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Born in March 1, 1962 in Abbeville, Louisiana, his father, Ophey
Trahan, encouraged him to learn to play accordion, which he did along
with guitar, bass, drums and fiddle.
After living in the Dallas Texas area for a few years and playing
local clubs and festivals with other musicians who loved Cajun Music,
John moved to Nashville with his friends Stephan and Linda Dudash. In a
few months, both John and Stephan were on the road with Country artist
Janie Fricke. Unable to hold back the Cajun music, John was featured in
her shows performing Cajun songs that had the crowds on their feet.
After his time with Janie Fricke, John was ready to get back in the
heart of Cajun Country and moved back to Lafayette. John played with a
multitude of different bands including Hadley Castille, Mamou and
File', Trahan, Reed and Vidrine and Cajun Tradition. John was also
playing in a three piece band with Merlin Fontenot and the late Jimmie
Domengeaux, the magic between the three of them started the band John
Trahan Avec Le Group Acadiana. La Louisianne owners David and Carol
Rachou were impressed with what they heard and worked with Johnnie
Allan to get new material for the band to record their first CD. The
album project yielded multiple C.F.M.A. nominations. The Cajun hit "Le
Vieux Bourge Sur Le Borde du Chemin?, written by Johnnie Allan, is
still being requested today. After moving back to Texas in 1993, John
was called by legendary Country artist Eddy Raven to do a few shows.
Over the years, John performed with Eddy all over the country and also
recorded "Live at Billy Bob's Texas".
After John's Father passed
away in 2000, he self-admittedly "hit a wall, creatively" and did not
perform or even practice up until now. Trahan recently completed recording what he
calls "a tribute to his influences and mentors" in which he salutes the
Cajun music he grew up listening too with his parents as well as shows
his love for the state of Louisiana. He chose the title "My Louisiana"
for two reasons. One, the song titled "My My Louisiana" really captures
the emotions an exiled Cajun living away from home and two, the entire
CD really is Louisiana music that is sung and played from the heart.
"Recording this new project in my home studio allowed me to pause
and be inspired musically by looking back without pressure and to move
forward creatively enjoying each and every moment", Trahan says. "I had
always wanted to do an album that would pay tribute to the music and
artists that shaped who I am as a Cajun musician. Even though I'm known
as a somewhat contemporary Cajun artist, I think it has always been
obvious that I have a great reverence for our Cajun music heritage.
After years of reflecting, I am coming into this album renewed,
refreshed and re-energized. I am excited to get going and make new
music."
The title track, "My My Louisiana" was co-written by Eddy Raven and
Jimmy C Newman and makes its debut on John's newest CD "My Louisiana". The chance to record
this song written by two of the best songwriters from Louisiana is
definitely a blessing.
The best of the best in Louisiana musicians who performed on the CD
include Mitchell Reed, Joe Rogers, Beau Thomas, Jamey Bearb, Mike
Burch, Murnel Babineaux, Lee Allen Zeno, Al Berard, Jimmy Breaux and
Doug Belote. Along with some surprise guest musicians (Michael Doucet and DL Menard) who really helped
make this project something really special.
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