Cajun steel guitar

Brennan Mangan · Post by **Brennan Mangan** » 1 Dec 2017 12:39 pm

I've been playing for a while now with a group doing a combination of western swing/country material, but also incorporating a number of cajun tunes. So far, I've been getting by on my D8 but would like to transition to pedals.

So, what cajun players should I be listening to for inspiration?

Dale Foreman · Post by **Dale Foreman** » 1 Dec 2017 1:00 pm

Danny Cormier and Marty Broussard are members here, they should be able to help. Most of the Cajun Steelers use an open tuning like an open G. You can search for Aldus Roger, Belton Richard and other Cajun French artists . You can then slow the video down on YouTube to figure out what they are playing. My dad was one of the players that played on tons of records and is in the Cajun music hall of fame.
Regards

Dale Foreman · Post by **Dale Foreman** » 1 Dec 2017 1:03 pm

Danny Cormier and Marty Broussard are members here, they should be able to help. Most of the Cajun Steelers use an open tuning like an open G. You can search for Alexus Roger, Belton Richard and other Cajun French artists . You can then slow the video down on YouTube to figure out what they are playing. My dad was one of the players that played on tons of records and is in the Cajun music hall of fame.
Regards

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 2 Dec 2017 2:37 am

From the 1940s and 1950s era:

Ron Ray "Pee Wee" Lyons

Carrol Broussard

Amos Hebert

Ray Clark

Red Fabacher

Giles "Candy Man" Castillo

Papa Cairo

Berlan LeBleue

Roscoe Whitlow

There was a very strong western swing influence in Cajun music in the 40s and later, so you ought to take a look at early western swing steelers--if you haven't already.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 2 Dec 2017 5:46 am

Anyone with an interest in Cajun music should go here:

http://www.bluesandrhythm.co.uk/cajun-records/

You can download a free copy of this 70 page publication.

Dale Foreman · Post by **Dale Foreman** » 2 Dec 2017 7:18 am

You can also contact Junior Martin @ Martin Accordions. He may have just what you need as he is one of the best Cajun steel players in Louisiana. In addition, their is a music store called Modern Music in Crowley, La. that will have any recordings you might need.
Their number is 337-783-1601

Don R Brown · Post by **Don R Brown** » 4 Dec 2017 7:05 pm

Brennan, here's a YouTube which might be of interest to you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKTCSaEB12U

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 5 Dec 2017 9:34 am

Don R Brown wrote:Brennan, here's a YouTube which might be of interest to you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKTCSaEB12U

Great stuff! If that doesn't inspire you, nothing will.
I believe Jeff Lambert is a forumite also.

Brennan Mangan · Post by **Brennan Mangan** » 6 Dec 2017 1:35 pm

Thanks, all! It looks like Mr. Broussard literally wrote the book on the subject. This should set me straight for a while...

http://www.martybroussard.net/Works%20& ... ged[1].pdf

Marty Broussard · Post by **Marty Broussard** » 11 Dec 2017 12:39 pm

Brennan, a suggestion, try to find Jerry Douglasâ€™ course on Dobro. He lays out some open tuning scale notes that Cajun Steelers use regularly. I didnâ€™t include that type of stuff in my book but wish I had. The book was done in the early 90â€™s and was based upon a CD that Iâ€™d played on. I did the course with the intention of doing a second one. Family and Job responsibilities squashed that plan....LoL. I was also going to have my son upload the soundtracks for the book but he graduated and joined the Navy...another glitch. If you look through my posts you can find the name of the CD that the book is based upon. It was originally entitled Cajun Pickinâ€™ but the rights were transferred and maybe the name has changed. There was some really great players on it:

Johnny LEE Carpenter - Fiddle, Tracy Byrdâ€™s band Mgr for many years
Billy Carpenter - Drums, Tracy Byrdâ€™s drummer for several years
Joe Manuel - Lead Guitar, currently with George Strait, but previously with Merle Haggard, Conway Twitty and likes...a REAL Super Picker
Abe Manuel- Fiddle, formally with Merle Haggard
Tim Broussard- Bass & Accordion, formally with Mark Chesnutt
Belton RIchard - vocals on select tracks(youâ€™ll know when you hear him), ICON in Cajun Music as an accordionist, songwriter , and vocalist

It was an honor to be in the same studio with those guys.

Good luck and holler if I can help.

Marty Broussard · Post by **Marty Broussard** » 11 Dec 2017 12:44 pm

BTW, google Swallow Records and youâ€™ll find an abundance of Cajun material there.

Joe Burke · Post by **Joe Burke** » 12 Dec 2017 10:14 am

[Brennan, a suggestion, try to find Jerry Douglasâ€™ course on Dobro. He lays out some open tuning scale notes that Cajun Steelers use regularly.]

Marty - or anyone - is tHE Jerry Douglas course a book or DVD?

Might it be this?

https://www.amazon.com/DVD-Jerry-Dougla ... B0007QQW36[/quote]

Marty Broussard · Post by **Marty Broussard** » 12 Dec 2017 2:28 pm

Joe, the link didnâ€™t work with my phone. When I purchased it the format was VHS...LoL. The original course has a pic of Jerry with a (leather?) jacket holding a Dobro in regular guitar style. I donâ€™t think heâ€™s ever offered another course. Iâ€™m sure you could obtain the same material from other accomplished players offering a basic course.

Joe Burke · Post by **Joe Burke** » 13 Dec 2017 4:52 am

Thanks Marty. Iâ€™ve been listening to a lot of Cajun music and want to play it better. In fact Iâ€™m headed to Eunice, LA end of January to sit in at their Cajun jam, and see as much live music as I can find.

Dale Foreman · Post by **Dale Foreman** » 13 Dec 2017 1:51 pm

Fred Treece wrote:
Don R Brown wrote:Brennan, here's a YouTube which might be of interest to you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKTCSaEB12U
Great stuff! If that doesn't inspire you, nothing will.
I believe Jeff Lambert is a forumite also.

This steel player is using the E9 tuning by the way.