Marc Savoy | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | Near Eunice, Louisiana, U.S. | October 1, 1940
Genres | Cajun |
Occupation(s) | Accordion maker, accordionist |
Instrument(s) | Cajun accordion |
Website | www |
Marc Savoy (/sɑːˈvwɑː/ sah-VWAH;[1] born October 1, 1940)[2] is an American musician, and builder and player of the Cajun accordion.
Early life
He was born on his grandfather's rice farm near Eunice, Louisiana. His grandfather was a fiddler, who occasionally played with the legendary Dennis McGee, who was once a tenant farmer on his grandfather's property. Marc Savoy began playing traditional music when he was 12 years old.[3]
Career
Savoy holds a degree in chemical engineering[4] but his primary income is derived from his accordion-making business, based at his Savoy Music Center in Eunice. His wife is the singer and guitarist Ann Savoy, whom he met in 1975 and married in 1977.[4] He has performed with Robert Bertrand, Dennis McGee, Rodney Balfa, Sady Courville, Dewey Balfa, D. L. Menard, and Michael Doucet, the latter of whom he plays with in the Savoy-Doucet Band. He also plays in the Savoy Family Band with his wife Ann and their sons Joel and Wilson.
He hosts regular jam sessions and mini-festivals at the Savoy Music Center.
Awards and honors
Savoy is a recipient of a 1992 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.[5]
Discography (albums)
As Marc Savoy
- 1976: Under a Green Oak Tree (with Dewey Balfa and D.L. Menard) (Arhoolie Records)
- 1981: Oh What a Night (Arhoolie)
- 1998: Made in Louisiana (Voyager)
Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band
- 1983: Home Music (K7, Arhoolie)
- 1987: With Spirits (K7, Arhoolie)
- 1989: Two-Step d'Amede (Arhoolie)
- 1992: Home Music with Spirits (Arhoolie)
- 1994: Live! At the Dance (Arhoolie)
- 2002: The Best of the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band compilation (Arhoolie)
Savoy Family Band
Savoy-Smith Cajun Band
- 1996: Now and Then (Arhoolie)
Films
- 1972 - Spend It All
- 1981 - Southern Comfort. Directed by Walter Hill.
- 1989 - J'ai Ete Au Bal (I Went To The Dance). Directed by Les Blank.
- 1990 - Yum Yum Yum! A Taste Of Cajun And Creole Cooking. Directed by Les Blank.
- 1991 - Marc & Ann. Directed by Les Blank.
See also
References
- ↑ Berman, Leslie (January 2003). "Savoy fare: the *real* family values of Marc & Ann Savoy.(Sound Recording Review)". Sing Out!. 47 (3).
Marc Savoy (pronounced 'SAH-VWAH') turns back to his worn workbench covered with accordion parts and pauses to compose himself.
- ↑ "Marc Savoy: Cajun Accordion Maker/Musician". www.arts.gov. National Endowment for the Arts. n.d. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ↑ Nyhan, Pat; Rollins, Brian; Babb, David (1997). Let The Good Times Roll!: A Guide to Cajun & Zydeco Music. Portland, Maine: Upbeat Books. pp. 116–117. ISBN 9780965823203. OCLC 38128267.
- 1 2 Govenar, Alan (2001). "Marc Savoy: Cajun Accordion Maker and Musician". Masters of Traditional Arts: A Biographical Dictionary. Vol. 2 (K-Z). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-Clio. pp. 546–548. ISBN 1576072401. OCLC 47644303.
- ↑ "NEA National Heritage Fellowships 1992". www.arts.gov. National Endowment for the Arts. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
External links
- Savoy Music Center
- Marc Savoy at AllMusic
- Marc Savoy discography at Discogs
- Marc Savoy's love for the music of his culture is rooted deep in his own family. Barry Jean Ancelet, Meloche.net
- Marc Savoy interview at Rootsworld