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John Delafose Interview

John Delafose and his band, the Eunice Playboys, represent both a return to old time zydeco as well as a unique modern sound. He plays the old time button accordion in a staccato style that emphasizes syncopated rhythm over melody; at the same time he plays the more melodic modern soul/blues sound often on the piano accordion. As to the meaning of the term ‘zydeco,’ Delafose comments: “It’s the old traditional music. We call it ‘zydeco’ when we add a rocking beat to just plain Cajun music.”

John Delafose was born in Duralde, near Eunice, in 1939. The community was founded in the 1930’s in part by Cyprian Ceazer, a free man of color and a maternal ancestor of John Delafose. Today the surrounding area is famous for its Cajun and Creole musicians alike: Dewey Balfa, Nathan Abshire, Cheese Read, Bois Sec Ardoin, Amadie [Amédé] Ardoin, Canray Fontenot and Wilfred Latour among others. Delafose recalls making guitars and violins as a boy with window screen wire stretched taut over a board and cigar box.

Delafose, who came from a sharecropping family of five, farmed until about twenty years ago. He raised cotton, corn, rice and sweet potatoes. As small farmers gave way to what are locally called the gros chiens (big dogs) of agribusiness, john switched over to repairing electric fans, a needed occupation in torridly tropical south Louisiana. He also began to make hot music on harmonica and accordion with a variety of pickup bands. He met the Prudhomme brothers, Charles and ” Slim;’ his current guitar and bass players, in nearby Kinder and they formed a stead y band about six years ago. This later came to include his teenaged sons, seventeen-year-old John “T.T.” and Tony Delafose, eighteen, on frottoir (rubboard) and drums respectively.

Today John Delafose and the Eunice Playboys are one of the most popular bands on the Louisiana/Texas Gulf Coast from Slim’s Y-Ki-Ki Club in rural Opelousas to church dances in urban Houston.

-Nicholas R. Spitzer – Folklorist, State of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, November 1980, excerpts from the notes to John Delafose & The Eunice Playboys – Joe Pete Got Two Women (Arhoolie CD 335)

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  • John Delafose Interview 00:00
Interviewee: John Delafose
Interviewer: Chris Strachwitz
Date: May 1, 1980
Location: Eunice, LA
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!

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