Michael Doucet - Biography
Michel Doucet is one of the key figures of the Cajun revival, both as a solo performer and a member of Beausoleil, Fiddlers 5 and The Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band. His take on Cajun incorporates zydeco, New Orleans jazz, Tex-Mex, western swing and other elements into his playing.
Michael Louis Doucet was born Feb 14th, 1951 in Scott, LA, smack dab in the middle of Acadiana.He learned to play banjo by six and guitar by eight. As a youth, he played as part of a duo at a festival in France, where he was exposed to traditional French music.
In college, he studied Cajun music but intended to attend graduate school in New Mexico studying Romantic poets. At the time, he played in a Cajun-influenced rock band, Coteau. However, after he was awarded a Folk Arts Apprenticeship by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1975 he sought out Dewey Balfa, Dennis McGee, Sady Courville, Hector Duhon, Lionel LeLeux, Luderin Darbone, Varise Connor, Canray Fontenot, Freeman Fontenot and other Cajun greats. That year he formed Beausoleil, who released their debut in 1977.
In January, 1983, Doucet released his solo debut, the live Jam Sessions (1983 Arhoolie). Two months later, he followed with Dit Beausoleil (1983 Arhoolie). The following year, as Michael Doucet with BeauSoleil, he released Parlez-Nous á Boire & More (1984 Arhoolie). In 1986, he recorded the score for the film, Belizaire The Cajun (1986 Arhoolie). Joined by guitarist Sonny Landreth and accordionist Pat Breaux, he released Christmas Bayou (1986 Swallow Records). He rejoined Beausoleil for Michael Doucet & Beausoleil’s Hot Chili Mama (1987 Arhoolie).
With the release of Michael Doucet & Cajun Brew (1988 Rounder), Doucet revived his interest in Cajun-rock for a series of Cajunized covers of rock standards. Beau Solo (1989 Arhoolie), on the other hand, was more traditional, although in included many originals in adition to Cajun standards. Le Hoogie Boogie - Louisiana French Music for Children (1992 Rounder Select) offered what the title suggests, Cajun takes on children’s music. After the release of The Mad Reel (1994 Arhoolie), many years passed without Doucet recording any new material. In 2005, Doucet was awarded National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts. Several years later he recorded the sparse and sprawling From Now On (2008 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings).
