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Archive Files of Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco Musicians |
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Ervin Lejeune |
Ervin Lejeune, the son of the legendary Iry Lejeune, no longer performs as a member of a regular band, but he continues to play at festivals, nursing homes, and other special occasions, and he also continues to build accordions. The biography of Iry Lejeune by Ron Yule, written in collaboration with Ervin, includes a chapter on Ervin and his brother, the late Eddie Lejeune.
Ervin Lejeune was born July 2, 1950, in Ardoin Cove. He lost his father in 1955. When he was nine years old, he began to learn the accordion from his grandmother, Adeline Blanchard, who played at the Lejeune house using Iry's accordion. He and his brother began performing at house dances. In 1963, they were invited to the Sparkle Paradise in Bridge City, Texas, to play at a tribute to their father.
According to information on Ervin included in a compilation published by Yule of biographies of musicians inducted in the Lake Charles chapter Cajun French Music Association Hall of Fame, after Evin moved to Sulphur, he eventually began playing with Jake and Robert Bertrand in their bands, the Cajun Cousins and the Louisiana Ramblers. Other musicians in the groups included Altas Fruge, Tan Benoit, Junior Benoit, Mervin Faul, Ed Gary, and Linus Lapoint. Ervin can be heard on four 45 records produced on the Goldband, Jador, and Buck labels.
In the late 1970s, he joined Danny Cormier in the Sundown Playboys. He subsequently split with Cormier, recording an eight-track tape, Ervin Lejeune and the Sundown Playboys. By then, he was employed at the PPG plant in Westlake. By the mid-1980s, he was no longer playing regularly with bands, but he still makes special appearances. The photos on this page were taken at the Cajun French Music Association Hall of Fame and Museum in Eunice during a book signing for Yule's biography, Iry Lejeune: Wailin' The Blues Cajun Style.
In addition to playing music, Ervin Lejeune began repairing accordions in 1968 and started making them in 1972. He has built well over 200 accordions with trademark "Professional Accordian."
He can be reached in Lake Charles at 337-436-5716 or at ervinjaccordian@yahoo.com.
Ervin Lejeune is shown playing at the Cajun French Music Association Hall of Fame and Museum in Eunice May 19, 2007, during a book signing for Iry Lejeune: Wailin' The Blues Cajun Style, a biography written by Ron Yule with Ervin Lejeune. They are shown at right posing with the book. Members of the Lejeune family and other musicians took part in a jam session. Below Ervin is shown with Delo "Bubba" Hebert, one of Iry's great grandsons. Members of the Lejeune family are shown in the bottom photo.
Posted 8-24-07.
All photographs and text by David Simpson.