Louisiana

Louisiana does not have an official state waltz, but ...

The Cajuns are second only to the Viennese in loving a good waltz.  Cajun waltzes make up the majority of the nearly thirty songs with the words "Louisiana" and "waltz" in the title. Twenty-two of those are, in fact titled Louisiana Waltz.  But the most covered waltz celebrating Louisiana is Louisiana Rambler Waltz (sometimes rendered as Louisiana Rambler's or Ramblers Waltz) composed by Eddie Shuler. It was first recorded in 1969 in Shuler's own Goldband studios in Lake Charles, Louisiana by Nolan Cormier and his Ramblers with vocal by Robert Bertrand on a 45 rpm record (Goldband 1211).  A wonderful, homestyle performance of Louisiana Rambler's Waltz by the late Charlie "Wine" Thibodeaux - accordion, Popa Robin (Bruck) - fiddle and Beth Fontenot (Fogleman) - guitar is provided below.

There is also a live performance on YouTube of Louisiana Ramblers Waltz performed by T'Monde - Kelli Jones (fiddle, vocal), Drew Simon (accordion) and Megan Brown (guitar) - in a August 17, 2014 performance in Seattle. (If you enjoy this one, check out their performance of one of their original tunes, The Two Step des Yeux Bleus.)

There are three other versions of Louisiana Rambler Waltz available on YouTube.

• Donald Thibodeaux and Cajun Fever on the Fred's Hot Step CD on the Arhoolie label (1997). You can Listen here.


• Ray Abshire and Friends on the For Old Times Sake CD on the Swallow Records label (2003). You can listen here.


• Kegan Navarre and Louisiana Traditions on the Kegan Navarre and Louisiana Traditions CD (2004). You can listen here.

And then there is Louisiana Waltz.  There are at least twenty-two versions, each one by a different composer, and that doesn't count those that received copyrights but were never captured in sheet music or records. A curated selection is highlighted below followed by a list of the rest.

The earliest Louisiana Waltz found was sheet music available in the Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection in the Johns Hopkins Sheridan Libraries and University Museums. It was composed in 1919 by Harold Dixon with lyrics by Robert E. Hary and published by Dixon-Lane Pub. Co. in Chicago. It is definitely not Cajun in origin. A computer generated rendition is given below.

There are only two live performance of Louisiana Waltz available on YouTube. The one with the most views is a curiously lifeless performance at the Triple Door in Seattle, Washington. It is performed by the composer, Eric Apoe, and a set of musicians who gathered for a reunion with Cajun star Doug Kershaw who, unfortunately, had not joined them yet in this January, 2008 performance.

The second live performance is by Mike Montana whose Louisiana Waltz was written with the memory of his mother in mind. This is far from a polished video production, but it's a well written song.

The earliest recorded Louisiana waltz is Valse de la Louisianne recorded in 1929 by accordion player Angelas LeJeune on the Brunswick label in New Orleans.  According to the superb blog, Early Cajun Music, the first recording of Cajun music was in 1928, so this is a very early recording. It is probable but not certain that he wrote the tune also.

In 1948, fiddler, Floyd LeBlanc (1924-1975) from Mermentau, Louisiana recorded Louisiana Waltz  on the Opera label (Opera 107).  The record label indicates that LeBlanc also wrote the song. The audio track from the record paired with some vintage video:

The Hackberry Ramblers were founded in 1933 by fiddler, Luderin Darbone and guitarist, Ed Duhon, who named the group after their hometown of Hackberry, Louisiana. While the musicians have all changed, the group still exists today. The group's first record in 1936 introduced the world to the Cajun classic Jolie Blonde (which is undoubtedly the most popular and most covered Cajun waltz). They went on to become the premier Cajun band of the 30's and 40's but drifted apart in the 50's. In 1963, Chris Strachwitz (founder of Arhoolie Records) tracked down Darbone and regathered the group (a few of the originals had to be replaced by new members) and made a record which contains their version of Louisiana Waltz.

One non-Cajun version of Louisiana Waltz deserves a place in this set because of the novelty of a state waltz being part of an original movie score. It was composed by the French, jazz pianist and composer Claude Bolling for the Philippe de Broca movie Louisiana which starred Margot Kidder.  The movie was French and was never released to U.S. theaters although a sub-titled version appeared on U.S. Television.  Following is from the soundtrack. Lyrics are by Felix Landau, orchestra conducted by Claude Bolling and vocals by Dee Dee Bridgewater.

Claude Tissendier also recorded a cover of Bolling's Louisiana Waltz which can be heard here.

Other Cajun versions of Louisiana Waltz include those of:

• Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Chas, composed by Nathan Williams and Linnie Herpin. Recorded on  El Sid O's Zydeco And Blues Records ‎– ES-101.     Listen on YouTube.


• Richard LeBouef and Two Step, composer unknown. Recorded in 1995 on the La Louisianne album, Les Petites Heures.      Listen on YouTube.


• California Cajun Orchestra, composer unknown. Recorded in 2011 on the Arhoolie album, Not Lonesome Anymore.    Listen on YouTube


• Chuck Guillory, composer unknown. First recorded in 1987 but not released until 1998  Arhoolie CD (AR473), Grand Texas.      Listen on YouTube


• Aldus Roger with vocal by Ben Abshire, composed by Harry Choates. Recorded on La Louisianne label (LL-8076).   No audio file available.


