Fernest Arceneaux
| Fernest Arceneaux | |
|---|---|
 Fernest Arceneaux playing the accordion | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Fernest Arceneaux |
| Also known as | The New Prince of the Accordion |
| Born |
August 27, 1940 Lafayette, Louisiana, United States |
| Died |
September 4, 2008 (aged 68) Lafayette, Louisiana, United States |
| Genres | Zydeco |
| Instruments | Accordion, singer |
| Years active | 1960s–2000s |
| Labels | Ornament, JSP, Mardi Gras, Black Top |
| Associated acts | Clifton Chenier, Rockin' Dopsie |
Fernest Arceneaux (27 August 1940 – 4 September 2008)[1] was a French speaking Creole Zydeco accordionist and singer from Louisiana.
Biography
Arceneaux was born to a large Creole family based in Carencro, Louisiana. Arceneaux first picked up his brother-in-law's accordion as a child and learned to play by copying his father, Ferdinand Arceneaux, who was a Creole musician whom he backed at local house parties. By the 1960s, Arceneaux had switched to guitar in his rock and roll group Fernest and the Thunders. Not until the late 1970s, at the behest of his hero Clifton Chenier, did Arceneaux return to the accordion. His group began recording and touring heavily, particularly in Europe. Arceneaux earned the title "The New Prince of the Accordion" for his virtuostic playing.[1]
Arceneaux also developed his career with his band Hot August Knights, which included saxophonist John Hart, one of the pillars of the sound of Clifton Chenier. His major hit records are the albums Creole Cruiser and Hot Sauce, both published on the label Black Top.[2]
Style
Arceneaux's style is heavily influenced by soul music. He is influenced by some artists of the genre, such as Ray Charles and Johnny Ace.[3]
Discography
- Live+Well (Ornament, 1980)
- Zydeco Stomp (JSP, 1981)
- From the Heart of the Bayous (JSP, 1983)
- Gumbo Special (Chrisly, 1987)
- Zydeco Blues Party (Mardi Gras, 1994)
- Old School Zydeco (Mardi Gras, 2000)
- Rockin' Pneumonia (Chrisly, 2000)
- Two Trains Running (Blues Unlimited)
References
- 1 2 "Fernest Arceneaux Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny". allmusic.com. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
- ↑ This article incorporates information from the corresponding article in the Spanish Wikipedia
- ↑ Herzhaft, Gérard: La gran enciclopedia del blues, Ed. RobinBook, Barcelona, 2003, ISBN 84-95601-82-6, p. 381 (Encyclopedia of the Blues, University of Arkansas Press)