(Photo Credit: Find A Grave – Nathan Abshire)
Nathan Abshire was born in Gueydan, Louisiana on June 27, 1913. He started playing the accordion at the age of six and the by time he was eight he was talented enough to perform in dance halls. Soon he was playing at parties and dances every weekend. Byt the 1930’s, he was traveling and performing with fiddler Lionel Leleaux and accordionist Amede Ardoin. During this time Abshire learned how to play the violin. He traveled to New Orleans in 1935 with the group The Rayne-Bo Ramblers and recorded six songs on a record. Not long after the release of his record, duty called and Nathan Abshire was sent to battle in World War II. After the war, Abshire moved to the small community of Basile and got a regular gig at the Avalon Club. He then recorded one of his most famous song, “Pine Grove Blues.” In the 1960s he started teaming up with the Balfa Brothers. He traveled with them to the Newport Folk Festival in 1967 thus introducing the nation to Cajun Music. From this point, he and the Balfa Brothers continued to promote Cajun music and culture at festivals colleges and schools. He died in Basile, Louisiana in 1981.
Source: Wikipedia – Nathan Abshire
(Photo Credit: Alchetron – Nathan Abshire)
(Photo Credit: Discogs – Nathan Abshire)