Dudley Rozas was born in Pine Point, Louisiana, on February 11th, 1915, to Armas Rozas and Melicia Fontenot Rozas, who were farmers who picked cotton, grew rice, and raised farm animals in the small farming community. He was raised along with an older brother Curry Rozas and two sisters, Asa Rozas Fontenot (died in an auto accident in her 20's) and Cora Mae Rozas Fontenot. The family managed to make ends meet and even endured the Great Depression Era. Like many Cajun families, the Rozas family survived off the land and probably didn't even realize there was a depression gripping the rest of the country. Also, like many Cajun families, the Rozas family turned to music for entertainment and as a way to escape the daily rigors of the hard work picking cotton and working the fields in the south Louisiana heat. At the age of 14, Dudley learned to play the accordion after being inspired by his mother, who played the instrument and also by watching his older brother Curry, as he attempted to learn how to play. Even though Curry wasn't successful, it had caught his younger brother's attention and was determined to try. Soon, it wasn't long that Dudley had learned to play the instrument. He started out playing in front of the family and friends and eventually at local Bals de Maison’s (house dances). As he got a little older he started playing at dances once every 4 weeks in Mamou. His pay was a free entry fee (50 cents) on Saturday every 4th week. Dudley became an entrepreneur of sorts, as he wore many hats, so to speak. He became part owner with Alphan Tate of a bar called "Tate's Bar" in Mamou, Louisiana. They eventually sold the bar to Alpan's twin brother Fred at the end of WWII and was re-named Fred's Lounge, which is still famous today. Dudley even served a stint as the Chief of Police. On January 1935, Dudley married Hattie Dupre and they would go on to have four children together, Frank Daniel (Dan) Rozas, Bonita (Bonnie) Rozas Hicks, Johnny Rozas and Jacqueline (Jackie) Rozas Deshotels. Dudley continued to play music at many places and functions over the years such as : Cazo’s (Cozeau Bertrand) Dancehall in Mamou, Tate's Bar, Fred's Lounge, The Yacht Club at Jackson, Mississippi, various restaurants, festivals, conventions, etc. He was even nicknamed the "Mamou Accordion King" by some. He played with notable musicians such as Angelas Manuel, Amar “T-Frere “ Devillier, Milton Molitor, Balfa Bros, Jimmy C. Newman, Abe Manuel and his sons Abe Jr and Joe, Johnny Manuel, Cyprien Landreneau, Adam Landreneau, Rene Young, just to name a few. After a divorce from Hattie around 1946, Dudley would move to the city of Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he would deeply immerse himself and his Cajun roots to that city. He got a job with Magnolia Petroleum (later re-named Exxon Mobil) which was located in Orange, Texas while commuting back and forth. While still working there he was also running a bar (Southland Club in downtown) and liquor store on East Prien Lake Road in Lake Charles. In 1948/49, he re-married a woman by the name of Ethel Guillory , whom he had met while attending a Mardis Gras celebration in his hometown of Mamou. In the early 1950's, he purchased his own bar located on East Prien Lake Road in Lake Charles where he and Ethel would live directly behind for awhile. Throughout the 1950's and 60's, Cajun music in Lake Charles was in it's heyday. Many transplanted Cajun musicians had either moved or performed in the Lake Area and brought their music with them. Names such as: Iry Lejuene, Phil Menard, Bobby Leger, Martin "Bull Leger", Jo-el Sonnier, Voris "Shorty" Leblanc, Sidney Brown, Doris Matte, Ivy Dugas and many more. In 1960, Dudley was a part of a 25 member group of Mamou musicians and businessmen that were invited to attend the National Folk Festival that was held in Washington D.C. that year with the purpose to re-enact the early rural Mardi Gras and furnish Cajun music and dancing during the festival. The performers on the trip consisted of Dudley, Isom Fontenot, Shelby Vidrine, Eduis Naquin, Cyprien and Adam Landreneau. This trip was historical for Cajun music in several ways as it was perhaps one of the earliest times for the Cajun French music to be introduced