BeauSoleil Trio

BeauSoleil translates as “beautiful sunshine.” It’s also the name of the 18th-century Acadian rebel leader, Beausoleil Broussard, for whom “the most famous Cajun band in the world” is named. Although BeauSoleil has performed in different configurations since its founding nearly five decades ago, it began as an acoustic trio. At the National Folk Festival Kickoff, BeauSoleil’s Michael Doucet, David Doucet and Chad Huval offer up glorious twin fiddle and fiddle-accordion pairings with acoustic guitar, beloved sounds from the heart of Cajun tradition. The BeauSoleil Trio pays homage to past Cajun masters with delightful stories of the musicians from whom they learned and with beautiful tunes performed with freshness, immediacy, and unmatched virtuosity.

Louisiana’s Cajuns descend from the French-speaking Acadians who settled in Nova Scotia in 1604, only to be uprooted in 1755 by the British, who forced them south to the bayous and prairies of southwest Louisiana. In this refuge, a distinctive Cajun culture evolved, blending older French and Acadian music with the sounds of their new neighbors: Native Americans, Spanish, Germans, and French Creoles of African descent. Traditionally, the fiddle was the central instrument, to be joined by the accordion in the late 19th century. In the 20th century came influences from country and western, as well as blues, eventually creating the music emblematic of Cajun culture today.

BeauSoleil’s music reflects the vision of Michael Doucet, who has spent much of his life delving into the origins of Cajun music. Early in his career he studied with every living Cajun legend he could find, including master fiddlers like Dennis McGee and Canray Fontenot. For his scholarship and contributions to Cajun culture, Doucet was honored with a National Heritage Fellowship in 2005, the highest honor given to traditional artists in the United States.

Joining Michael Doucet are two of his longtime BeauSoleil bandmates: Chad Huval, bringing his mastery of the Cajun accordion and deep knowledge of traditional Cajun music to the group; and Michael’s brother, David Doucet, a soulful singer and an exceptional guitarist who is credited with making the acoustic guitar central to modern Cajun music.

As a band, BeauSoleil was the first Cajun band to win a Grammy Award, in 1998 (they have since added a second); and in 2011 they were inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. They have performed worldwide, and have represented Cajun music on popular programs like HBO’s Treme, Austin City Limits, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. BeauSoleil is rightly called “the best Cajun band in the world.”