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photo credit: Gabie Savoy

Louisiana's finest, three-time Grammy-Nominated, internationally touring Pine Leaf Boys have made a name for presenting their own inimitable brand of Cajun music with youthful exuberance. Hailing from the southwest Louisiana, the Pine Leaf Boys, known for their wild shows and thoughtful arrangements, have breathed new life into Cajun music, reviving ancient songs and bringing them to the bandstand. Being described as, "... the link that connects the young and the old generations," and, "the best new, energetic, and fun Cajun band in a very long time," the Pine Leaf Boys play the old fashion dance hall standards while making a priority to bring many of the more obscure songs of past masters into their repertoire and play them with gusto. The variety and energy they release evolves through their shows, bringing multi-faceted angles to Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco. Their mission is to present the awesome music of their ancestors and present the real Cajun music to the world and prove that it is still thriving and full of life.

Wilson Savoy

WILSON SAVOY, Cajun accordion & vocals, was born and raised near Eunice, Louisiana in 1982. Wilson began playing boogie-woogie piano at ten years old after becoming obsessed with Louisiana-native, Jerry Lee Lewis. While in his early teens, Wilson's father, Marc, gave him a homemade accordion built from the wood of a Sasaffras tree that his grandfather planted. Wilson intensely studied the styles of Amede Ardoin and Iry Lejeune, as well as his father (known well for being one of the masters of the Cajun accordion) and soon developed a style of his own, full of punch, Creole syncopation, and energy.

Wilson is heavily inspired by high-energy Cajun accordion playing from his father, Iry LeJeune, Amede Ardoin and many others. Steeped in Cajun music as a child from his parents, Marc and Ann Savoy, as well as friends of the family, such as the legendary Dennis McGee and Dewey Balfa, Wilson learned songs many years before he even touched the accordion or the fiddle.

When not on the bandstand, Wilson is a frequent visitor at jam sessions at his father’s music store or the Blue Moon Saloon, or he is teaching at music camps all over the world including Fiddle Tunes, Augusta, and Tikendalch in France. Wilson has played in many groups over the years like the White Mule Boys, the Red Stick Ramblers, the Savoy-Family Band, the Chuch Point Aces avec Paul Daigle and Mitch Reed, and his heart has always been with Cajun music. In 2006, Wilson debuted in the film “All the King’s Men” as a piano player alongside actor Sean Penn.

Read Wilson's blog writings

Wilson Savoy, le Grand, qui aussi s'appelle 'Wiltar' à l'âge de 15 ans, a sauvé un bus entier rempli de Mexicains sans defense lorsque ce même bus était sur le point de plonge dans le Fleuve. C'est à ce moment là, sans la moindre hesitation, que Wilson a sauté pour sauver tout ces gens de la noyade. Parmi les autres faits notoires de la vie de ce heros, il a egalement trouvé le remède miracle contre l'ennui! Bravo Wilson!

 

Courtney

COURTNEY GRANGER, fiddle & vocals, was born in Eunice, Louisiana where he lives today. Master fiddler and extraordinary strong singer, Courtney hails from the Balfa family lineage, which is evident in his powerful vocals and heavily Balfa-influenced fiddling. Courtney produced his own solo CD in the mid 90s, which brought him praise from the Cajun music scene, landing him several CFMA awards. In 1999, Courtney joined Balfa Toujours on bass and fiddle, playing alongside the great Kevin Wimmer.

Courtney’s endless repertoire of both Cajun and classic country tunes, as well his impeccable thoughtful fiddling and soulful singing, has made him one of the most sought-after Cajun fiddlers in the world, playing with legends Jason Frey, Dirk Powell, and Horace Trahan. The Pine Leaf Boys are honored to share the stage with Courtney, who joined the group in summer 2008

Jon Bertrand

JON BERTRAND, guitars, was raised in the thriving hub of Jeff Davis Parish that is Pine Island or Crapeauville where he began life as a cowboy. He began playing guitar and quickly became a rhythm machine, playing with Dexter Ardoin, Cory McCauley, and the Lost Bayou Ramblers.

Jon's major influences are Cory McCauley, Harry Choates, the Hackberry Ramblers, Iry LeJeune, Austin Pitre, and Sonny Meaux. Jon completed his studies at UL in French. Jon is a rocker, and he is influenced by many groups, not just Cajun.

