Cajun French musician Cyprien Landreneau was born in 1903, in Les Pointes Aux Pins (Pine Point) community located between Mamou and Ville Platte, Louisiana to Cajun farming parents Armand Landreneau and Celeste Rougeau. His mother Celeste died seven months after Cyprien was born. While living with his grandmother, Margaret Rougeau, he learned to play the accordion from a black Creole man with the last name of Ardion at the age of 7. At the age of 15, he acquired his own accordion and began playing at house dances and family gatherings around the farming community of Duralde. In 1923, he married Delia Pierrotti Landreneau and together they would raise 12 children. He was a farmer, carpenter, and blacksmith. Throughout the 1950’s through 1960’s he would become a very diverse musician that could play the fiddle, accordion and the triangle. His music diversity enabled him to play with other very accomplished musicians of that era such as accordion player’s Amar “T-Frere” Devillier, Alton Landreneau, Vinus Lejuene, Marc Savoy, fiddle players like Dennis McGee, Dewey Balfa, Cheese Read, and harmonica players Isom Fontenot and Jerry Devillier. He would play with others but one musician to whom Cyprien would be most interlinked with was his cousin, fiddle player Adam Landreneau. The two were almost inseparable. Teaming together, they played throughout the world as the Mamou Cajun Band. They were one of the 1st Cajun music groups from Louisiana to appear at the large folk music festivals throughout the nation. In 1957, they played at the National Folk Festival in Oklahoma City where Cyprien was named most outstanding fiddler in a contest. In 1960, he was a part of a contingent from the Mamou area that went to perform at the National Folk Festival in Washington D.C. It was in 1964, that Cyprien and Adam Landreneau along with Jerry Devillier, were discovered by a scout from the prestigious Smithsonian Institute by the name of Ralph Rinzler, who was searching for a traditional sounding Cajun French band to play at the upcoming Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island. As Rinzler was heading out of Louisiana thinking he may have failed, happened to hear them playing the last song on the Revon Reed program, which was airing live on the local radio station KEUN, hosted at Fred's Lounge on a Saturday morning. Rinzler traced down the station to find out where that "crazy sound" was coming from. He eventually met with Revon Reed and Paul Tate to try to book the three performers but unfortunately, that time of year was rice harvest season and both Cyprien and Adam had to decline. Jerry also could not attend due to his job as a teacher and couldn't get leave, so three more were picked that year: Vinus Lejuene, Gladney Thibodeaux, and Wallace Lafleur. Wallace backed out at the last minute, being replaced by future legend Dewy Balfa. Those three would call themselves the Eunice Playboys and they became a big success that year. In 1965, Cyprien, Adam, and Jerry were named the Mamou Band and did get their opportunity to perform at the Newport Folk Festival and basically “stole the show”, upstaging big name artist at that time including the likes of Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Joan Baez, Bill Monroe, etc. They were the only act that year to receive two standing ovations and two encores. The trio received rave reviews nationally and helped continue to establish the succession of appearances by Cajun bands at major festivals throughout the nation and the world. From that point on Cyprien along with Adam and either Isom Fontenot, Jerry Devillier or Revon Reed would continue to tour extensively. In 1966, Cyprien, Adam and Revon would tour throughout West Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and England. The Mamou Cajun Band had several recording efforts including two Albums on Swallow label: Cajun Sole and Louisiana Cajun French Music from the Southwest Prairies. Musicians on those albums include Cyprien, Adam as well as Jerry Devillier and Isom Fontenot. Cyprien will always be remembered for his larger than life personality, boisterous voice and playing the accordion with his well lit cigar. He was adept at capturing the audience as a natural born entertainer. He was a true Cajun music pioneer and helped to bring Cajun music to the world and to new heights. He was a part of a group of men from the area he lived which called themselves the Mamou Supper Club, which got together regularly ,cooking and entertaining. Cyprien passed away on February 1, 1981 while living in the community of Duralde. He was inducted into the CFMA Lake Charles Chapter’s Cajun Music Hall of Fame in 2007. Special thanks to those who contributed to his story: Jerry Devillier, CJ Landreneau, Richard Deshotels, Eunice News archives, Evangeline News archives, Opelousas Daily World. *Dedicated to Margaret "Chicken' Aucoin and the Landreneau family* Composed by Neal Granger
