Kevin Wimmer and Steve Riley

Kevin Wimmer at 2005 Festivals Acadiens

Chris Stafford

Glenn Fields

Note: In late 2007, The Racines' CD was nominated to receive a Grammy Award in the newly established Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album category.

The Racines are a Cajun super group that, as their name says, play "roots" music. The Racines perform at special events like Lafayette's Festival International when all of the members are in town. Members include Steve Riley (of the Mamou Playboys and Lil' Band O' Gold), Kevin Wimmer (Balfa Toujours, Red Stick Ramblers), Chris Stafford (Feufollet), Mitch Reed (BeauSoleil, Charivari, among several bands), and Glenn Fields (Red Stick Ramblers).

Most of the photos on this page were taken April 24, 2005, at Festival International. The young fans shown below were cheering when Chris Stafford sang.

As the photo further down the page shows, many in the crowd also danced in front of the stage.

The Racines don't have an opportunity to get together that often, but when they do it's a real treat for everyone.

Fortunately for the many fans who haven't been able to see them perform live, in September 2006, the Racines released a CD on the Swallow label featuring outstanding performances of classic Cajun, Creole, zydeco, and swamp blues songs.

Kevin Wimmer has lead vocals, with Steve Riley sometimes adding harmony, on "Chère Bébé," "Johnnie Billie Goat," "Gone to the Country" (by Ambrose Sam), "Horse with No Shoes," "Mon coeur fait p'us mal," and – in the Racines' seven-minute take-no-prisoners rendition that by itself is worth the price of the CD – Clifton Chenier's "My Baby She's Gone."

Steve Riley has lead vocals on Nathan Abshire's "Gabrielle," "Café Chaud," Dewey Balfa's "Drunkards' Waltz," and "I Hear You Knockin'" (the J.D. Miller song first recorded by Lazy Lester).

For fans of twin-fiddling, this CD could be nirvana: four twin fiddle medleys with Mitch Reed and Kevin Wimmer going back to the deep roots of Cajun music – the fiddling of Dennis McGee and Sady Courville. Included are "Marcantel Reel / Reel de Coquin," "Reel Perdu / Frugé's Reel," "Reel de Crapaud / Reel Fâché," "Mazurka / Guilbeau Pelican / Waltz That Finished in the Corner of the House."

The CD concludes with an instrumental, "Crowley Two-Step."

Kevin Wimmer and Mitch Reed

The photo immediately above was taken at 2005 Festivals Acadiens.