Paul Daigle
    and Family Gold

Paul Daigle is justly very proud of all that he has accomplished as a virtuoso Cajun accordionist and leader of Cajun Gold, a renowned band. Among many achievements, they were the first to perform the music of Pierre Varmon Daigle, including some of the most memorable Cajun songs ever written like “La Valse de la Vie.” Paul Daigle has recorded five CDs with Cajun Gold and two with another band, Savoir Faire. But he seems most proud when he performs with Paul Daigle and Family Gold, a band composed of his children, plus one member from another family band.

On stage at the Liberty Theater May 9, 2009, with Family Gold, he described himself as truly blessed, and those of us in the audience were also truly fortunate to be there for the band’s performance, both for the music and for the stories Paul and his children told.

For example, we learned one way that Paul got to be such an accomplished musician.  When he was perfecting his skill and learning Varmon Daigle’s songs, he would practice regularly before 6 a.m.—beautiful music, no doubt, but not necessarily for family members hoping to catch a few extra winks. 

Paul also described being invited to play at a supper given by Doc Huval in Breaux Bridge at which Huval’s eldest son, Chad, became so fascinated by Daigle’s playing that he subsequently visited Paul in Church Point to learn more on his way to becoming an accomplished accordion player. Other Huval children then took up various instruments, eventually forming the Huval Family Band.

Joining Paul on stage were Braylin Daigle, his youngest son, on fiddle; Jacob Daigle, his oldest son, on guitar; Dreu Daigle, his daughter; and Callen Huval, one of Doc Huval’s fourteen children, on drums. All except Dreu were members of the band that recorded 3 Daigles and a Huval, a 2008 CD that features eleven instrumentals and instrumental versions of Cajun standards, plus two songs with Paul on vocals.

The instrumentals are “Acadian Two-Step,” “Big Woods Waltz,” “Pointe Noire Two Step,” “Scott Playboys Special,” “Duson One Step,” “Cherokee Waltz,” “Pretty Red Cheeks,” “Lake Arthur Stomp,” “McGee One Step,” and “Blackberry Blossom.” The latter two are fiddle-guitar songs featuring Braylin and Jacob.

Paul provides vocals on “Old Fashioned Two Step” and “Catch My Hat.”