|
|
|
|
Chanteur et fiddler
Country US né le 26 Décembre 1922 à Rayne (Louisianne). Harry Choates a débuté
dans les années 30. Une authenticité, alliée à un professionnaliste de bon aloi était l'une des caractéristiques de la musique dansante, vivante et exubérante de Harry Choates, qui fut un peu le Hank Williams de la musique Cajun. Il est mort d'une cirrhose, le 17
Juillet 1951 à Austin (Texas). Il fut surnommé: "Jole
Blon".
Harry
Choates was not only one of the most influential musicians in the history of
Cajun music, but one of its most tragic figures. A wild and imaginative fiddler,
Choates wrote such classic tunes as the Cajun national anthem, "Jole Blon," and
popularized such songs as "Allons à Lafayette." Recording for Gold Star, DeLuxe,
D.O.T., Allied, Cajun Classics, Macy's, and Humming Bird, Choates introduced
Western swing, blues, jazz, and country music to the two-steps and waltzes of
southwest Louisiana's bayous, influencing nearly every Cajun musician who
followed in his footsteps.
Like Hank Williams, Choates balanced his musical talents with painful struggle
in his real life. An acute alcoholic, he sold the rights to "Jole Blon" for $100
and a bottle of whiskey. His habit of missing concerts led him to be blacklisted
by the musicians union in San Antonio and resulted in his band breaking up. His
death was equally tragic. Failing to make support payments of $20 a week for his
son and daughter following his divorce, he was jailed by a judge who found him
in contempt of court. After three days of being forced to curtail his drinking
habit, he began beating his head against the cell bars and fell into a coma. He
died a few days later on July 17, 1951.
Born in either Rayne or New Iberia, LA, Choates moved to Port Arthur, TX, with
his mother in the 1930s. Rather than going to school, Choates spent much of his
childhood in bars and taverns, listening to honky tonk and blues records on the
jukebox. By the age of 12, Choates was playing fiddle in barbershops for tips.
Launching his professional music career in Cajun bands led by Leo Soileau and
Leroy "Happy Fats" LeBlanc, Choates formed his own group, the Melody Boys, in
1946. The same year, he rewrote the classic Cajun tune, "Jolie Blonde," for his
daughter, Linda, and recorded it for the Gold Star label. Although the tune
became a country hit when covered by
Aubrey "Moon" Mullican, Choates had given up all rights to the song and
received no further compensation for his composition. Choates and the Melody
Boys continued to record at a prolific rate, releasing more than two dozen songs
for Gold Star in 1946 and 1947. Adapting the Western swing of
Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys to Cajun
music, Choates became known as "the fiddle king of Cajun swing."
Although he performed with Jesse James & His Gang on radio station KTBC after
the disbanding of the Melody Boys in 1951, Choates suffering ended a few months
later. His grave was left unmarked until 1980, when money was raised for a
gravestone with the bilingual inscription, "Purrain de la Musique Cajun -- The
Godfather of Cajun Music." In the mid-'60s, Cajun musician Rufus Thibodeaux was
one of the first to pay homage to Choates' influence when he recorded an album
of Choates' songs, A Tribute to Harry Choates.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Choates
Talents : Vocals, Fiddle, Guitar, Steel Guitar
Style musical : Cajun, Western Swing, Honky Tonk, Traditional Country
JOLE BLON
(1946)
CAJUN HOP
(1947)
LOUISIANA BOOGIE (1949)
GRA
MAMOU (1950)
|
|
Years in activity :
| 1910 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 2000 | 10 | 20 |
DISCOGRAPHY
78 t. & Singles
| 1940 | 78 t. BLUEBIRD B-8537 (US) | FAT'S RAYNBO RAMBLERS - Lost Gal / Old Ice Man |
