was the predominant instrument. Usually two fiddles were common, one playing the melody while the other provided the segoner, or back-up part. Twin fiddling traditions represent the music in its purest form, as it was brought to Louisiana with the early immigrants and before popular American tunes mingled with it. Gradually the diatonic Accordion emerged to share the limelight. The introduction of the accordion can be traced back to German settlers, who are more typically identified with eastern and central Texas. Though they were concentrated in Texas, many settled as far east as New Orleans , that path taking them directly through Acadiana . In the early 1930s , the accordion was pushed into the background by the popular string sounds of the time. Mandolins , Pianos and Banjos joined fiddles to create a jazzy swing beat strongly influenced by Western Swing of neighboring Texas . After World War II , the accordion regained its popularity in Cajun music. The Acoustic Guitar was added, mostly as a rhythm instrument, and the Triangle provided a traditional percussion. Modern groups sometimes include Drums , Electric Bass , Electric Guitars and amplified accordion and fiddles. DANCE Cajun music, born from ballads, has transformed to Dance music -- with or without words. The music was essential for small get-togethers on the front Porch , an all night house dance known as a "bal de maison", or a public dance in a dance hall called a Fais Do-dos . The Cajun dance is usually a two-step, called a Cajun Jig , blues-influenced one-step, or a Waltz . In mild contrast, Zydeco is a Syncopated two-step or Jitterbug . A Cajun dancer will cover the dance floor while the Zydeco dancer will primarily dance in a smaller area. MUSICIANS Cajun sounds embellish recordings by Jimmy C. Newman , Alan Jackson , Hank Williams, Sr. and Jr. , Doug Kershaw , Sammy Kershaw (cousins from the area), Gundula Krause and countless others. Listed by decade: 1920s–30s: Joseph Falcon and Cleoma Breaux; Leo Soileau and Mayeuse Lafleur or Moise Robin; Wayne Perry; Amédé Ardoin ; Dennis McGee and Sady Courville; Angelas LeJeune; Breaux Brothers; Hackberry Ramblers ; Rayne Bo Ramblers; J.B. Fusilier; Lawrence Walker 1940s–50s: Harry Choates; Happy Fats; Iry LeJeune; Nathan Abshire; Lawrence Walker; Aldus Roger and the Lafayette Playboys; Lionel Cormier and the Sundown Playboys; Lee Sonnier and the Cajun All Stars; Chuck Guillory 1950s–60s: Austin Pitre and Milton Molitor; Badeaux and the Louisiana Aces; Adam Hebert and the Country Playboys; Alphee Bergeron, Shirley Bergeron and the Country Playboys; Nathan Abshire and the Pinegrove Boys; Robert Bertrand; Sidney Brown and the Traveler Playboys; Doris Matte; Joe Bonsall and the Orange Playboys; Belton Richard and the Musical Aces 1970s: Balfa Brothers; Octa Clark and Hector Duhon; Bois Sec Ardoin and Canray Fontenot; Touchet Brothers; Camey Doucet Other artists include DL Menard, Dewey Balfa, Belton Richard, Blind Uncle Gaspard and Harry Choates. The younger generation includes Balfa Toujours, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, and the all-teen group La Bande Feufollet. VENUES Cajun music can be found predominately at Lousiana Festivals and dance halls, in addition to weddings in Acadiana . The music has also become popular worlwide. RADIO STATIONS Stations that play Cajun music Lafayette, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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