• Jimmy Breaux, composer unknown.  Found on the 1992 La Louisianne CD, Un Tit Peu Plus Cajun, LL-CD-1003.     No audio file available.


• And one final honorary member of this list is Louisiana (without the word waltz) suggested by reader, Wade Falcon.  It was recorded by Harry Choates and his Louisiana String Band on Goldstar 1336.    Listen on YouTube. 

There are a number of country or hillbilly style songs titled Louisiana Waltz including those of:

• Ray Pitre, composed by Ray Pitre. Recorded on Creole Gold (CG-1120).       Listen on YouTube.


• Link Davis, composed by C. Carazo and Link Davis. Recorded on Stoneway Records 1053  Listen on YouTube


• Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue , composer unknown. Recorded in 2010 on the CD Baby label HTRCD02      Listen on YouTube.   (unsolicited editors comment - this is a good one)


• Don Rich (birth name Donald Eugene Ulrich) and the Buckaroos.  Rich was the guitarist and fiddler who led the band that backed Buck Owens of Hee Haw fame.  This is an instrumental featuring Rich's fiddle playing.  Composer unknown. Recorded in 1970 on the Capitol LP, ST-643.   Still available on an imported CD.       Listen on YouTube.


• Gail Russell, a New Zealand country singer and entertainer.  Music and lyrics are by the late Ed Gowens.  Recorded in 2009 on a private label, Where the Roses Never Fade.    Listen on YouTube.


• Bill McDonald and his Dixie Drifters, composed by Bill McDonald.  Recorded on Royalty Records HB-606.   No audio file available.


• Ashley Dees, composer unknown but probably Dees Recorded in 1962 on Star-Win 7005.   No audio file available.

And then there are those songs titled Louisiana Waltz which might be classified as popular including those performed by:

Ken Griffin, composed by Ken Griffin  Recorded in 1953 on Columbia 38866.   Listen on YouTube.

Frank Lester, composed by Jad Dees. Recorded in 1956, on Vik 4X-0198.    No audio file available.

In addition to all those songs titled Louisiana Waltz, there are also several songs which contain the words "Louisiana" and "Waltz" in the title which qualifies them for a place in this blog:

Sad Louisiana Waltz composed and performed by Lisa Mednik Powell. Recorded in 2002 on the her Semaphone CD.    Listen on YouTube.

Louisiana Bayou Waltz by Link Davis, Jr. performed by Link Davis, Jr. and the Sons of Cajun Crawdaddy.  Recorded on Buttermilk VRRNP-487.    No audio file available.

Most Beautiful Waltz in Louisiana composed and performed by Raymond Tauzin.  Recorded on Nett Records No. 1004.     View on YouTube.

La Louisiane Waltz by Chris Ardoin, performed by Chris Ardoin. Recorded in 2015 on the Maison de Soul album, Zydeko Fever.     Listen on YouTube

Items found but not included:

Louisiana Waltz Song - Achildren's song. Not its correct name although there is a YouTube video so titled.

The following were issued copyrights but no evidence was found that the songs were ever published or recorded:

• Irwin Joseph Picou for The Louisiana Waltz, in 1958
• Robert Hinson, Harry and Mildred Bell for That Louisiana Waltz in 1958
• Bob McNett and Patsy Montana for Louisiana Waltz, in 1976
• Richard J. Anson for Louisiana Waltz in 1961
• Donald Anstett for Louisiana Waltz in 1961
• G.L. Curth for Louisiana Waltz in 1966

Below is a simplified score for Louisiana Ramblers Waltz.  If a reader could help with the French lyrics, it would be appreciated.

This score represents just the backbone of the song.  All performers "improve" it with a bit of swing, a bit of fill behind the four-beat held notes and occasionally with a different note.  You can play this score behind four of the five versions of Louisiana Ramblers Waltz on this blog and sound good.  The exception is the version by T'Monde who play it in the key of C# instead of C.  Cajun music is "locked in" to the key of the accordion since they play in only one key and in most cases, that key is C.  It is quite unusual to find a single row, Cajun accordion in the key of C# but Drew Simon plays one here.  Why? Probably because it makes the sound a bit "brighter" and makes them stand out relative to other Cajun bands. Famed Irish concertina player, Noel Hill, does the same thing.  He plays many of his solo concerts on a C#/G# Anglo concertina just to make his sound different and brighter than others.  He also keeps a C/G concertina handy to use if another musician joins him on stage.

Return to the Index of Other States

You have reached the bottom of this blog and since rarely does a reader make it to this point, I will risk a few personal recollections.  I grew up in Orange, Texas just across the Sabine River from Louisiana.  While Louisiana can claim most Cajuns, the southeast corner of Texas, particularly the "golden triangle" of Orange - Port Arthur - Beaumont, is home to many Cajuns. I went to school with kids who spoke no English when they started school - French was the language of their home, their friends and their radio.  My father spoke "Cajun French" in his job in the personnel office of the Levingston Shipyards so he could hire welders and pipefitters for the company.  We lived for a while on the banks of Cow Bayou just downstream of B.O.'s Sparkle Club where on a Saturday night, you could hear the Cajun music coming from the club through the open windows of our 1949 Plymouth as we drove across the bridge over Cow Bayou on Highway 87.  The waltzes of this state are special to me.