Jon Bertand est un homme qui ne joue pas par les règles. Il joue sûrement de la guitare, mais il y n'a pas un tas de monde qui sait que Jon est actuellement un homme qui a commencé sa carrière comme un strip-teaseuse. Tout le temps en temps, on peut voir Jon entrain d'enlever ses vêtements pour faire crier son public.

 

Drew

DREW SIMON, drums & vocals, Drew Simon was born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana and developed an interest in Cajun music in his late teens.  At 18, he started playing drums and singing with his brother in a local group called Acadien.  Soon after, he learned how to play the accordion, guitar, and bass and developed a great passion for singingsome of the forgotten cajun classics by the likes of Belton Richard, Lawrence Walker, Philip Alleman, Vorence Barzas and the Balfa Brothers. Drew is strictly a traditionalist, playing and singing in a style which has been described as a "simple, older, blue collared cajun."  As he sits behind the drumset or the accordion, he hopes to bring back some of the memories, spirit, and soul of a generation long ago, of Cajun musicians who told their life sorrows and pains through their music. He is currently a student at UL-Lafayette in Anthropology.

Drew Simon est né et été élevé près de Lafayette, mais pour Drew, les choses sont toujours à la renverse. Comme Merlin le magicien, Drew vit sa vie à la renverse, qui veut dire que quand il est né, il est mort comme un petit bébé, et quand il va être naître, il sera un vieux homme à la fin de sa vie. Ouais, on sait que c'est un peu compliqué, cette condition, mais c'est par rapport à ça que Drew a l'esprit d'un vieux Cajun, comme ses sentiments et sa passion quand il chante. Sa voix émotionnelle se donne les frissons à lui-même, mais sa voix perçante donne les frissons et les larmes de passé à son public qui crie seulement... "Drew!"

thomas David

THOMAS DAVID, bass, was born and raised in Lafayette, LA.  By the age of 8 he was playing drums alongside his father, Ken David, bassist with Jambalaya Cajun Band.  At age 16, his father bought an upright bass and Thomas immediately fell in love with the instrument, and Thomas quickly became become a rock-solid bass player in both Cajun and Zydeco music. 

Thomas’ influences are Bob Wills, Asleep at the Wheel, D.L. Menard, Jambalaya Cajun Band, Aldus Roger, Adam Hebert and his biggest, his Dad. 

FROM THE PRESS

"The Pine Leaf Boys are steeped in tradition (singer-accordionist Wilson Savoy is the son of Cajun performer-scholars Marc and Ann Savoy) but with free-range ambitions in soul, Canned Heat-style boogie, zydeco (the country funk of black Louisiana) and Mardi Gras Indian chants. They did it all — sometimes all at once — in their Jazz Fest set with the tight, headlong delight that makes Blues de Musicien (Arhoolie), their second album, the next best thing to a Saturday night dance in Lafayette." ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE, David Fricke

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"The songwriter Wilson Savoy, a long and lanky accordionist in a white mesh farmer’s cap, sang in Cajun French with whoops of excitement. A spell was cast, combining a mysterious past — the nearly forgotten dialect and the archaic squeezebox’s red bellows — with an unabashed rock ’n’ roll energy conducive to the elbow-flying, hip-swiveling spirit on the dance floor. " NEW YORK TIMES, Geoffrey Himes

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“Their last two records really caught our attention and when the opportunity came to work with them, we jumped at it. Wilson and the guys are so obviously talented and to see them treat this genre with such reverence while they move it forward is very exciting to us. This continues our push into what we see as underserved genres from which we can break acts out of.”LIONSGATE MUSIC, Jay Faires

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"Every once in awhile it happens - the gods of Cajun tap another young group to hoist the banner of traditional Cajun-Creole music and as of late, it’s the Pine Leaf Boys who have been summoned. They’re one of the most talented aggregations to emerge in some time. Their auspicious debut is not only true to the roots but has the balanced blend veteran groups shoot for. Among the copious ingredients is a proclivity for attacking the music with exuberant passion as well as having three alternating vocalists who each supply a distinct flavoring. " OFFBEAT, Dan Willging

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"Cajun music is one of those many strong and undaunted subcultures in America music that hasexperienced periods of outside public interest, but which carries on boldly on its own tracks with orwithout the benefit of a larger public. Part of Mr. Savoy's mission as a musician is to help spread thegospel of this music. "I feel that it was beginning to get lost in American music," he says, but adds "sudden rush of young musicians has begun reviving the Cajun music, each with their own unique flavor that they present in the music." SANTA BARBARA NEWS, Josef Woodard