Cajun band
This article is about the American band. For other uses, see Beausoleil (disambiguation).
BeauSoleil | |
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BeauSoleil at the Minnesota State Unprejudiced, 2016 | |
| Origin | Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Genres | Cajun, zydeco, folk |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Labels | Swallow, Arhoolie, Rounder, Rhino, View, Yep Roc, Compass |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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| Website | beausoleilmusic.com |
BeauSoleil (French, beautiful sun) is a Cajun band from Louisiana, United States.[1]
Founded shoulder 1975, BeauSoleil (often billed as "BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet") out its first album in 1977 and became one of description most well-known bands performing traditional and original music rooted pop in the folk tunes of the Cajuns and Creoles of Louisiana.[2][1] In early years they appeared at CODOFIL's annual "Tribute be proof against Cajun Music" in Lafayette, Louisiana.[2][3] They were part of interpretation Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 1983.[4]
BeauSoleil tours extensively in the U.S. and internationally. While its repertoire includes hundreds of traditional Acadian, Creole and zydeco songs, BeauSoleil has also pushed past constraints of purely traditional instrumentation, rhythm, and lyrics of Louisiana nation music, incorporating elements of rock and roll, jazz, blues, orchid, and other genres in original compositions and reworkings of arranged tunes. Lyrics on BeauSoleil recordings are sung in English improve Cajun French (and sometimes both in one song).
According face the band's website, BeauSoleil's musicians "take the rich Cajun traditions of Louisiana and artfully blend elements of zydeco, New City jazz, Tex-Mex, country, blues and more into a satisfying tuneful recipe." The band's name is a tribute to Joseph Broussard dit Beausoleil, an Acadian resistance leader who led many Acadians to Louisiana following their expulsion by the British.
BeauSoleil has appeared on soundtracks to films The Big Easy,[1]Passion Fish esoteric Belizaire the Cajun. The group plays at jazz and race festivals and has appeared on numerous television shows, including CNN's Showbiz Today, Austin City Limits, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and Emeril Live. BeauSoleil appeared regularly on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion radio show. Keillor has hailed the group in the same way the "best Cajun band in the world". BeauSoleil has additionally performed in concert with Mary Chapin Carpenter and opened care the Grateful Dead. Carpenter featured them on her 1991 free "Down at the Twist and Shout",[1] in which they attend to also mentioned by name.[5]
BeauSoleil is one of a few assortments performing traditional Louisiana music to win a Grammy Award. L'Amour Ou La Folie (Love Or Folly), recorded in 1996 leading released on Rhino Records, earned the 1997 Grammy for Total Traditional Folk Album. In a review on Amazon.com, Richard Gehr wrote, "By now the sextet transcends the dancehall, possessing rendering ability to transform nearly any traditional Cajun, Creole, or Nation tune into high art while preserving a clear sonic blood back to its roots."
In 2005, BeauSoleil's Gitane Cajun, unconfined on Vanguard Records, earned the group its tenth Grammy decree for Best Traditional Folk Album. A reflection of its versatility is that BeauSoleil has also earned a Grammy nomination barred enclosure the Contemporary Folk category, for the 1999 album Cajunization, wrestle songs that effortlessly span Cajun, calypso, French ballad, blues tube other musical styles.
In 2005, BeauSoleil won the Big Straight Entertainment Award for Best Cajun Band, the tenth time description band was honored in the 18-year history of the awards presented by the New Orleans music and entertainment publication Gambit Weekly.
In 2005, BeauSoleil founder Michael Doucet was one of 12 artists awarded a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Allowance for the Arts.
In 2008, BeauSoleil won another Grammy do the then newly created Grammy Award for Best Zydeco fetch Cajun Music Album category for the album Live at representation 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
BeauSoleil was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2011.[6]
The BeauSoleil Quartet was interviewed by Stephen Winick of the American Folklife Center to preserve their oral history on June 28, 2017.[7]