| 1940 | 78 t. BLUEBIRD B-8623 (US) | HAPPY FATS RAYNBO RAMBLERS - I Know You Feel The Way I Do / Lake Charles Shuffle |
| 1940 | 78 t. BLUEBIRD B-8648 (US) | HAPPY FATS RAYNBO RAMBLERS - Little High Chair / I've Grown So Lonely |
| 1941 | 78 t. BLUEBIRD B-8879 (US) | FAT'S RAYNBO RAMBLERS - In The House At The End Of The Road / When The Weeping Willow Smiles |
| 1942 | 78 t. BLUEBIRD B-8928 (US) | FAT'S RAYNBO RAMBLERS - If I Ever Leave The South / I'm Not Sorry Now |
| 07/1946 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1313 / 1314 (US) |
Harry COATES -
Jole Blon
/ Basile Waltz |
| 1946 | 78 t. MODERN 20-511 (US) |
Harry COATES -
Jole Blon
/ Basile Waltz |
| 1946 | 78 t. DELUXE 6000 (US) |
Harry COATES -
Jole Blon
/ Basile Waltz |
| 1946 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1319 (US) | Allons A Lafayette / Port Arthur Waltz |
| 03/1947 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1326 (US) |
Cajun Hop
/ Fa-De-Do Stomp |
| 1947 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1330 (US) | Harry Choates Special / Cajun Hop |
| 1947 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1333 (US) | Missing You / Wrong Keyhole |
| 1947 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1335 (US) | Bayou Pon Pon / Lawtell Waltz |
| 1947 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1336 (US) | Louisiana / Poor Hobo |
| 1947 | 78 t. MODERN 20-528 (US) | Rubber Dolly / Cajun Hop |
| 1947 | 78 t. MODERN 20-530 (US) | Harry Choates Special / Fa-De-Do Stomp |
| 1947 | 78 t. MODERN 20-595 (US) | Louisiana / Poor Hobo |
| 1947 | 78 t. CAJUN CLASSICS 1005/1006 (US) | Je Passe Durvan Ta Port / Tip-E-Te Tip-E Ta Ameon |
| 1947 | 78 t. CAJUN CLASSICS 1007/1008 (US) | Hackberry Hop / Yes, I Love You |
| 1947 | 78 t. CAJUN CLASSICS 1009/1010 (US) | Poor Hobo / Jole Brun |
| 1948 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1340 (US) | Rye Whiskey / Devil In The Bayou |
| 1948 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1343 (US) | Dragging The Bow / Te Petite |
| 1948 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1345 (US) | Harry CHOATES & Buddy DUHON - Old Cow Blues / Nobody Cares For Me |
| 1948 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1350 (US) | Honky Tonkin' Days / Mari Jole Blon |
| 1949 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1380 (US) |
Louisiana Boogie
/ Sidewalk Waltz |
| 1949 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1385 (US) | Harry Choates Blues / Chere Meon |
| 1949 | 78 t. GOLDSTAR 1388 (US) | It Won't Be Long / Maggie Waltz |
| 1949 | 78 t. OKLAHOMA TORNADO OT-107 (US) | Jolie Blon's Gone / Valse De Lake Charles |
| 1950 | 78 t. HUMMING BIRD HB-1011 (US) | Oh-Meon / Big Woods |
| 1950 | 78 t. MACY'S 124 (US) |
Harry "Jole Blon" CHOATES & His Fiddle -
Gra Mamou
/ Cat 'n Around |
| 1950 | 78 t. MACY'S 134 (US) |
Louisiana Boogie
/ What's The Use |
| 1950 | 78 t. MACY'S 141 (US) | Korea Here We Come / Do You Still Love Me |
| 1950 | 78 t. MACY'S 147 (US) | I've Quit My Cattin' Around / Folka Polka |
| 1950 | 78 t. MACY'S 158 (US) | She's Sweet Sweet / Harry's Blues |
| 1950 | 78 t. MACY'S 159 (US) | Corpus Christe Waltz / My Pretty Brunette |
| 1951 | 78 t. HUMMING BIRD HB-1012 (US) | A Gulf Coast Waltz / Big Mamou (Grosse Mamou) |
| 1951 | SP ALLIED 101 (US) | Austin Special / Saturday Night Waltz |
| 1951 | SP ALLIED 103 (US) | Beaumont Waltz / Five-Time Loser |
| 05/1955 | SP STARDAY 45-187 (US) | Original Jole Blon (French) / Original Jole Blon (English) |
| 11/1955 | SP STARDAY 45-212 (US) | Opelousas Waltz / Poor Hobo |
| 03/1956 | SP STARDAY 45-224 (US) | Port Arthur Waltz / Honky Tonk Boogie |
