Speaking of very old Cajun tunes, I was just listening to a song by Leo Soileau and Moise Robin titled "Easy Rider Blues." This song was recorded by them in January, 1929, and I have never heard of anyone else who has recorded it.
It is a great song. In her notes to the Leo Soileau CD on Yazoo (Yazoo 2041), Ann Savoy had this to say about the song: "The "Easy Rider Blues" stands out as the all-time greatest Cajun blues. Soileau's French accent belting out the old blues lyrics and his drawn-out note bending howls like a Stanley Brothers song. The accordion on this number simply basses the fiddle in the style used by Creole accordion players, and the fiddle's tremolo gives a pulsating effect to the high notes, making them hang in the air."
It seems to me that someone else should have recorded this song. If they have not, they should.The record collector Joe Bussard reaslly likes this song, too.
I know another version "Easy rider" by Dewey & Tony Balfa and Tracy & Peter Schwarz (Les quatre vieux garçons - Folkway Records)
"Le bues du cadien" is very similar.
You are so right. On the Folkways recording, you are also right about the the song sounding like the Cajun Blues; but it's a bit of a stretch on the Leo Soilieau version. Interesting, though...thanks.
No. it is not on Neal's site. I did do some checking and found copies available on ebay, half.com, and amazon.com. The title of the CD is "The Early Recordings of Leo Soileau" (Yazoo 2041). Ann Savoy wrote the booklet that accompanies the CD. There is a pretty wide range of prices, but the lowest seems to be $9.99.
The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week
