John Delafose

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John Delafose
Delafose playing the accordion, circa the 1980s
Background information
Birth nameJohn Irvin Delafose
Born(1939-04-16)April 16, 1939
Duralde, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, U.S.
DiedSeptember 18, 1994(1994-09-18) (aged 55)
Opelousas, Louisiana, U.S.
GenresZydeco
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Accordion, vocals
Years active1970s–1994
LabelsArhoolie, Rounder, Maison de Soul

John Irvin Delafose (April 16, 1939 – September 18, 1994)[1][2] was an American French-speaking Creole Zydeco accordionist from Louisiana.

Early life[edit]

Delafose was born in the unincorporated village of Duralde, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana,[1] near Mamou. His parents were sharecroppers. As a child, Delafose fashioned fiddles and guitars out of old boards and cigar boxes fitted with window-screen wire. The fiddle was his first instrument. He eventually took up the harmonica, and at the age of 18 learned the button accordion. However, he turned to farming and did not pursue music as a career until the early 1970s.[3]

Career[edit]

He began as an accordionist and harmonicist with a variety of local Zydeco bands.[4] In the mid-1970s, he formed the band The Eunice Playboys, with which he played until his death. Over its history, band members included three of his sons, as well as nephews and grandsons.[3] The band continued under the direction of his son Geno Delafose.[4]

A breakout hit for Delafose was "Joe Pitre a Deux Femmes" ("Joe Pitre has two women") on the Maison de Soul label in 1980, commercially reviving an older sound reminiscent of Amédé Ardoin.[5] Buckwheat Zydeco followed up with his own "Madame Pitre a Deux Hommes" (Mrs. Pitre has two men) on his 1983 album Turning Point.[6] Delafose gained wider public recognition with albums such as Joe Pete Got Two Women (Arhoolie, 1990) and Blues Stay Away from Me (Rounder, 1993).

He was seen in performance footage[7] and his music was featured on the soundtrack of the 1992 John Sayles film Passion Fish.[3][8] He was also a featured artist in the 1989 documentary film J'ai été au bal (I Went to the Dance).[9][10]

Style[edit]

Delafose had a dynamic style and strong rural roots, with a strong staccato rhythm on the accordion, which has influenced almost all current Zydeco musicians.[11][12] Unlike some of the younger performers at the time, Delafose sang in both English and French, and his repertoire featured two-steps and waltzes in addition to the highly percussive Afro-Caribbean rhythms of Zydeco. He occasionally played fiddle with the band, which was rare in Zydeco music. He and his band packed audiences into dance halls in southwest Louisiana, east Texas and New Orleans for more than 20 years.[3]

Delafose's hit version of the Canray Fontenot song "Joe Pitre a Deux Femmes" brought the single-row accordion back into favor among Zydeco musicians.[13]

Death[edit]

Delafose had a heart attack in 1993, while on the road headed toward a festival in Rhode Island. He later recovered, but experienced bouts of fatigue afterwards.[13]

Delafose died after a short illness in the early morning hours of September 18, 1994 at the Opelousas General Hospital. He was buried in the cemetery of St. Mathilda Catholic Church in Eunice, Louisiana.[2][14]

Discography[edit]

Studio and live albums[edit]

Album title Record label Stock number Release year
Zydeco Man Arhoolie 1083 1981
Uncle Bud Zydeco Arhoolie 1088 1983
Zydeco Excitement Maison de Soul MDS-1015 1985
Zydeco Live!: Direct from Richard's Club, Lawtell, Louisiana Rounder CD 2070 1989
Heartaches and Hot Steps Maison de Soul MDS-LP-1035 1990
Joe Pete Got Two Women Arhoolie CD-335 1990
Père et Garçon Zydeco Rounder CD 2116 1992
Blues Stay Away From Me Rounder CD 2121 1993

Singles[edit]

Song title(s) Album title Record label Stock number Release year Note(s)
"Co-Fe? (Why?)" / "Joe Pitre A Deux Femmes" Zydeco Man Arhoolie 45-541 1980 7", 45 RPM
"Blues At Midnight" / "Baby, Scratch My Back" <unknown> Bad Weather Records BW 113 1981 7", 45 RPM
"Joe Pete Lost His Two Women" / "Mother's Day Blues" Uncle Bud Zydeco Arhoolie 45-547 1983? 7", 45 RPM
"Blues At Midnight" / "Do The Mill" Zydeco Excitement / <unknown> Maison de Soul 45-1019 1985? 7", 45 RPM
"Loan Me Your Handkerchief" / "Broken Hearted" Zydeco Excitement Maison de Soul 45-1034 1986 7", 45 RPM

