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The Ann Savoy Cajun Interviews Collection

Ann Savoy Cajun Interviews Collection header image with photos of Harry Choates, Boozoo Chavis, and Ambrose Sam

The Arhoolie Foundation is excited to announce the newest addition to our archives, the Ann Savoy Cajun Interviews Collection.

Over the past 44 years Ann Savoy has been interviewing Cajun musicians throughout southwest Louisiana. This collection is rare and special, as many of the artists she interviewed are no longer with us. To hear them tell their stories in their own voices is a journey to a world that no longer exists, a glimpse into Cajun history. 

A Cajun musician herself, Ann Savoy is uniquely positioned to compile this incredible archive, and saw the Arhoolie Foundation as the collection’s natural home. She recorded for Arhoolie Records for 40 years. She also contributed album notes and photographs for various Arhoolie Cajun music LPs and CDs. Chris Strachwitz has been a close friend of the Savoy family for decades, and Ann has enormous love and respect for the work Chris and Arhoolie have achieved over the years. It was, in fact, an Arhoolie Old Timey LP of Cajun 78 records that got her interested in Cajun music in the first place!

Arhoolie Foundation executive director Adam Machado recognizes the immense and singular importance of this project: “The Ann Savoy Cajun Interview Collection is a monumental achievement and contribution to the preservation of Cajun music history. We are longtime fans and dear friends with Ann and the Savoy family, and are honored to be the home of this archive.”

The Collection consists of over 200 recorded interviews, some in Cajun French. The Arhoolie Foundation provided a grant for its digital preservation, and is progressively adding the interviews here in streaming audio as a compliment to Ann’s seminal books: Cajun Music: A Reflection of a People Volumes 1 and 2, from Bluebird Press. The books contain text transcriptions of the interviews along with rare photographs, artist biographies, and more.

 

 

 

Comments (2)

Hello. I used to listen to what you all collect. But I moved overseas and now have nothing except a Cell phone. What can I do?

Hi Jeff,

You can listen to most of what Arhoolie Records released on YouTube. If there is something in particular, you should be able to stream any content that we have on our website on your phone.

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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