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American Routes Shortcuts: Cedric Watson

Cedric Watson
Cedric Watson

Cedric Watson grew up near Houston. His family’s Louisiana roots inspired him to move to Lafayette to learn Creole French. Cedric is a fine accordionist and fiddler, singer and song maker, a freethinking philosopher of life and music. He and the band will play La-La, zydeco, blues and soul. Allons avec Cedric Watson et Bijou Creole.   

“Sud de la Louisiane” Cedric and Bijou Creole
American Routes Original Recording

Nick Spitzer: “Sud de la Louisiane,” that’s where we’re at Cedric.

Cedric Watson: Sud de la Louisiane, the deep of it, man.

NS: Welcome to American Routes.

CW: Thank you, thank you for having me, man, I’m very happy to be here.

NS: You know, the accordion is German, the music is African, French, Caribbean, American. Quite a mix in Louisiana, a little different than most of Texas. So I think that might have partly drawn you here, but say a little about the mix of people that are here around you.

CW: Well big time, I mean my whole introduction to this music was actually in Texas, growing up there, the big zydeco scene that we have and everything.

NS: In Houston mainly?

CW: Yeah but also we have our own like zydeco, kind of, those musicians that play around there, but we also have like Keith Frank and Zydeco Force and all of them. They were very popular in Texas.

NS: Who come across the border from Louisiana and reach the Texas Creoles.

CW: The Texas Creoles come across here and play like, you know, the bands that come like Brian Jack and J. Paul and all them, they all come over and play this way. And that trail riding scene, you know.

NS: Yeah.

CW: So that’s how I got into the music. I didn’t really care for it so much at first. It was just something that I heard. Somehow I just started liking the sound of the fiddle and accordion and stuff, and I want to say I actually started getting into the French language before I liked the Creole music and Cajun music.

NS: See most people, you’d think, a young person would get into that music and then maybe try and learn the language.

CW: Yeah, I started learning French earlier, like before I actually even liked the music.

NS: Amazing.

CW: This song is called “C’est La Vie.” Basically it’s just talking about do good things because when you do bad things, it’s gonna come back, and it’s gonna fall on the tip of your nose. So that’s what this song is about, and don’t forget about those who sacrificed themselves for us to have the opportunity and be where we are today.

NS: Cedric Watson, Bijou Creole.

“C’est La Vie” Cedric Watson and Bijou Creole
American Routes Original Recording

To hear the full program, tune in Saturdays at 5 and Sundays at 6 on WWNO, or listen at americanroutes.org.