| 11/1956 | SP STARDAY 45-273 (US) | Draggin The Fiddle / Allons A Lafayette |
| 01/1957 | SP STARDAY 45-284 (US) | Basile Waltz / Tondellay |
| 11/1958 | SP D 1023 (US) | Allons A Lafayette / Draggin' The Fiddle |
| 11/1958 | SP D 1024 (US) | Jole Blon / Draggin' The Bow |
| 11/1958 | SP D 1024 (US) | Jole Blon / Corpus Christi Waltz |
| 02/1959 | SP D 1043 (US) | Opelousas Waltz / Poor Hobo |
| 02/1959 | SP D 1044 (US) | Honky Tonk Boogie / Port Arthur Waltz |
| 03/1960 | SP D 1132 (US) | Tondelay / Basil Waltz |
| 10/1961 | SP D 1222 (US) | Big Woods / Oh-Neon |
| 11/1961 | SP D 1224 (US) | Dragging The Bow / Jole Blon |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Albums
| 1959 | LP 12" D DLP-7000 (US) |
 |
JOLE BLON - Jolé Blon / Dragging The Bow / Allons À Lafayette / Poor Hobo / Port Arthur Waltz / Tondelay / Louisiana / Basile Waltz / Opelousas Waltz / Honky Tonk Boogie | ||
| 1982 | LP 12" ARHOOLIE 5027 (US) |
 |
FIDDLE KING OF CAJUN SWING - Allons À Lafayette / Basile Waltz / Cajun Hop / Port Arthur Waltz / Harry Choates Special / It Won't Be Long / Wrong Keyhole / Dragging The Bow / Te Petite / Rubber Dolly / Louisiana / Poor Hobo / Devil In The Bayou / Rye Whiskey / Fais Do Do Stomp / Lawtell Waltz / Bayou Pon Pon / Chere Meon / Harry Choates Blues / Mari Jole Blon / Honky Tonking Days / Grand Mamou / Je Pase Durvan Ta Port / Hackberry Hop / Jolie Brun / Lousiana Boogie | ||
| 1986 | LP 12" KRAZY KAT KK-7453 (UK) |
 |
FIVE-TIME LOSER - Louisiana Boogie / She's Sweet Sweet / Old Cow Blues / Je Pass Durvant'a Pour / Hackberry Hop / Do You Still Love Me / Cat'n Around / My Pretty Brunette / Big Mamou / Oh Meon / What's The Use / Big Woods / Beaumont Waltz / Five Time Loser | ||
| 12/1993 | CD ARHOOLIE 380 (US) |
 |
FIDDLE KING OF CAJUN SWING - Allons À Lafayette / Basile Waltz / Cajun Hop / Port Arthur Waltz / Harry Choates Special / It Won't Be Long / Wrong Keyhole / Dragging The Bow / Te Petite / Rubber Dolly / Louisiana / Poor Hobo / Devil In The Bayou / Rye Whiskey / Fais Do Do Stomp / Lawtell Waltz / Bayou Pon Pon / Chere Meon / Harry Choates Blues / Mari Jole Blon / Honky Tonking Days / Grand Mamou / Je Pase Durvan Ta Port / Hackberry Hop / Jolie Brun / Lousiana Boogie | ||
| 07/1998 | CD KRAZY KAT KK CD-22 (UK) |
 |
FIVE-TIMER LOSER 1940-1951 - Lake Charles Shuffle / Old Ice Man / O.S.T. Gal / I've Grown So Lonely For You / Tete Fille Lafayette / Gran Prairie / Veuve De La Coulee / Je Pase Durvan Ta Port / Hackberry Hop / Poor Hobo / I Love You, I Love You / Old Cow Blues / Nobody Cares For Me / Sidewalk Waltz / Louisiana Boogie / She's Sweet Sweet / What's The Use? / Do You Still Love Me / I've Quit My Cattin' Around / My Pretty Brunette / Maggie Waltz / Big Mamou / Oh Meon / Austin Special / Saturday Night Waltz / Beaumont Waltz / Five Time Loser | ||
| 07/1999 | CD GLAD 7000 (US) |
|
THE ORIGINAL CAJUN FIDDLE OF HARRY CHOATES - JOLE BLON - Jolé Blon / Dragging The Bow / Allons À Lafayette / Poor Hobo / Port Arthur Waltz / Tondelay / Louisiana / Basile Waltz / Opelousas Waltz / Honky Tonk Boogie | ||
| 10/1999 | CD AIM AIM 1205 (AUS) |
 |
CAJUN FIDDLE KING - Gran Prairie / Poor Hobo / Five Time Loser / Veuve De La Coulee / Louisiana Boogie / Beaumont Waltz / Hackberry Hop / Grand Mamou / Saturday Night Waltz / Do You Still Love Me / Jolé Blon / Lake Charles Shuffle / O.S.T. Gal / I've Quit My Cattin' Around / Je Pase Durvan Ta Port / She's Sweet Sweet / Harry's Blues / My Pretty Brunette / Jolé Blon's Farewell / Austin Special / What's The Use? / Oh Meon / Big Mamou / Old Ice Man / I've Grown So Lonely for You / Fiddle Polka | ||
| 11/2002 | 2 CD BEAR FAMILY BCD 16355 (GER) |
 |
DEVIL IN THE BAYOU - THE GOLD STAR RECORDINGS :
|
© Rocky Productions 27/04/2012
