Iry LeJeune facts for kids

Ira "Iry" LeJeune (born October 27, 1928 – died October 8, 1955) was a very popular Cajun musician. He was one of the best-selling artists in the 1940s and early 1950s.

His songs and playing style are still important today. Iry LeJeune helped bring the accordion back into Cajun music. Before him, many popular Cajun songs used fiddles and sounds from Western Swing music. The return of the accordion is called a "Cajun music renaissance." This means it was a rebirth of traditional Cajun music and pride. Many people think Iry LeJeune was one of the greatest Cajun accordion players and singers ever.

Early Life and Music

Iry LeJeune was born on October 27, 1928. He grew up on a small farm in Pointe Noire, Louisiana. His family loved music. His father, Agness LeJeune, taught him to play the accordion when he was young. His uncle, Angelas LeJeune, was also a great accordion player. He had even made records in the 1920s. He showed Iry many traditional songs.

Iry had poor eyesight, so music became very important to him. It brought him joy and later helped him earn a living. A big influence on Iry was Amédé Ardoin. He was a Creole accordion player who made popular records in the 1930s. Iry learned many of Ardoin's songs. He also copied Ardoin's emotional singing style. This "crying" vocal style became Iry's own special sound.

Because of his eyesight, Iry could not work in the fields. So, he played music for local farmers when he was young. As a teenager, he started earning money playing at dances. He played around Church Point and sometimes traveled to Eunice, LA. After World War II, Iry moved to Lacassine, Louisiana. This area near Lake Charles, LA had more places to play music.

The Cajun Music Comeback

At first, it was hard for Iry. The accordion and traditional Cajun music were not very popular. People were listening more to fiddle music and Western Swing. After the war, some people in Acadiana (the Cajun region of Louisiana) wanted to be more like the rest of America. They thought they should stop speaking French and listening to Cajun music.

But things changed in 1946. Iry met a fiddler named Floyd LeBlanc. They went to Houston, Texas and recorded two songs. These were "Love Bridge Waltz" and "Evangeline Special." This recording was a turning point for Iry and for Cajun music. For the first time in almost ten years, the accordion was heard on radios and jukeboxes again. Many Cajuns were returning home from World War II. They wanted to hear their own music. They bought many copies of Iry's record.

Iry stayed in Houston for six months, playing music. But then he returned to Louisiana. Back in Lacassine, Iry went to radio station KPLC in Lake Charles. He asked to play his music on the air. The station manager was not sure about his accordion style. But the disc jockey, Eddie Shuler, liked it. He featured Iry on his show. Shuler said he felt sorry for Iry because he was nearly blind and needed to make money.

Iry's performance on Shuler's show was a big hit. Listeners in Lake Charles wanted more French music. A year later, KPLC played up to eight hours of French music every day. Iry still needed new records to get more work at dances. He asked Eddie Shuler to record him. Shuler had his own record label, Goldband Records. Shuler agreed, even though he thought there wasn't much money in French records. This meant he had the market all to himself.

Shuler recorded Iry's songs "Lacassine Special" and "Calcasieu Waltz" at the radio station. He used a machine meant for recording commercials. He then sent the recordings to Houston to make 78s (old records). He sold these records from his car to shops and jukebox owners. They sold very well. So, Shuler quickly recorded more songs: "Teche Special" and "Te Mone." Soon, the accordion was popular again in Louisiana. Other accordion players like Lawrence Walker, Aldus Roger, Sidney Brown, and Nathan Abshire also made records. But none were as popular as Iry.

Iry formed a great band called the Lacassine Playboys. Some of the musicians included Crawford Vincent or Robert Bertrand on drums, Alfred "Duckhead" Cormier on guitar, Wilson Granger on fiddle, and R. C. Vanicor on steel guitar. Eddie Shuler sometimes played guitar too. The Playboys were known for their relaxed look on stage. Iry often looked like he had just come from fishing. He always had a cigarette and a cold drink nearby. Iry kept making amazing music. Shuler recorded him at KPLC and even at Iry's home in Calcasieu, LA. One famous song recorded in his kitchen was "Duraldo Waltz." It didn't have an accordion, but it had a bark from Iry's family dog! Another classic was "I Made A Big Mistake." This song showed off Iry's bluesy singing and crying accordion sound.

His Untimely Death

Sadly, Iry LeJeune died at the young age of 26. He was at the peak of his music career. On October 8, 1955, Iry and fiddler J. B. Fuselier were driving home. They had just played at a dance in Eunice. Their car got a flat tire on Highway 90, which was being widened. They could not pull off the road. While they were trying to change the tire, a car speeding at about 90 miles per hour hit Iry. He was thrown into a field and died.

Iry LeJeune left behind his wife, Wilma, and five children. Two of his sons, Eddie LeJeune and Ervin LeJeune, later became musicians like their father.

Lasting Legacy

People in Acadiana were very sad about Iry's death. But his music continued to be loved. Even today, many jukeboxes in Acadiana have at least one of his songs. He is still played often on Cajun radio. Most Cajun bands play some of Iry LeJeune's music. His music is timeless because he was a master of the accordion. He also sang very personal songs about his life. These songs reflected the lives of all Cajuns. Iry LeJeune was proud to sing and speak French. He was proud of the Cajun way of life, even when it wasn't always popular.

Iry LeJeune recorded fewer than 30 songs in his lifetime. For many years, it was hard to hear his original recordings. This was unless you had his old 78s or 45s. In 1970, when his music was re-released, an electric bass was added to all the songs. But later, Ace Records in England released Iry LeJeune: Cajun's Greatest — The Definitive Collection. This album used the original recordings, so fans could hear his music as it was meant to be.

• Iry LeJeune with the Oklahoma Tornadoes: Love Bridge Waltz
• Iry LeJeune with the Oklahoma Tornadoes: Evangeline Special

Both Love Bridge Waltz and Evangeline Special were added to the National Recording Registry in 2009. This registry saves important sound recordings.

See also

• History of Cajun Music
• List of Notable People Related to Cajun Music