Michael Doucet
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Michael Louis Doucet (born February 14, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter and musician best known as the founder of the Cajun band
BeauSoleil BeauSoleil (French, ''beautiful sun'') is a Cajun band from Louisiana, United States. Band history Founded in 1975, BeauSoleil (often billed as "BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet") released its first album in 1977 and became one of the most well ...
.


Early life

Doucet was born in
Scott, Louisiana Scott is the fourth largest municipality in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population 8,614 as of the 2010 U.S. census, and 8,119 at the 2020 census, up from 7,870 at the 2000 census. Scott is a suburban community of Lafayette a ...
, to a
Cajun The Cajuns (; French: ''les Cadjins'' or ''les Cadiens'' ), also known as Louisiana ''Acadians'' (French: ''les Acadiens''), are a Louisiana French ethnicity mainly found in the U.S. state of Louisiana. While Cajuns are usually described as ...
family. Family parties in the 1950s always included "French music." Two of his paternal aunts sang ballads, and many family members played musical instruments. He learned banjo at age six, guitar at eight, and belonged to a Cajun rock band with his cousin,
Zachary Richard Ralph Zachary Richard (born September 8, 1950) is an American singer-songwriter and poet. His music is a combination of Cajun and Zydeco musical styles. Biography Zachary Richard began his musical career at the age of 8, as soprano in the Bish ...
, at twelve.


Career

In his early 20s, Doucet and his cousin went to France, and when he got home he added violin to his music studies. Violin became his primary instrument, though he also plays accordion and mandolin. In 1975, he started the Cajun band Coteau, and two years later he started
BeauSoleil BeauSoleil (French, ''beautiful sun'') is a Cajun band from Louisiana, United States. Band history Founded in 1975, BeauSoleil (often billed as "BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet") released its first album in 1977 and became one of the most well ...
with Kenneth Richard and Sterling Richard. BeauSoleil plays an eclectic combination of traditional
Cajun music Cajun music (french: Musique cadienne), an emblematic music of Louisiana played by the Cajuns, is rooted in the ballads of the French-speaking Acadians of Canada. Although they are two separate genres, Cajun music is often mentioned in tandem w ...
, blues, country, jazz, and
zydeco Zydeco ( or , french: Zarico) is a music genre that evolved in southwest Louisiana by French Creole speakers which blends blues, rhythm and blues, and music indigenous to the Louisiana Creoles and the Native American people of Louisiana. Al ...
. Doucet has been a member of a more traditional Cajun band, the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band with
Ann Savoy Ann Savoy (; born Ann Allen on January 20, 1952) is a musician, author, and record producer. Biography Savoy was raised in Richmond, Virginia. She resides with her husband Marc Savoy and family in Eunice, Southern Louisiana. As a musician, sh ...
and
Marc Savoy Marc Savoy ( ) (born October 1, 1940) is an American musician, and builder and player of the Cajun accordion. Early life He was born on his grandfather's rice farm near Eunice, Louisiana. His grandfather was a fiddler, who occasionally played w ...
, and Fiddlers 4 with
Darol Anger Darol Anger is an American violinist and founding member of The David Grisman Quintet. Career Darol Anger entered popular music at the age of 21 as a founding member of The David Grisman Quintet. Anger played fiddle to David Grisman's mandol ...
,
Rushad Eggleston Rushad Robert Eggleston (born September 30, 1979) is an American cellist, composer, jazz vocalist, & performer. Eggleston's music can be eccentric, with many references to fantasy and goblins. Eggleston is known for inventing words, and for hi ...
, and
Bruce Molsky Bruce C. Molsky (born 1955, New York City) is an American fiddler, banjo player, guitarist, and singer. He primarily performs old-time music of the Appalachian region. Early years As a young man, Molsky first became interested in blues music, but ...
. He began teaching in 1977 at the University of Southwestern Louisiana. Although Doucet did not originally intend to pursue performing Cajun music, a turning point came when he was awarded a Folk Arts Apprenticeship by the
National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...
. "I had planned to go to graduate school in New Mexico to study the Romantic poets," he recalls on the
Vanguard Records Vanguard Recording Society is an American record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York City. It was a primarily classical label at its peak in the 1950s and 1960s, but also has a catalogue of recordings by a n ...
web site. "Instead I traded
William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual art of the Romantic Age. ...
for
Dewey Balfa Dewey Balfa (March 20, 1927 – June 17, 1992) was an American Cajun fiddler and singer who contributed significantly to the popularity of Cajun music. Balfa was born near Mamou, Louisiana. He is perhaps best known for his 1964 performance at th ...
." Doucet sought out every surviving Cajun musician, including Balfa,
Dennis McGee Dennis (Denus) McGee (born January 26, 1893, Eunice, Louisiana, USA – October 3, 1989) was one of the earliest recorded Cajun musicians. A fiddle player, he recorded and performed with Louisiana Creole people, Creole accordionist and voca ...
,
Sady Courville Sady D. Courville Savoy 1984, p. 50. (November 15, 1905, Chataignier, Louisiana – January 3, 1988, Eunice, Louisiana) was a Cajun fiddler noted for his extensive collaboration with Dennis McGee. Early life Courville was the son of Erast ...
, Luderin Darbone,
Varise Conner Varise Conner (October 21, 1906 – June 19, 1994)#Yule09, Yule, p. 81. was a Cajun music, Cajun fiddler born in Lake Arthur, Louisiana.#ConnersLakeArthur77, Brasseaux, p. 6. His works and personality has inspired many prominent Cajun musici ...
,
Canray Fontenot Canray Fontenot (October 16, 1922 – July 29, 1995) was an American Creole fiddle player, who has been described as "the greatest Creole Louisiana French fiddler of our time." Early life Canray Fontenot was born in L'Anse aux Vaches, ne ...
,
Freeman Fontenot Freeman, free men, or variant, may refer to: * a member of the Third Estate in medieval society (commoners), see estates of the realm * Freeman, an apprentice who has been granted freedom of the company, was a rank within Livery companies * Free ...
and others. He studied their techniques and songs and encouraged some to resume public performances.


