​LES FRERES MICHOT
TRADITIONAL CAJUN MUSIC​
HISTORY
Les Freres Michot
Traditional Cajun Music
Point of contact:
Tommy Michot
PO Box 23
Milton, Louisiana 70558
337-654-9594
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www.tcmichot.wix.com/lesfreresmichot
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Background:
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The Michots grew up in rural Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, in a small community known as Pilette. Their father, Louis J. Michot, Jr. (1922-2012) was raised in Mamou and Lafayette; both of his parents grew up in Avoyelles Parish with French as their native tongue, later learning English in school. Patricia Ann Smith Michot (1926-2011), the mother of Les Frères, was born and raised in St. Mary Parish on the banks of the Lower Atchafalaya River near Patterson, where her father ran Idlewild Farms. Her mother Rita was born and raised in Iberia Parish on the banks of Bayou Teche at Belle Place, between New Iberia and Loreauville; she also grew up speaking only French and learned English later in school. The Michots, on Rita's side, are direct descendants of Alexandre "Beausoleil" Broussard who, with his brother Joseph, led the first group of Acadians to relocate to Bayou Teche from Acadie in 1765, after Le Grand Derangement. Louis and Pat Michot had 10 children, 4 girls and 6 boys, who grew up in Pilette and attended school in Lafayette. For more information on Louis MIchot, see https://conservapedia.com/Louis_J._Michot.
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Les Frères Michot started playing together as an all-brothers Cajun band in 1986, although the individual musicians have played with each other and with numerous other groups since about the mid 1960s. The group plays traditional Cajun music in the all-acoustic "bal de maison" (house dance) style that was prevalent before the advent of electric amplification, and the Michots' aim has always been to preserve this style of Cajun music. They typically use no drums, nor electric instruments, and their music has a strong vocal component with all lyrics in French. Instrumentation includes fiddle, accordion, and acoustic guitar, and often with the p’tit fer ("le basse triangle," or "le bastringue") and contrebasse. The Michots have played extensively throughout the United States and have toured in Quebec, Acadie, and in several European countries (France, England, Poland), but play primarily in south Louisiana.
The group has recorded three albums, in five releases (see CDs). The first album, "Elevés à Pilette," was released in vinyl and tape on the ARZED label (RZ 1014) in 1987, and re-released on the LFM label in cd and tape in 1996 (LFM 0002). That album was produced by Zachary Richard, who also sings on one track, and includes the late Dewey Balfa as a guest musician on several tracks, along with five of the six Michot brothers (Rick, Tommy, Bobby, David, Mike). The second album, "La Roue Qui Pend,” was released in Spring 2003 (cd) on the Swallow Records label (SW 6174) and features Tommy's sons Andre and Louis along with four of the original brothers (Tommy, Rick, David, Mike); it was recorded at Freetown Studio and at La Roue Qui Pend. The third album, "La Caroline," was recorded at La Louisianne studio in Lafayette and was released in September of 2008 on the LFM label (LFM 0003); it features Rick's son Patrick along with brothers Tommy and Rick. La Caroline was re-released out of France as “Dedans le sud de la Louisiane” under the Fremeaux label (FA 579) in 2013.
The Michots as a group and as individuals have recorded on several additional albums (see below) and they have been featured in numerous films, documentaries, and national television and radio programs. They have also played in countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Ireland, and Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Quebec).
General:
Documentaries featuring Les Freres Michot have aired on CNN, the Discovery Channel, the Travel Channel, TV5 (France), and Public TV (Spain). The band was honored as a "Living Legend" by the Cajun Museum in Erath, La, and the Michot Family recieved the Acadian Cultural Preservation Award from the Bayou Vermilion District and Vermilionville in 2012. Les Freres Michot and the Lost Bayou Ramblers were featured in a Louisiana Crossroads program in Lafayette and Lake Charles in 2013. Les Freres Michot was selected to play with the Acadian Symphony Orchestra for its annual "Red White and Boom" Independence Day Concert in 2007.