Various artist compilation albums[edit]

Album title Record label Stock number Release year Song title(s)
Festival de Musique Acadienne '81 Live Swallow Records LP-6046 1982 "Nairobi Special"
Zydeco Festival Maison de Soul MDS LP-1024 1988 "Broken Hearted"
Kings of Zydeco: Black Creole Music from the Deep South Trikont (Germany) CD-0158-2 1989 "Broken Hearted"
"Joe Pete Is Broke"
"Chokin Kind"
101 Proof Zydeco Maison de Soul MDS 1030-2 1990 "Broken Hearted"
J'ai Eté au Bal = I Went to the Dance: the Cajun and Zydeco Music of Louisiana Arhoolie CD-331 1990 "Joe Pitre a Deux Femmes"
Alligator Stomp: Cajun & Zydeco Classics, Vol. 2 Rhino R2 70740 1991 "Ka-wann"
Alligator Stomp: Cajun & Zydeco Classics, Vol. 3 Rhino R2 70312 1992 "Co-Fé? (Why?)"
Cajun Music and Zydeco Rounder CD 11572 1992 "La misère m'a fait brailler"
Stomp Down Zydeco Rounder 11566 1992 "Hold That Tiger"
"Cajun Two-Step"
"I'm Gone and I Won't Be Back"
"Broken Hearted"
"Onion Town"
Zydeco Champs Arhoolie CD 328 1992 "Joe Pete Got Two Women"
"Mardi Gras Song"
Zydeco Party Ace (UK) 430 1992 "Loan Me Your Handkerchief"
Zydeco Party K-Tel International 60592 1992 "Mardi Gras Song"
The Best of Louisiana Music Rounder CD AN 08 1993 "Watch That Dog"
Passion Fish: Original Soundtrack Daring Records CD-3008 1993 "Oh, Negresse"
"Grand Mamou"
"Poor Man's Two-Step"
Let's Go Zydeco! Ace (UK) CDCHD 543 1994 "Petite Et La Grosse"
"Crying in The Streets"
"Lonesome Road"
"Mardi Gras Song"
Rockin' Zydeco Party! Maison de Soul 1049 1994 "John's Lonesome Waltz"
Alligator Stomp: Cajun & Zydeco, The Next Generation, Vol. 5 Rhino R2 71846 1995 "Slow Motion Zydeco"
Legends of Zydeco: The Old School Strikes Back Trikont (Germany) US-0203 1995 "Loan Me Your Handkerchief"
"Outside Woman"
"Morning Train"
"Blues at Midnight"
"Mon Coeur Fait Mal"
"Joe Simien Special"
"John's Lonesome Waltz"
"Co-Fé?"
"Ma Femme m'a quitte" (with Geno Delafose)
Louisiana Spice: 25 Years of Louisiana Music on Rounder Records Rounder CD AN 25 Part 2 1995 "Père et Garçon Zydeco"
More Cajun Music and Zydeco Rounder CD 11573 1995 "Poor Man's Two-Step"
The Real Music Box: 25 Years of Rounder Records Rounder CD AN 25 1995 "Père et Garçon Zydeco"
The Royal Family of Zydeco Rock 'n Bowl 1001 1995 "Watch That Dog"
Bayou Dance Party Rounder CD 7014 1996 "My Little Dog"
It's What We Do, Vol. 1, 1995 Daring Records 3020 1996 "Oh, Negresse"
Let's Have a Blues Ball Arhoolie 590 1996 "Rag Around Your Head"
The Real Louisiana EasyDisc ED 9002 1996 "La misère m'a fait brailler"
Zydeco's Greatest Hits EasyDisc ED CD 7025 1996 "Broken Hearted"
15 Louisiana Zydeco Classics Arhoolie CD 105 1997 "Rag Around Your Head"
"Oh, Negresse"
Bayou Beat EasyDisc EDCD 7053 1997 "Old Time Two Step"
Bayou Hot Sauce EasyDisc ED 7044 1997 "Père et Garçon Zydeco"
Zydeco Dance Hall EasyDisc ED 7035 1997 "I Don't Want Nobody Here But You"
"Gotta Find My Woman"
Rough Guide to Cajun and Zydeco World Music Network (UK) RGNET 1028 CD 1998 "La misère m'a fait brailler"
Zydeco Barnyard EasyDisc 12136-7070-2 1998 "Watch That Dog"
Zydeco Party EasyDisc ED CD 7045 1998 "Oh 'Tit Fille"
Zydeco Stomp: All Instrumental Rounder ED CD 7065 1998 "Two-Step Farouche"
Cajun & Zydeco Jamboree EasyDisc ED 12136-7076-2 1999 "Midland Two-Step"
Kings of Cajun: 15 Stomps from the Swamps Music Collection International (UK) 50105 1999 "Broken Hearted"
Zydeco Essentials Hip-O Records 767 440161 2 1999 "Joe Pete Got Two Women"
40th Anniversary Collection, 1960–2000: The Journey of Chris Strachwitz Arhoolie CD 491 2000 "Co-Fé?"
Music from the Zydeco Kingdom Rounder Select 11579 2000 "Tu M'As Fait Brailler: You Made Me Cry"
Cajun & Zydeco: Alligator Walk ARC Music EUCD 1657 2001 "Old Time Two Step" (with Geno Delafose)
Roots Music: An American Journey Rounder 11661-0501-2 2001 "Père et Garçon Zydeco" (with Geno Delafose)
Dat's Zydeco: The Best Old-Skool Zydeco Maison de Soul MDS 1079 2002 "Richard Two-Step"
Louisiana World Music Network (UK) RGNET 1094 CD 2002 "Slow Motion Zydeco"
Southern Style: Zydeco Southern Style (Netherlands) 641920 2002 "Joe Pete Is Broke"
"Lake Charles Two-Step"
Zydeco: The Essential Collection Rounder 1166-11605-2 2002 "Friday Night Waltz"
Rough Guide to Zydeco World Music Network (UK) RGNET 1145 CD 2005 "Joe Pete Got Two Women"
Zydeco: The Essential Pulse Series Mirana 8502 2008 "Loan Me Your Handkerchief"
Good Music, Good Times: Spicy Bon Temps Cajun and Zydeco Music from Opelousas, Louisiana Swallow <unknown> 2009 "Broken Hearted"

