Congratulations to Terrance Simien

Congratulations to Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience for their win in the first Cajun/Zydeco Grammy Category!

It's a relief and a pleasure to know that they'll be bringing the first Grammy devoted to Cajun and Zydeco back to the music's home soil.

Grammy Sunday

Now that Mardi Gras festivities have wound down and we're facing a long 40 day stretch built for reflection and sacrifice, I'm forced to face down Grammy Sunday.

The first Cajun/Zydeco Grammy will be awarded on February 10th during the Grammy pre-telecast ceremony. Herman Fuselier reports that those who are interested can view the pre-telecast over the internet by accessing the official Grammy site, http://www.grammy.com/.

Personally, I'm approaching this Sunday with both excitement and trepidation. Like many people, I fear the Grammy selection process might be too much akin to Louisiana's own brand of politics and that the only non-indiginous, California-bred nominee will have the inside track to the award.

I don't know Lisa Haley from Lisa Marie Presley. She may be a perfectly nice person. But I do know that, for her, Zydeco was a choice.

It wasn't something bred into her bones or passed down to her through some form of musical osmosis. The music was not a natural and inherent part of the background of her life like it was for Geno Delafose or Wilson Savoy or Christine Balfa or the Michot brothers. Nor was it something that she had to turn back to in order to find some lost part of herself, as it was for Zachary Richard or Michael Doucet.

A quick review of Haley's musical career suggests that she's a skilled musician but essentially a dilettante, visiting different musical genres while never truly staying in one place. Or truly belonging.

What bothers me most is that her current choice is one based on lucre. Thumbing through my copy of Musiciens cadiens et créoles, I can't help but be impressed and silenced by the circumstances of some of our legendary musicians. Seeing Freeman Fontenot playing his old Hohner in worn-out work clothes or seeing Bois Sec working his bellows while sitting in the old school desk that serves as furniture in his house, I'm reminded that this isn't about money for these men. Seeing D. L. Menard outside of his chair factory or Dewey Balfa outside of his school bus reiterates the fact that music is not a day job but a hobby. Seeing Don Montoucet holding a cutting torch reminds me of my own father at work.

And reading their words reminds me that, for them, the music is about more than the sound or a single dance but about a culture that is their real source of wealth.

This is the music that got the Pine Leaf Boys booted off the University of Louisiana's campus. This is the music that Horace Trahan's father was afraid to teach his son because he feared he would be "throw[ing] him to the pigs."

This is an inheritance, but it's a hard-earned inheritance. And for those who have most earned it, it is never just a choice.

...And the Grammy Nominees Are...

It's an historic first: here are the inaugural nominees for the first Grammy Award for Cajun/Zydeco music.

- Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie, Le Cowboy Creole

- Lisa Haley, King Cake

- Lost Bayou Ramblers, Live à la Blue Moon

- Pine Leaf Boys, Blues De Musicien

- Racines, Racines

--Roddie Romero and the Hub City All Stars, The La Louisianne Sessions

--Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience, Live! Worldwide

Entries for Inaugural Grammy in Cajun/Zydeco Category

As reported in The Daily Advertiser, here are the initial entries for nomination in the inaugural Cajun/Zydeco Grammy Category:

All Night Long, Acadien Cajun Band
MVP, Chris Ardoin
Cajun Fiddles, The Basin Brothers
I Know Dat's Right, Jamie Bergeron and the Kickin' Cajuns
Blues à Catin, Bonsoir Catin
From Love to Laughter & Good Times, Jackie Caillier, Ivy Dugas & Cajun Cousins
Valse A Deux Temps, The Cajun Strangers
Zydeco on the Radio, Captain Squeeze and the Zydeco Moshers
Le Cowboy Creole, Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie
Undisputed, Keith Frank and the Soileau Zydeco Band
King Cake, Lisa Haley
Live at the CFMA, Hunter Hayes
Underdog, Brian Jack and the Zydeco Gamblers
Be My Girlfriend, Guyland Leday and Zydeco Family and Friends
Don't Shut Me Out, Corey Ledet et Son Groupe Zydeco
Worldwide, Lil Brian and the Travelers
Doin' It Big Time, Lil Nathan and the Zydeco Big Timers
Live à la Blue Moon, Lost Bayou Ramblers
Pushing Your Luck, Charles Mann
Booty Zydeco, Travis Matte and the Zydeco Kingpins
Legendary Cajun Accordionist, Don Montoucet
Blues de Muisicien, Pine Leaf Boys
Racines, Racines
The La Louisianne Sessions, Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars
Who Want It!, Same Ol' 2 Step
Live! Worldwide, Terrance Simien and Zydeco Experience
Long Roads & Bloodshot Eyes, Dennis Stroughmatt and Creole Stomp
Nothin Feels Like This, Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble
Zydeco Lover, T-Broussard and the Zydeco Steppers
French Creole House Dance, Goldman Thibodeaux with Steve and Donna Bing
Three of a Kind - A Tribute to Clifton Chenier, Tri Trip Trio
Allons Boire Un Coup: A Collection of Cajun & Creole Drinking Songs, Various

From this list of "entries," five will be selected as official "nominees." In turn, one of those five nominees will win the Grammy.

Updated Information: And the Award Goes to . . . Cajun & Zydeco Music!

The big news from The Recording Academy (aka The Grammys) is that, beginning in February 2008, a new Grammy devoted specifically to Cajun & Zydeco music will be awarded.

Any Cajun or Zydeco recording made between September 06 and October 07 can be submitted for nomination by the musician/group or recording label.