Ray Landry and
Friends

Ray Landry has long been a major force in efforts to promote Cajun music. A musician who performed with and recorded a CD with Nonc Allie Young’s Basile Cajun Band, he has been a leader in the Cajun French Music Association and he is one of the hosts of a Saturday jam session at Vermilionville in Lafayette. When he decided to record a new CD that expresses his deep love of Cajun music, he knew whom to contact to produce a recording that captures the music’s heart and soul. It’s a list of all-stars: Dexter Ardoin, Al Berard and his daughter Maegan Berard, Helen Boudreaux, Sheryl Cormier and her son Russell Cormier Jr., Henry Hample, Terry Huval, Junior Martin and his grandson Joel Martin, Mason Menard, André Michot, Blake Miller, Mitch Reed, Faren Serrette, Drew Simon, Robert Sonnier, and Harry Trahan and his daughter Lisa Trahan.

The CD is titled “Mes raciness cadien sont creaux “(My Cajun Roots Are Deep), from a song by Helen Boudreaux and performed by Ray Landry. Helen also wrote additional verses for Belton Richard’s “La valse d’ennui,” Johnnie Allan’s “La maison à deux portes,” and “Jam de Grand Texas,” returning Hank Williams’ “Jambalaya” back to its Cajun roots. She provides or shares lead vocals on the song, and also joins Ray on harmony vocals for several numbers, a beautiful pairing of male and female voices rarely heard in Cajun music.  The liner notes include French lyrics with English translations to all of the new songs.

Ray Landry wrote and sings “Le two-step de La Poussière,” a tribute to a legendary Breaux Bridge club, and “La valse de Landry.”

In his liner notes, Ray says that one of his favorite songs on the CD is Harry Trahan’s version of “La valse de soldat” (Ray provides the second verse). 

Cover songs on the CD include “Les veuves de la coulée,” “La valse de famille,” “Je veux pu te voir,” “Elle savait pas j'étais marié,” “La valse de chagrin,” “Tu vas jamais casser mon coeur,” and “La valse à Wade.”

Ray Landry’s classic Cajun vocals are certainly one of the many strengths of this CD. With such an array of great musicians, it is hard to single out any specific performance, but listen to the steel guitar to experience the styles of Terry Huval, Mason Menard, André Michot, Junior Martin, and Robert Cormier—all on one CD. The same might be said of the accordion work by Sheryl Cormier, Dexter Ardoin, Joel Martin, Harry Trahan, Blake Miller, and, of course, Ray Landry himself. Perhaps never has such a remarkable congregation of Cajun musicians been brought together for one recording.