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues – A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 386. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  2. ^ a b "Mr. John I. Delafose". Ville Platte Gazette. Ville Platte, Louisiana. September 22, 1994. p. 2. Retrieved May 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c d Nyhan, Pat; Rollins, Brian; Babb, David (1997). Let The Good Times Roll!: A Guide to Cajun & Zydeco Music. Portland, Maine: Upbeat Books. pp. 161–162. ISBN 9780965823203. OCLC 38128267.
  4. ^ a b Ankeny, Jason (n.d.). "Biography: John Delafose". AllMusic.com. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  5. ^ Snyder, Jared (2012). "'Garde ici et 'garde lá-bas: Creole Accordion in Louisiana". The Accordion in the Americas: Klezmer, Polka, Tango, Zydeco, and More!. Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-07871-2.
  6. ^ Billington, Scott; Guralnick, Peter (2022). Making tracks: a record producer's Southern roots music journey. American made music series. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 978-1-4968-3915-2.
  7. ^ Wirt, John (July 16, 1993). "Streisand Proves Herself Again on Broadway". The Advocate. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
  8. ^ Guillaud, Betty (December 27, 1992). "R.S.V.P. – Partying Shots". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans, Louisiana. p. D2.
  9. ^ "I Went to the Dance: Full Cast & Crew". IMDb.com. n.d. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  10. ^ Marks, Sonny (May 16, 2003). "New twist on Cajun, zydeco classic". American Press. Lake Charles, Louisiana. p. 27.
  11. ^ Herzhaft, Gérard: La gran enciclopedia del blues, Ed. RobinBook, Barcelona, 2003, ISBN 84-95601-82-6, p. 382 (Encyclopedia of the Blues, University of Arkansas Press)
  12. ^ This article incorporates information from the corresponding article in the Spanish Wikipedia
  13. ^ a b Tisserand, Michael (1998). The Kingdom of Zydeco (1st ed.). New York: Arcade Publishing. pp. 71, 296–297. ISBN 978-1559704182. LCCN 98-6640. OCLC 38765020.
  14. ^ "John Delafose rites slated Saturday". The Eunice News. Eunice, Louisiana. September 22, 1994. Retrieved May 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

External links[edit]

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