outside the borders of Louisiana since the National Folk Festival in Oklahoma City in the 1950's. Perhaps another relatively unknown feat is this very intriguing story. While on the commercial jet plane in route to the nations Capitol, upon request of the pilot, they held a Cajun jam session at 33,000 feet above sea level, which was a record for Cajun music, which likely will never be broken due to strict air regulations of today. ( I sure wish they had a live video of that). In the late 1960's through the 1970's, thanks to a big part due to Dudley, Cajun music in Lake Charles was still going strong. Dudley, along with Tonice Lafleur formed a band called "The Old Timers Band" and and for pay they played on a boat that sailed on the lake and entertained passengers as they dined and danced. Other members of the band included Wilson "Pagro" Granger, Pierre Cradeur, Ned Melancon, and Olphy Cradeur. Dudley continued to add additional bars in the Lake Charles area including one on South Ryan Street called "The Rhineman Bar" and "The Hitching Post" on Ryan and 12th Street. Dudley was very active within the community and went to work for the city tax office as a tax collector and while there he befriended the popular Mayor of Lake Charles, Jim Suddeth. Suddeth was a fan of Cajun music and and along with Dudley was interested in wanting to figure out a way to encourage the preservation of the Cajun culture . In 1967, Dudley was instrumental in forming and introducing "Cajun Day" to the city as an annual event and became the 1st appointed Chairperson. Dudley himself was also a fixture as an entertainer in the event as a musician as well. Eventually Cajun Day became part of the city's very popular Contraband ( since renamed Pirate) Days festivities. It was originally held at the old Bamboo Club on Hwy 14 in Lake Charles. In 1972, the city of Lake Charles opened up the Lake Charles Civic Center under Suddeth's tenue as mayor. Dudley was appointed as the assistant manager. Freddie LeBlanc was the 1st manager and after a few years, Freddie passed away, thus elevating Dudley as manager in his place until his retirement from the city. Dudley was instrumental in getting the Cajun Day event moved to the Civic Center whenever Contraband Days Festival was relocated to its new venue. In Mayor Suddeth's last term in office, he proclaimed Lake Charles as "Cajun Music City"! Today, the tradition of Cajun Day is still continued and celebrated through the CFMA Lake Charles Chapter. Dudley went on to do great things for the Civic Center, the city, and his Cajun Culture. He received several awards and certificates over the years for his service and commitment. He was also a key member of the Optimist International Organization. In 2001, he was inducted into the CFMA Lake Charles Chapter's Cajun Music Hall of Fame. In his elder years Dudley continued to play for friends, family, and also,along with the "Old Timers Band", visit the home for the elderly to entertain with his accordion. A really unique and sweet story was told to me by Dudley's surviving son Dan. When Ethel has passed away sometime in her latter years in the late 1990's, she couldn't bare the thought of Dudley living out his elderly years alone, so on her death bed she gave Dudley permission to call his 1st wife and mother to his children, Hattie. Sometime after Ethel's passing, he did eventually call Hattie and she would move to Lake Charles to be with him to live out their years together. What a great story of true love and devotion! In 2004, Dudley passed away, leaving behind a great legacy for Cajun music and culture as he blazed a trail from Pine Point to Lake Charles. He was also instrumental in passing along his knowledge of the accordion to some of the younger generation. His music career spanned over 70 plus years and recordings of his music was provided to his family members. A special thank you to all who helped in contributing to his story: Opelousas Daily News, Eunice News, Evangeline News, Cajun musician and historian Tim Savoy, CFMA Lake Charles Chapter, Ancestry.com, Ron Granger and especially to Dudley Rozas's family members: Dan Rozas, Alex Dehotels, and Paula Miller. ***Dedicated to Dudley Rozas family. *** Composed by Neal P Granger
