NOTE: this will be a sit down concert, not a dance event! For more than 50 years, two-time Grammy winner BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet have been hailed as “the best Cajun band in the world.” Doucet and the band can be credited with taking Cajun music from its regional roots in Louisiana to popularity worldwide. The name of the celebrated Cajun band BeauSoleil translates as “beautiful sunshine.” It is also a tribute to Beausoleil Broussard, the 18th-century leader of the Acadian resistance against the British. The band’s name is symbolic of their music – deeply rooted in Cajun tradition, while pushing the limits of the genre. Celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, BeauSoleil has built a foundation on waltzes, two-steps, soulful Cajun French lyrics, hot fiddling, and irresistible accordion, while adding innovative accents of blues, New Orleans R&B, and more. Driven by bandleader Michael Doucet’s spellbinding fiddle playing and soulful vocals, BeauSoleil always lets the good times roll. Since becoming the first Cajun band to win a GRAMMY with “L’amour Ou La Folie” (their Traditional Folk Album – 1998) and then a second Grammy in 2010, BeauSoleil has garnered many accolades, including twelve GRAMMY nominations. While Michael takes the lead, the other members of BeauSoleil are integral to the group’s sound. David Doucet, Michael’s brother, is a soulful singer and an exceptional guitarist who is credited with making the acoustic guitar central to modern Cajun music. Chad Huval plays accordion while Bill Bennett’s bass adds the rhythm. BeauSoleil will be joined by Michael’s son Matthew, a talented percussionist and fiddler in his own right, who is carrying on the Doucet musical legacy.
