Welcome to old and new friends who are interested in discussing Cajun and other diatonic accordions, along with some occasional lagniappe....



CAJUN ACCORDION DISCUSSION GROUP

 

General Forum
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
Oh no! Hadley Castille gone!?

Sad news, friends ..

http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20121025/ACADIANA04/121025011

Re: Oh no! Hadley Castille gone!?

Yea... I just heard myself.

Re: Oh no! Hadley Castille gone!?

Yes, he passed away this morning. A great ambassador or Cajun culture, a great musician and human being. Repose en paix Cher...

Re: Oh no! Hadley Castille gone!?

It was at Balfa Camp in April that I met Hadley Castille. He was playing later that weekend at Jazz Fest in New Orleans which was the last stop on my itinerary for the week. Explaining that I had paid $100 apiece for a pair of Jazz Fest tickets, I was now unexpectedly getting to see his act for free. He thanked me for buying the tickets, explaining with a wink and a smile that somebody has to pay the fiddler.

Mentioning Texarkana as my home, he started into a story about a gig he played in Texarkana, just a Steve Riley walked by. Interrupting his tale he shouted "Hey, Riley! C'mere."

"How many kids you got now?" Castille asked. Not waiting for the answer, he turned to me a said "I hired this guy when he was 16 to play in my band." He then introduced me to Riley and resumed his tale of Texarkana.

"...They were rich people - country club people," he continued. "After we'd played a set, the guy that owned the place asked me if I knew 'Waltz Across Texas', and I told him I did."

"Then he said I want you to play it for us in the next set. I told him we are a Cajun band, and we don't play that one. He told me if I couldn't play that song for them, to pack my stuff up and go on back to Louisiana! And we did."

Riley interjected, "Hell, man, you should have just told him you didn't know it!"

"I wasn't gonna' lie to the man, Riley," was Castille's reply.

And that was my first and last meeting with Hadley Castille. He's not the sort of fellow that one is likely to forget.

Re: Oh no! Hadley Castille gone!?

RIP Mr Hadley. He was one that would take the time to talk Cajun music with anyone that wanted to hear about it. I once called his house to get the words to one of his songs. I spoke to his wife for quite awhile since Hadley was out, she said he would call me back and of course I didnt think that would happen, but sure enough the phone rang later that night and it was Hadley. He took the time to give me the meaning of the song in English, he was quite a guy. I hope his grandaughter keeps his memory alive in her music.

Re: Oh no! Hadley Castille gone!?

Sorry, I haven’t all the words in English but I’m sad. Great musician but also excellent French speaker and great songwriter. I had met him at home in Opelousas in 2001. Unforgettable day!! He left to the paradise of the musicians.
My favorite song ? Old Sharecropper's House.

Marc.

Re: Oh no! Hadley Castille gone!?

The first time I saw Hadley Castille, it was in France at Nantes in 1999. Hadley had come with his son Blake on guitar ..... and the young Christophe Miller on keyboards and accordion. I always have the video !!

Marc.



Jamey Hall's most excellent Cajun Accordion Music Theory

Brett's all new Cajun Accordion Music Theory for all keys!

LFR1.gif - 1092 Bytes The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week

augusta.gif - 6841 Bytes

Listen to Some GREAT Music While You Surf the Net!!
The BEST Radio Station on the Planet!