Awards and honors

In 1975, Doucet received an NEA Folk Arts Apprenticeship Grant to study Cajun fiddle styles from masters such as
Varise Conner Varise Conner (October 21, 1906 – June 19, 1994)#Yule09, Yule, p. 81. was a Cajun music, Cajun fiddler born in Lake Arthur, Louisiana.#ConnersLakeArthur77, Brasseaux, p. 6. His works and personality has inspired many prominent Cajun musici ...
, Hector Duhon,
Canray Fontenot Canray Fontenot (October 16, 1922 – July 29, 1995) was an American Creole fiddle player, who has been described as "the greatest Creole Louisiana French fiddler of our time." Early life Canray Fontenot was born in L'Anse aux Vaches, ne ...
, Lionel LeLeux, and
Dennis McGee Dennis (Denus) McGee (born January 26, 1893, Eunice, Louisiana, USA – October 3, 1989) was one of the earliest recorded Cajun musicians. A fiddle player, he recorded and performed with Louisiana Creole people, Creole accordionist and voca ...
. In 2005 Doucet received a
National Heritage Fellowship The National Heritage Fellowship is a lifetime honor presented to master folk and traditional artists by the National Endowment for the Arts. Similar to Japan's Living National Treasure award, the Fellowship is the United States government's h ...
awarded by the
National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...
, which is the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. Two years later, he was named a USA Collins Family Foundation Fellow and awarded a $50,000 grant by
United States Artists United States Artists (USA) is a national arts funding organization based in Chicago. USA is dedicated to supporting living artists and cultural practitioners across the United States by granting unrestricted awards. Mission The organization' ...
, a public charity that supports and promotes the work of American artists.


Discography

* ''Cajun Jam Sessions'' ( Arhoolie, 1983) * ''Dit Beausoleil'' (Arhoolie, 1983) * ''Parlez-Nous a Boire'' (Arhoolie, 1984) * ''Christmas Bayou'' (
Swallow The swallows, martins, and saw-wings, or Hirundinidae, are a family of passerine songbirds found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in Antarctica. Highly adapted to aerial feeding, they have a distinctive appearance. The ...
, 1986) * ''Allons a Lafayette'' (Arhoolie, 1988) * ''Hot Chili Mama'' (Arhoolie, 1988) * ''Michael Doucet & Cajun Brew'' (
Rounder Rounder(s) or The Rounder(s) may refer to: Film and television * ''The Rounders'' (1914 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounder'' (1930 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounders'' (1965 film), a western comedy * ''Rounders'' (film), a 1998 poker f ...
, 1988) * ''Beau Solo'' (Arhoolie, 1989) * ''Déjá Vu'' (Swallow, 1991) * ''Le Hoogie Boogie: Louisiana French Music for Children'' (Rounder, 1992) * ''From Now On'' (
Smithsonian Folkways Smithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was fou ...
, 2008) * ''Alligator Purse'' (
Yep Roc Yep Roc Records is an American independent record label based in Hillsborough, North Carolina, and owned by Redeye Distribution. Since 1997, the label has released albums from North Carolina and international artists, including Nick Lowe, Paul W ...
, 2009) * ''Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival'' (MunckMix, 2009) * ''Belizaire the Cajun'' (soundtrack) (Arhoolie, 2011) * ''From Bamako to Carencro'' (
Compass A compass is a device that shows the cardinal directions used for navigation and geographic orientation. It commonly consists of a magnetized needle or other element, such as a compass card or compass rose, which can pivot to align itself with ...
, 2013) * ''Cajun Fandango'' (Parhelion, 2016)


See also

* History of Cajun music *
List of people related to Cajun music This is a list of notable Cajun musicians, Cajun music instrument makers, Cajun music folklorists, Cajun music historians, and Cajun music activists. List of Cajun musicians This is a list of musicians who perform or performed Cajun music. Th ...


References


External links


Article at Louisiana Folklife Center

Michael Doucet Interview
NAMM Oral History Library (2017) {{DEFAULTSORT:Doucet, Michael 1951 births Living people American male singers Singers from Louisiana Songwriters from Louisiana Musicians from Lafayette, Louisiana Cajun fiddlers National Heritage Fellowship winners University of Louisiana at Lafayette faculty 21st-century American violinists 21st-century American male musicians Arhoolie Records artists Rounder Records artists Yep Roc Records artists People from Scott, Louisiana American male songwriters