D.L. Menard

Doris Leon "D.L." Menard April 14 1932 - July 27 2017 Was A Notable Singer Guitarist Songwriter Performer And Recording Artist In Contemporary Cajun Music. He Was Called The "Cajun Hank Williams." Menard Was Born In Erath Louisiana And Was The Only Child Of Ophy And Helena Primeaux Menard. He Was Part Of A Cajun Farming Family. He Took Up The Guitar At Age 16 And Started Playing Dances In Louisiana Clubs At 17. He Was Strongly Influenced By The Late Hank Williams Who He Met In 1951 At The Teche Club Shortly Before Williams's Death. Since Then Menard Had Performed In More Than 30 Countries And Served As A Good-Will Ambassador For Cajun Culture. He Had Also Recorded With Non-Cajun Artists Including Bryan Ferry. Menard And His Late Wife Louella Had Seven Children Leading To 17 Grandchildren And One Great-Grandchild. He Passed Away At Age 85 On July 27th 2017. He Was Still Living In Erath Upon His Death Playing Performing And Recording. He Had Maintained A Separate Career As A Craftsman Noted For His Handmade Ash-Wood Chairs. Menard Was Known For His "tinny" Voice And Popular Guitar Strumming Style. Musician And Historian Ann Savoy Generalizes Cajun Guitar Strumming To Two Styles Old Time Style Cléoma Falcon And D. L. Menard Style. 8 It Uses Bass Runs On Chord Changes And Incorporates Up-Strokes Along With Down-Strokes. He Modeled His Strumming Style After David Bromberg Who He Met In 1973. Menard Was Best Known For The Song "La Porte En Arrière" "The Back Door" Which He Both Composed And Regularly Performed. Cajun Folklorist Barry Jean Ancelet Has Called This The Most Played And Recorded Cajun Song Ever Selling Over 500 000 Copies In 1962 Alone. It Has Been Covered By Dozens Of Cajun And Zydeco Bands And By Other Francophone Artists Such As Kate & Anna McGarrigle. Menard Said He Modeled It On Hank Williams's "Honky Tonk Blues" And That He Composed It In Less Than An Hour While Working At A Gas Station In Erath. In 1993 His Album Le Trio Cadien Was Nominated For A Grammy Award In The Best Traditional Folk Album Category. In 1994 He Was Awarded The National Heritage Fellowship Award By The National Endowment For The Arts. In 2009 He Was Inducted Into The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame Along With Jo-El Sonnier Doug Kershaw And Jimmy C. Newman. In 2010 His Album Happy Go Lucky Was Nominated For A Grammy Award In The Best Zydeco Or Cajun Music Album Category. Discography 45 RPMs
She Didn't Know I Was Married / Bachelor's Life Swallow 45-10139
The Back Door / I Can't Forget You Swallow 45-10131
Valse De Jolly Rogers / La. Aces Special Swallow 45-10121
Rebecca Ann / I Can Live A Better Life Swallow 45-10147
Too Late You're Divorced / Riches Of A Musician Swallow 45-10243
The Vail And Crown Swallow 45-10249 33 RPMs
Louisiana Aces 1974 Rounder Select 6008
Cajun Hits Volume 2 N.D. Swallow LP 6003
En Bas Du Chene Vert 1976 Arhoolie Records
The Best Of Cajun Hits Volume 3 1978 Swallow LP 6033
The Back Door 1980 Swallow LP 6038
Cajun Saturday Night 1984 Rounder Select 0198
No Matter Where You At There You Are 1988 Rounder Select 6021 Albums
Le Trio Cadien 1992 Rounder Select
Cajun Memories 1995 Swallow LP 6125
Happy Go Lucky 2010 Swallow CD 6219 read less