I think you make a really great point here, Bryan, and I couldn't agree more. I think that all the labels only take away from the richness of our culture. That's the main reason I'm so against the idea of there being a Grammy for Cajun/Zydeco music. Cajun music is Cajun music, but there are a lot of subcategories and sub-subcategories that we can go into. For example, we can have Iry doing one thing, Belton doing another, the Hackberry Ramblers doing another, etc. The same goes for Zydeco. And what was Amedee doing? "The Roots of Zydeco" sound so entirely Cajun? Hmmm...

No. It's TOO hard to label all our music and why try to define away the beauty and mystery that attract so many people to it?

I just want everyone to understand that Louisiana music should be viewed very, VERY separately from any other world music. We have the traditional stuff and we have the pop stuff. Zach, Wayne, Travis, etc. are doing the pop stuff, Steve and Mike are sorta mixing the pop sounds into the old stuff, and then there's the old stuff.

I like the traditional music. That said, I like all it's subcategories. Let's not try to define past that. That's what comes from my heart. It's what I grew up with and what I want to play if I'm going to play "Cajun" music. I had a rockabilly band here in Moscow for a little while but I'm not mixing much of that into what I'm doing now.

Let's all do what comes from the heart. If we're going to play anything, let's play what inspires us. Let's toss in some new ideas if that's what we're moved to do, and call it what we can, choosing the label very carefully to avoid confusing people who don't know any better. I guess that's all that matters when it comes down to it. Some will love it, others will hate it. That's life.

Let's not forget that there's also La Brise du Bayou! creating Cajun French hip-hop.



---Roy---