Jules "Nonc Jules" Guidry, Musician (1944 - )

Jules Guidry says proudly that he is a Cajun from the small town of Carencro, ten miles north of Lafayette. He is leader of a band called "Nonc Jules and Lachez-Les." He plays the triangle (Tee Fer), harmonica, occasionally the accordion, and he sings.

Born in 1944, Mr. Guidry is an accountant for CODOFIL, the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana. He has long been active in working to preserve Acadiana's French language and culture. For thirteen years, he has been the host of a weekly Cajun music radio show called "Le Bal de Dimanche Apres Midi" (The Sunday Afternoon Dance) on KRVS Public Radio in Lafayette. His band's most widely known song is "La Valse de Dimanche Apres Midi" (the Sunday Afternoon Waltz,) which he recorded on a 45 with the "Lachez- Les Two Step." Both songs were written by Nonc (Uncle) Jules, and describe the Cajun heritage he feels so proud of. "La Valse de Dimanche Apres Midi" also appears on Volume Two of an album recorded by the Cajun French Music Association of Eunice, featuring various Cajun artists. Another song, "La Valse a Tolan," is included on the album titled "Direct de Vermilionville," which is available for purchase at Vermilionville Historic Bayou Attraction in Lafayette.

His band performs primarily for family oriented occasions like parties, weddings, festivals, and plays at Vermilionville in Lafayette four or five times a year. Mr. Guidry frequently acts as master of ceremonies for Cajun music events like Vermilionville's Old Timers Music Festival and Newcomers Festival and also at Belizaire's Restaurant.

In 1987, Jules Guidry was nominated by the Times of Acadiana Music Award panel as Best Male Vocalist- Cajun Music and as Best Triangle Player. He is an active member of the Baton Rouge chapter of the Cajun French Music Association, and plays music often in the Baton Rouge area. Over the years, he has organized a number of Cajun music jam sessions in the Lafayette area. His primary goal in this, he says, has been the promotion of young and new musicians. He feels that these efforts have been successful, and estimates that perhaps a dozen popular young musicians started out playing at local jam sessions.

With his band, he has performed at restaurants, clubs, festivals, and private parties throughout Acadiana, Texas, New Orleans, and Alexandria areas since 1985. These include the Bayou Festival in St. Martinville, the Natchitoches/NSU Folk Festival, Triangle Club in Scott (as the host band for a jam session), PaPa's Downtown Restaurant in Lafayette, Acadian Village's Bal d'Hanger (Old Time Barn Dance), the Louisiana Swamp Festival, and the Cloutierville Heritage Festival. He has been interviewed about Cajun culture several times by French journalists and radio broadcasters.

Used with permission from the Lousisiana Folklife Center. There are many artists listed on their website at:

http://www.nsula.edu/folklife/database/biography/default.html