Key performances
private parties for Princess Anne and Princess Margaret of England
special performance for U.S. President George W. Bush
performance for the Venezuelan Ambassador to the U.S.
perfomances for presidential candidates Dan Quayle, Dick Gephardt, Paul Simon, George W. Bush, John Kerry.
performances for La. Governors Katheleen Blanco, Mike Foster, Edwin Edwards; Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia; and numerous local officials.
performances at private events with Dr. John, Zachary Richard, Katie Webster, Les McCann.
Republican National Convention, New Orleans, LA
Festivals:
Smithsonian Folk Music Concert Series, Washington DC
Festival International des Francophonies, Limousin, France
Les Arts au Soleil, Charente-Maritime, France
Juenesse Musicales International Congress, Krakow, Poland
Festival Les Folkloriques de Tadoussac, Quebec, Canada
Festival International des Arts Traditionnels de Québec
Louisiana Folklife Festival, Natchitoches, Louisiana
Catfish Festival, St. Martinville, Louisiana
Sarah’s Garden Festival, Lafayette, Louisiana
Chile Pepper Fiesta, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, NYC
Cajun Fest, Jackson, MS
Wine Festival, Naples, FL
Spilletto Festival, Charleston, SC
Jazz and Heritage Festival, New Orleans, LA
Festivals Acadiens, Lafayette, LA
Festival de Musique Acadienne, Lafayette, LA
Cajun Food Festival, Lafayette, LA
Festival International, Lafayette, LA
Congres Mondial des Acadiens, Lafayette, LA
Congres Mondial des Acadiens, New Brunswick, Canada
Downtown Alive, Lafayette, LA
Bach Lunch, Lafayette, LA
Rhythms on the River, Lafayette, LA
Business After Hours, Lafayette, LA
Cajun Day Festival, Mamou, LA
Rendezvous des Cajuns, Liberty Theatre, Eunice, LA
Boudin Festival, Broussard, LA
Shrimp Festival, Morgan City, LA
Crawfish Festival, Breaux Bridge, LA
Duck Festival, Gueydon, LA
Frog Festival, Rayne, LA
Rice Festival, Crowley, LA
Conge', Grand Coteau, LA
Avoyelles Cajun Music Festival, Cottonport, LA
Fine Arts Festival, Many LA
Red River Festival, Alexandria, LA
Swamp Festival, Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA
Zoo-to-do, New Orleans, LA
French Quarter Tomato Festival, New Orleans, LA
Cajun-Zydeco Festival, New Orleans, LA
French Quarter Festival, New Orleans, LA
Wetlands Festival, Thibodeaux, Louisiana
Courir de Mardi Gras, Eunice, LA
La. Swamp Stomp Festival, Raceland, LA
Louisiana Folklife Festival, Natchitoches, LA
Yellow Rails and Rice Festival, Thornwell, LA
Lowland Cajun Festival, Charleston, SC
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Musicians who have played with Les Freres Michot over the years:
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Rick Michot Tommy Michot
Mike Michot Bobby Michot
David Michot Tim Michot
Louis P. Michot Andre Michot
Yvonne Michot Ann Michot
Patrick Michot Louis J. Michot
Ryan Brasseaux Billy Michot, Jr.
