These guys are the best!!! The group started in 1976, and have been going strong for almost 25 years now. In my opinion, they just keep getting better.
The members of the group are:
Michael Doucet - lead singer, fiddler
David Doucet - guitar, backup and occasional lead singer
Jimmy Breaux - accordian (Jimmy is the grandson of famous Cajun musician Amede Breaux and the great-nephew of Cleoma Breaux Falcon, another great Cajun artist from the past)
Billy Ware - all kinds of percussion
Tommy Alesi - drums
Al Tharp - Second fiddle, bass, banjo, backup vocals, and all kinds of other stuff
Michael Doucet is the lead singer, fiddler, songwriter.....basically the head honcho. Growing up in Southwest Louisiana, Michael kept his cajun heritage alive while everyone else was taught to speak only english. Also, cajun music was on a downturn, being replaced by rock and soul. But when Michael traveled to France, he discovered that his culture wasn't all that old after all, and that it was something to be proud of. While in France, he started a cajun rock group called Coteau ("the cajun Greatful Dead"). At the same time, he was making traditional cajun music with a bunch of friends. The result was BeauSoleil. They released an album in France, and a year later released one in the U.S. Since then, they have gone from amateur musicians to playing cajun music full time around the world.
Why do I like them?
- They're great musicians, no doubt about it. Michael Doucet is one of the best fiddlers I've ever heard. He seems to love playing that fiddle more than anything. He's amazing. And Jimmy Breaux will change the way you think about accordians.
- They pay tribute to traditional cajun musicians while at the same time expanding the genre. They've merged cajun with other kinds of music on many of their albums. On each album, there's something you don't expect.
- Their music is fun to listen to. It's party music, music with the same kind of attitude that Louisianians have. You can't help wanting to dance. And the slow songs are done with passion. BeauSoleil puts their heart into everything they play.
- It's something different. It's something you don't hear everyday. You may not understand the words, but you don't really need to. If you do understand the words, you'll enjoy it even more. It's crazy, it's hot, it's a good time. IT'S CAJUN MUSIC!!!
