SHORTY LE BLANC/ Louisiana Swamp Music

In 1960, Sugar bee recorded in Lake Charles by the locally renowned Cajun band of ace musicians: fiddler and leader Cleveland Crochet, accordionist Shorty Le Blanc, steel guitarist Jay B. Stutes, bass player Charlie Babineaux and drummer Clifton Newman climbed extremely high in the Charts, certainly the first major "hit" coming from Cajun country since "Jolie Blonde" and probably the first by a Cajun band itself. Under the wise direction of producer Eddie Shuler (he asked the band to sing in english for a possible wider appeal), the band proved able to keep the deep feeling of Cajun Music while adding a Rock'n'roll backbeat, a driving steel-guitar lead and accordion solos sounding like a blues harmonica plus devastating vocal by Stutes.
Vorris "Shorty" Le Blanc was born 24 December 1923 in Lake Arthur (La) from a large family of nine children, almost all playing an instrument. The father Jules Le Blanc was a noted accordionist who played regularly on fais do-do (literally "go to sleep" because the large dance floors had an upper room where the children were sleeping, watched by their grandmothers while the parents danced and drank all night) and brought Vorris with him at an early age. After discharged from the Army during the war years, Shorty Le Blanc married Ruby McGee and worked as a machine shop worker while fronting several bands. Sugar bee made it possible for Le Blanc to make a living from his music a couple of years, recording under his name or as a backing musician for Country stars like Jimmy C. Newman. Unfortunately, Shorty Le Blanc died in a car crash on 25 May 1965 at the early age of 42.
Fiddler and bandleader Cleveland Crochet was born on 30 January 1919 in Jennings, La but moved to Lake Charles at an early age. He made a living as an ironworker playing music during the week ends. He was the leader of The Hillbilly Ramblers when they recorded Sugar bee for Eddie Shuler. He recorded again during the 1960's but played mostly on local clubs or fais do do. He died in Lake Charles on 28 November 2011.