An early 20th-century precursor to zydeco, la-la music melds indigenous American, African, European, blues, nascent rhythm and blues, and Louisiana Creole and Cajun traditions to form a popular genre that is both provincial and unmeasurably influential. Primarily associated with Black Creoles of…
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During the last week of April, residents are decked out in hats, dancing shoes, and smiles along the streets of downtown Lafayette. Refrains of "Happy festival" are everywhere. At the apex of spring, Lafayette's downtown turns festival mode for the annual Festival International de Louisiane, the…
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Each spring, Downtown Lafayette comes alive with the sights, sounds, and flavors of Festival International de Louisiane, the largest free Francophone festival in the U.S. This five-day event transforms the city into a global stage, where music, art, and culture from around the world take center…
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Cajun music is a central component and marker of Cajun identity and culture in southwestern Louisiana. Largely accordion and fiddle-based and primarily sung in vernacular French, Cajun music has foundations in Indigenous American, African, German, Irish, Anglo-American, and Francophone folk…
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A relatively recent invention, the bellows-driven, vibrating reed squeezebox known as the accordion, was first manufactured in Germany and later in Russia in the 1820s. It is unknown who brought the first accordion to South Louisiana or which French Creole or Acadian first played the instrument, but…
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GRAMMY award-winning and nominated musicians from Acadiana Music has been the soul of Acadiana since the area's humble beginnings, with a melting pot of Cajuns, Creoles, European, and Native American cultures inspiring fresh new sounds. South Louisiana has fostered folk music, country, rock, rhythm…
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In the 1930s, folklorists John and Alan Lomax visited South Louisiana to record Cajun and Creole songs for the Library of Congress Archive of American Folk Song (now the Archive of Folk Culture). It was the first time someone recorded Cajun and Creole songs on tape for archival purposes. In 1964…
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Here in Lafayette, LA we are known for our joie de vivre , a French expression meaning our exuberant love of life. We love hosting lively festivals to honor our rich cultures, and simply to have a good time with friends and family. Lafayette is famous for its year-round festivals celebrating…
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June is African American Music Appreciation Month. A time to honor, celebrate, and reflect on all the musical accomplishments Black Americans have given throughout the centuries. Louisiana has a strong connection with the musical legacy of this country, from traditional gospel music to the bounce…
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So, does all the great music you hear in Lafayette inspire you to play along? Do you have your guitar, fiddle, accordion, or other acoustic instruments --- including your voice--- handy? Or do you enjoy listening to a group of people playing classic Cajun, Zydeco, or old-timey music in a laid-back…
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