Corey Arceneaux approaches Father’s Day this year with memories of his three sons playing music at home. Arceneaux, a zydeco accordionist since he was 11, had to referee fights, even wipe away tears, over instruments.
But his sons returned the care in unexpected ways.
“Times when I wanted to give up, they still wanted me to play,” said Arceneaux, 50, a Lafayette native now living in Fairfax, Virginia. “They were like, ‘Oh no, Dad, book some jobs. We want to play.’ Like most musicians, we get discouraged at times — ‘I don’t want to play any more' — but they inspired me to keep on going. Most of them learned to play on stage.”
Arceneaux and sons make family history with “Accordion Man,” a new, 10-song album released on . The recording marks the first time Arceneaux has recorded with his three sons: bass player Desmond Joseph, 32, drummer and rubboard player Tyler, 24, and co-producer Corey Jr., 26.
Denni Cravins, Corey Arceneaux’s wife, co-wrote two songs, ”Oh Mon Dieu" and "Louisiana Woman.” The latter song has vocal help from a cousin, Erica Fox. “Taught Me How to Dance” is inspired by his late mother, Debra. “When it Comes to You” comes from original poetry done with his wife in mind.
This collaboration strengthens the Arceneauxs' rightful place beside the Cheniers, Ardoins, Chavises, Franks and other southwest Louisiana families that were the first to record zydeco and Creole music. Corey Arceneaux's accordion lineage goes back to his great-grandfather Ferdinand, who entertained at house dances in the early 1900s.
Fernest Arceneaux, Ferdinand’s son and Corey’s great uncle, led Fernest and the Thunders, a highly influential band that mixed blues and early R&B with Creole accordion. The sound, which included the first recording of “Zydeco Boogaloo,” now a genre standard, brought tours of Europe.
More than 35 years ago, Corey Arceneaux And The Zydeco Hot Peppers have carried the family legacy into a new millennium. Zydeco Fusion, the current band project with his sons, continues that tradition.
In Virginia, Corey Arceneaux has recruited blues musicians into a band that plays zydeco throughout the Northeast. He said the work of his ancestors and other first families have fueled his passion for native state and culture.
“This is why we have the big festivals back home. They were in Europe playing their music. They were the ambassadors that made the people fall in love with zydeco. It’s a fun music — music that makes you want to dance," he said. "Wherever I play, I like talking about the culture and what I love about Louisiana.”
Herman Fuselier is executive director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. A longtime journalist covering Louisiana music and culture, he lives in Opelousas. His “Zydeco Stomp” show airs at noon Saturdays on KRVS 88.7 FM.