Archive Files of Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco Musicians
Posted between 1999 and 2008

 Joe Simon

  and the Louisiana Cajuns

Joe Simon and the Louisiana Cajuns are a traditional Cajun dance band that performs regularly in restaurants, dance halls, and other venues across Southwest Louisiana and in East Texas.  Simon began his musical career playing guitar then switched to drums, but his popularity derives from his great traditional Cajun vocals.

The band's first CD, Just an Image, released in 1999 on Lanor Records, included three original songs, among them "Rêve d'une Image." Lanor also released the 2002 CD, La Musique des Cajuns Pour Tout le Monde, which offers 15 classic Cajuns songs, including "Ossun Two-Step," "La Chère Chérie," "La Valse de Samedi Soir," "Grand Mamou," "Amédé Two-Step," "Ti-Monde," "J'étais au Bal Hier au Soir," "Chère Tout-Toute," "Lake Charles Playboys Waltz," "Jongle à Moi," "Marie," "Balfa Waltz," "Quand J'étais Pauvre," "Anniversary Waltz," and "La Valse de Quatre-vingt-dix-neuf Ans."

In addition to Simon, bass player J.U. Fruge handles some of the vocals. Other band members are William LaBouve on accordion; Ernest Potier on rhythm guitar; and Lymon Veronie on fiddle.

The group also released another CD on the Lanor label titled Pure Cajun Music.

For more information about Joe Simon and the Louisiana Cajuns, contact (337) 583-7511.

Note: Another Cajun vocalist named Joe Simon performs frequently with Jamie Berzas and with Tony Thibodeaux.

Shown performing at the Liberty Theater in early August 2004 are, from left, J.U. Fruge, Lymon Veronie, William LaBouve, Joe Simon, and Ernest Potier.