NASHVILLE RIVER STAGES 2003 ARTISTS PREVIEW
Marc Broussard - When you spot the name Broussard and you find out that the kid is from Cajun country, the assumptions begin. He's probably a blues-rockin', Beale Street-funkin' singer with maybe a little bit of Zydeco thrown in for regional accuracy. But as soon as this 20-year-old phenom warms up his smoking, blue-eyed soul pipes, you quit cramming him into the Cajun corner. He's more often compared to Brian McKnight or, more precisely, the solo work of Hootie and the Blowfish's Darius Rucker. Broussard was raised in Lafayette, La., by a father who encouraged his interest in music by bringing the tiny tyke onstage with him and sharing his love of classic Motown and '70s funk. His affection for R&B and his budding skills as an expressive folk-soul songwriter are clearly defined on his latest round of recordings, which were produced in Nashville in 2002. (1:15-2 p.m. Sunday, AmSouth Stage at Gay Street Connector)
The Rage/April 29, 2003