Menu

Dewey Balfa Interview, 1993

Dewey Balfa
Photo by Chris Strachwitz

Dewey Balfa was one of our best friends. We spent a lot of time with him both on the road and playing music and partying at our house. Dewey was very handsome and had a magical way of touching peoples’ hearts everywhere he went. He could read people like a book and knew how to reach them. He became an international folk legend, but Marc and I knew him just as the simple man he was on a daily basis. Marc had played music with Dewey’s brother Rodney and also with Will Balfa in the dancehall scene in the late 1950’s and 1960’s. Dewey was working as an insurance salesman and school bus driver in those days. When I met him in the 1970’s he and his brothers played a weekly radio show at Mouche’s Lounge in Basile. Marc and I loved to go hear them in that element, Dewey announcing ads on the radio in French, and the brothers playing as a full band, steel guitar, fiddle, guitar, and drum. Nonc Allie Young was playing accordion with them.

-Ann Savoy

00:00
00:00
  • Dewey Balfa 1993 00:00
Interviewee: Dewey Balfa
Interviewer: Ann Savoy
Date: February 1993
Location: Dewey’s Furniture store
Language: English
00:00
00:00
  • Dewey Balfa 00:00
Interviewee: Dewey Balfa
Interviewer: Ann Savoy
Date: March 1993
Location: Dewey’s Furniture Store
Language: English

This is an interview originally recorded for research purposes. It is presented here in its raw state, unedited except to remove some irrelevant sections and blank spaces. All rights to the interview are reserved by the Arhoolie Foundation. Please do not use anything from this website without permission. info@arhoolie.org

Dear friends,

On Giving Tuesday, we announced the capital campaign to purchase our building at 10341 San Pablo Ave in El Cerrito — home to the Arhoolie Foundation (and before that Arhoolie Records), Les Blank Films, and Down Home Music Store since 1976. We’ve been heartened by the community’s response to our fundraising announcement. To all who have donated so far: thank you. We couldn’t do this without you.

Now, while there is a contract in place to buy the building in partnership with Les Blank Films, we need to raise $1.2 million — our half of the purchase price — by April 15. Donations to the campaign can be made via the link below, by check, or by bank transfer. (To make a bank transfer, please email us at info@arhoolie.org).

In the new year, we look forward to collaborating with Les Blank Films and Down Home Music to bring more public programming to our community. We plan to revive Les Blank and Chris Strachwitz’s tradition of in-store film screenings and will host more informal, free performances and gatherings in the store as part of our outreach work. We believe this collaboration will result in a vibrant community gathering place dedicated to music, film, and deep roots culture.

If you’re interested in donating and would like to discuss our plans for the building, please don’t hesitate to email director Adam Machado at adam@arhoolie.org.

Thank you for your support as we begin this exciting new chapter!

Donate