Jerry Devillier, 2024 Folklife Month Honoree

Jerry Devillier, born in 1938 in L'Anse Meg, Evangeline Parish, spoke only French until schooling introduced him to English. At seven years old, he was asked to play accordion on the bandwagon for the Mamou Courir de Mardi Gras. Devillier played harmonica and triangle in the Mamou Cajun Band, including at their performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, where they brought their version of Cajun music to a wide audience. Frequently on stage with swamp-pop legends the Boogie Kings, Devillier is also in frequent demand for recording sessions. On the other side of the microphone, he recorded Rendez-vous des Cajuns at the Liberty Theater in Eunice every Saturday for over twenty-five years.

Special thanks to Neal Granger for his invaluable collaboration on this project. Read more about Jerry and other Cajun musicians at his blog, https://pngran.blogspot.com/.

The Event: John Pudd Sharp and Herman Fuselier will recognize Jerry Devillier as a Louisiana Tradition Bearer in a ceremony at the 2023 Festivals Acadiens et Créoles Atelier Stage in Lafayette, Saturday, October 12, 2024  11:45 am