Terrance Simien won the first ever Grammy in Cajun/Zydeco music.

I'm not really all that surprised. Nothing against Terrance at all, but the Grammys have been notorious for picking winners with the most crossover appeal, usually with the highest pop appeal, and acts that tend to incorporate multiple genres. Out of all the nominees, Terrance fit that bill the best, I remember as a kid watching the rock and roll category and always scratching my head wondering 'what where they thinking'? It was always the 'safest' act that won, and most that went on to become icons where snubbed by all those awards for years. So I'll put my ipod on, put; out the accordion to play along and hit rewind a few million times to figure out what Wilson, or Geno, or Ray was playing. It's all good.

Steve

WHO??? ARE YOU KIDDING....WOULD HAVE NEVER GUESSED THAT....DON'T EVEN KNOW ANY OF HIS MUSIC

Couldn't have said it better. Bless his heart, Terrance was my 2nd to last pick, but he was light years ahead of Lisa Hailey, which would've been a crime. Since I understand that Terrance and his wife had a lot to do with the creation of the category, then perhaps this is a just payback. Hopefully from here on out they can get down to the real thang. Still, I'm sorry for all the other more deserving (IMHO) artists.

Who were the judges?

Look at the big picture.

Yeah, I know that you could say it was rigged since his wife was the one responsible for getting the category established in the first place.

And yeah, I know it would have been nice if Geno or the PLB or LBR would have won since they are the ones who have been bringing the music back.

But at least Lisa Haley didn't win!

I never heard of Lisa H, so I looked at the bio , listened to the samples, and considering all the Hollywood connections (something that seems to really play a role in these awards thangs), I think we can be grateful she didn't win. I'm sure she has a nice fan base, and what she does, she does well, but being put in the Cajun category, well, it reminds me of the movie where John Wayne played a Chinese war lord. Ah, Hollywood.

Steve

See link #2 for a sample of Lisa Haley's work.

If L.H. got nominated.. that doesn't give too much credibility to the winner.. ( who in my opinion is exactly as described in an earlier post.. crossover, crowdpleasing.. plus great appeal created through skillful marketing... but hardly can be counted as a Cajun Zydeco Heavyweight... )..

L.H. how did her name even get brought up.. vomitable stuff.

Hearing that Cajun music is even remotely touched by stuff like the grammy's is like finding out my daughter wants to marry a lawyer. It's tainted, but I love it anyway.

Terrence won it for "The Big Easy" 1986... which I just rewatched last night (terrific film!).

He is the Only zydeco personality known in the mainstream (because of that film)... altho it looks like there was a great Buckwheat segment (hey tit fiye) that got cut out of the film that might have changed everything. It was used as a promo before the film to sell some contest (on VHS anyway).

To me it figures that the grammys would be 20+ years behind.

On that same note, however, my daughter was playing Amy Winehouse nonstop when she visited at Xmas... and I recognized the "room" sound of the disc. Sure enough it was the mid 50s new Orleans "Ric" & "Ron" studio sound (not Motown or girl-group like everyone is saying). I mean it is a dead knock-off... not just similar...possibly even sampled!

So what's that about? Are we gonna find out shortly that Amy Winehouse is actually a conglomerate of 100 or so?

Hey, Jude....Ouch! Man you talk about giving chickens a 'bad name'. She looks and sounds like she is being plucked. I hope she performs in Louisiana so I can NOT go to her performance..LOL

Just to be fair, I did a search on Lisa Haley on Youtube, there are several videos. She is obviously talented, but not sure how they think that her and her band fit in the Cajun/Zydeco genre.

Well, I'm not sure about the winner either. A few years ago, I attended a concert at Wolf Trap. This one guy came out barefooted, prancing around the stage, and throwing out beads to the audience. I think that he finally got around to trying to sing a few tunes. It was the winner. I don't know what you call his performance, but it wasn't Zydeco music!

Jack Bond

I'm certainly happy for Terrance -- his first CD, back in... 1989? is completely unique and one of my all-time discs, "Zydeco On The Bayou". I love how hard-edged and tinged with rock it is; and then the nod to reggae legends Marley and Tosh. with the venerable, "Stop That Train". That disc speaks to me as a musician, music lover, and songwriter. Terrance is also one of the absolutely nicest guys I've ever had the opportunity to meet -- genuine with an immediate connection. Great performer, too.

But to catalog his music, and then categorize it, he's something other than what is truly happening in the genre of zydeco. Sure there's zydeco there, and it's probably the best "bucket" to categorize him. But he's also an artist that was far more popular 15 years ago. So while I love his writing, creativity and voice -- what a singer! -- I'm surprised at the award. Moreover, I'm surprised at the nominations as I've written in earlier posts.

The only thing I agree on was that Geno and Pine Leaf Boys were sound choices for nominations. But it's Hollyweird we are dealing with here, not conscious music aficionados that have a clue what is happening now in the Creole genre -- Where's Chris Ardoin, Jeffery Broussard, J. Paul Jr., Rosie Ledet, and Keith Frank? On the Cajun side, where's Ray Abshire, Travis Matte, Wayne Toups, Jason Frey, Marc Savooy, and Jackie Callier? Doesn't the sale (and history) of music account for anything?

Let's just be happy that there's a Louisiana "folk" category at the Grammys. I still don't see how Cajun and zydeco can exist in the same category. It's like having a country/soul category.

Thanks for the gum ball, Popeye!

R!CK

I certainly agree with everybody that Terrance is not playing roots zydeco, or even zydeco nuveau, but rather a soul, old-style R&B, reggae blended flavor.

But I also agree with Rick: amazing vocal skills, super friendly guy and someone who brings the crowd with him all the way. He played an outdoor festival in little Hamilton, New York for folks who don't know their zydeco from a ham sandwich, and I credit the interest he stirred for maybe 50 extra people at the Creole Cowboys show at the Opera House the next month.

So...I wouldn't give him the Grammy either, but he's OK as a gateway drug and a fine musician.

2 cents is all.

I still wonder who the judges are, if they know anything at all about La music, or if they are aware Cajun and Zydeco are different, or if you arent necessarily a Cajun/Zydeco musician just because you mention the word in a song, or because you use to know someone who used to be from La. This is the kind of stuff I was afraid of when I heard about the grammy category. I cant see any good coming from it. The best music I've ever heard was played in a living room last week to the sounds of beer tops popping, feet pounding a wood floor, and beer lubed yelling, much more rewarding than a Grammy crowd. Then again, maybe I'm just too frustrated from dealing with a new computer.

Bryan I think your new computer needs more beer!

I for one agree that Hollowwood doesn't know anything about Cajun music or culture. They believe that if you just throw a little seasoning on things you can call it cajun. Here is a great idea for a good Cajun CD.

THE FOUR TENORS SING CAJUN.

Hollowwood would love it.

Cajun Four Tenors? Would that be Ray Abshire, Courtney Granger, Coz Fontenot, and Drew Simon?

Mais oublie pas Adam Hebert.

I was just picking live people! I'd have a different 4 dead tenors!

Heck, I thought Adam was still alive.

My goof! Well, he's not active anymore, is what I should have said.

Y'all talkin' vocals? Ray does know his onions for sure! But does it really get any better than Ivy Dugas? Don't think so, me.

R!CK

Right you are about Ivy Dugas! Now how about Jesse Lege? He can sing high.

I say

Horace Trahan
Courtney Granger
Ray Abshire
Hadley Castille