Randy Vidrine Dan Reaux
Adam Cohen "Oscar" Courville
Cal Arnould Benny Graeff
Clay Chapman Kevin Courville
Matt Doucet Ashlee Michot
Joel Walker Corey McCauley
Henry Adams, Jr. Darryl Leger
Henry Adams III Larry Amy
Gary Newman Dale Savoie
Cavin Carruth David Trainer
Harold Bernard David Egan
Gene Billeaudeaux David Greely
Scott Kibideaux Elmo Mouton
Mitch Reed Lisa Trahan
Eric Chapman Ray Abshire
Allen Lafleur Jon Bertrand
Brent Abshire Walter Farr
Robert LeBlanc "Squirrel" Martin
Kim Andrus Chris Keating
Susan Leger Steve Riley
Zachary Richard Dewey Balfa
Shirley Ray Bergeron Ed Deshotels
Jacques Boudreaux Ken Rust
Bill Grass Hubert Maitre
Jonathan Melancon Alan Lafleur
Kevin Wimmer Asher Reaux
Bobby Dumatrait Terry Huval
James Billeaudeau Yvette Landry
Justin Leger Tony Davoren
Jamie Lynn Fontenot Kelly Jones
Missy Maloney Eric McGoffin
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Michots have been recorded on albums by:
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Les Freres Michot as listed elsewhere on this site:
RZ-1014 (1987), LFM-0002 (1996), SW-6174 (2003), LFM-0003 (2008), FA-579 (2013).
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Lost Bayou Ramblers (Andre and Louis) 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 Swallow Records SW-6177, SW-6192, SW-6196, SW-6205, Bayou Perdu Records BP-0001, Nouveau Electric Records, and more. Grammy award winners in 2018 for best album in Regional Roots Category, (Kalenda), and Grammy nominations in 2008 (Live a la Blue Moon), 2018 (Kalenda), and 2023 (Live at the Orpheum Theater NOLA, LBR with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra).
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Louis Michot (solo artist), Nouveau Electric Records, Reve du Troubadour (2023)
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Michot's Melody Makers (Louis) Louis' fiddle-based music group, has released albums on Nouveau Electric Records 2020 and Sinking City Records 2018
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Rayo Brothers, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020 (Daniel Reaux and Jesse Reaux are the sons of our sister, Yvonne Michot Reaux, and Patrick Michot, son of Rick)
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Patrick Michot, 2013 - 2023, numeros albums with a variety of groups, including Duskseeker, Oil Spill, Royal Academia, Special Agent, and others (see extraterrestrial.network)
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Bobby Michot, "Gone Back," 2011 (Bobby with Jesse and Daniel)
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L.E.S. Douze 1, "The Stoned," Nouveau Electric Records 2019 (Louis, Andre)
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L.E.S. Douze 2, "Le String Noise," Nouveau Electric Records 2020 (Louis)
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Soul Creole, "Les Trois Rangs," Nouveau Electric Records 2020 (Louis, Ashlee)
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Rickie Lee Jones, "Kicks" 2019 (Louis)
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Goldman Thibodeaux and the Lawtell Playboys, "La Danse a St. Ann's" 2020 (Louis) Nouveau Electric Records
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Octa Clark (Rick) 1993; FieldSpan Records FS-0193
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Ray Abshire (Andre, Louis) 2003, 2007; Swallow Records SW-6173, SW-6193
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Savoy-Michot Cajun Band, 2004 (Louis, Bobby, Wilson Savoy); no label
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Pat Cleofa (Bobby) 2003
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Dexter Ardoin (Bobby) 2001; Playa Sound
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Ray Landry and Basile Cajun Band (Bobby) 2000; Swallow Records SW-6156
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Mamou Prairie Band (Rick, Bobby) 1993; Swallow Records SW-6109
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Cajun French Music Association, First Album, (various artists) - Les Freres Michot (1 track): Rick, Tommy, Bobby, Mike, David, Darren Wallace; ca. 1987; Bee Records, Church Point, La.
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La. Red Hot Records, "Allons Danser! Cajun: The Language of New Orleans Vol. VI" (various artists) - Les Freres Michot (2 tracks) 2001; LRHR-9106
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Girard Dole - Escale a Louisiane (Bobby) 1995 Playa Sound PS-66511
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Girard Dole - Vilaine Manière (Bobby) 1990 Playa Sound
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Cathedral Boys Choir (Tommy, David, Tim, Zachary Richard) ca. 1965
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See also:
Miscellaneous information page
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