D. L. Menard

 Doris Leon "D. L." Menard [ 1 ] (born April 14, 1932) is one of the most important songwriters and performers in Cajun music. He has been called the "Cajun Hank Williams" because of the country-tinged sound of his voice and music.[ 2 ]

Biography
Menard was born in Erath, Louisiana. The only child[ 3 ] of Mr. Ophy Menard and Mrs. Helena Primeaux Menard.[ 4 ] He was part of a Cajun farming family. HeSTARTED to play guitar at 16 and started playing dances in Louisiana clubs at 17.[ 4 ] He was greatly influenced by Hank Williams meeting him once in 1951 at the Teche Club[ 3 ] shortly before Hank's death.[ 5 ] Since then he has performed in more than 30 countries and served as a good-will ambassador for Cajun culture. He has also recorded with non-Cajun artists, including Bryan Ferry.[ 6 ] He and his wife Louella - now deceased - have sevenCHILDREN, seventeen grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.[ 2 ] He still lives in Erath andCONTINUES to play music. He has maintained a separate career as a craftsman, noted for his handmade ash-wood chairs he makes at his one-man factory in Erath.[ 4 ]

Style
Menard is known for his "tinny" voice and popular guitar strumming style. Anne Savoy generalizes Cajun guitar strumming to two styles: Old Time Style (Cléoma Falcon) and D. L. Menard Style.[ 7 ] It uses bassRUNS on chord changes and incorporates up strokes along with down strokes. He modeled his guitar strumming style after David Bromberg whom he met in 1973.[ 8 ]

La Porte En Arrière
<p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:15px;">Menard is best known for his song "La Porte En Arrière" (THE BACK Door"), which Cajun folklorist Barry Jean Ancelet has called the most played and most recorded Cajun song,SELLING over 500,000 copies in 1962 alone.<span class="reference" id="cite_ref-LMHOF_9-0" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:0.53em;line-height:0;position:relative;top:-0.5em;">[ 9 ] It has been covered by dozens of Cajun and zydeco bands and by other Francophone artists such as Kate and Anna McGarrigle. Menard has said he modeled it on Hank Williams' "Honky Tonk Blues."<span class="reference" id="cite_ref-savoy84p272_3-2" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:0.53em;line-height:0;position:relative;top:-0.5em;">[ 3 ] HeCOMPOSED it in under an hour, while working at a service station in Erath.<span class="reference" id="cite_ref-savoy84p270_4-3" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:0.53em;line-height:0;position:relative;top:-0.5em;">[ 4 ]

Awards
<p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:15px;">In 1993, his album Le Trio Cadien was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Folk Album category.<span class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:0.53em;line-height:0;position:relative;top:-0.5em;">[ 10 ] In 1994, he was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship Award by the National Endowment for the Arts.<span class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:0.53em;line-height:0;position:relative;top:-0.5em;">[ 11 ] In 2009, he was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame along with Jo-El Sonnier, Doug Kershaw, and Jimmy C. Newman.<span class="reference" id="cite_ref-LMHOF_9-1" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:0.53em;line-height:0;position:relative;top:-0.5em;">[ 9 ] In 2010, his album "Happy Go Lucky" was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Zydeco Or Cajun Music Album category.

<span class="mw-headline" id="45_RPM.27s" style="box-sizing:border-box;">45 RPM's

 * She Didn't Know I Was Married / Bachelor's Life Swallow 45-10139
 * The BackDoor / I can't Forget You Swallow 45-10131
 * Valse De Jolly Rogers / La. Aces Special Swallow 45-10121
 * Rebecca Ann / I Can Live A Better Life Swallow 45-10147
 * Too Late You're Divorced / Riches Of A Musician Swallow 45-10243
 * The Vail and Crown Swallow 45-10249

<span class="mw-headline" id="33_RPM.27s" style="box-sizing:border-box;">33 RPM's

 * Louisiana Aces (1974) Rounder Select 6008
 * Cajun Hits Volume 2 (n.d.) Swallow LP 6003<span class="reference" id="cite_ref-lprecs_12-0" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:0.6em;line-height:0;position:relative;top:-0.5em;">[ 12 ]<span class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:0.6em;line-height:0;position:relative;top:-0.5em;">[ 13 ]
 * En Bas Du Chene Vert (1976) Arhoolie Records
 * The Best of Cajun Hits Volume 3 (1978) Swallow LP 6033<span class="reference" id="cite_ref-lprecs_12-1" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:0.6em;line-height:0;position:relative;top:-0.5em;">[ 12 ]
 * THE BACKDoor (1980) Swallow LP 6038<span class="reference" id="cite_ref-lprecs_12-2" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:0.6em;line-height:0;position:relative;top:-0.5em;">[ 12 ]
 * CajunSATURDAY Night (1984) Rounder Select 0198<span class="reference" id="cite_ref-lprecs_12-3" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:0.6em;line-height:0;position:relative;top:-0.5em;">[ 12 ]
 * No Matter Where You At, There You Are (1988) Rounder Select 6021<span class="reference" id="cite_ref-lprecs_12-4" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:0.6em;line-height:0;position:relative;top:-0.5em;">[ 12 ]

Albums

 * Le Trio Cadien (1992) Rounder Select
 * Cajun Memories (1995) Swallow LP 6125
 * Happy Go Lucky (2010) Swallow CD 6219