Eula Mae Fruge Young was born in Church Point, Louisiana, on October 2nd, 1922. Her main hobby was music and worked to play all instruments. She was inspired to begin playing Cajun music by her accordion playing father, Lawrence “Tee-Tee” Fruge Sr. (CFMA Lake Charles Chapter’s Cajun Music Hall of Fame) and her uncle, Ernest Fruge, (another LC Hall of Famer) who played fiddle. She became extremely well rounded as she played the steel guitar, accordion, fiddle, guitar, bass fiddle, and organ. She taught her nephew, Michael Fruge, to play the steel guitar. She played for 36 years and was considered a pioneer, being one of the first women to play the steel guitar. She played with many Cajun bands: T-Mamou Playboys (family band), “Tee Louis” Lopez and the Lake Charles Playboys, Blackie Fruge, Milford Simon and The Hicks Wagon Wheel Ramblers, Lionel Cormier and The Sundown Playboys, Blackie Fruge, Aldes Broussard and The Hicks Wagon Wheel Ramblers, and Buford Galley and the Jolly Ramblers. She also played with musicians such as: Nonc Allie Young, Aldes Broussard, Austin Pitre, Nathan Abshire, J.U. Fruge (her brother), Lawrence “Blackie”Fruge Jr. (her brother), Darrell Higginbothem, among others. She played at many benefit dances over the years. She also played at Cajun Days and Contraband Days in Lake Charles. A great story told by her father is he locked his accordion in an armoire and hid the key because he was afraid she would hurt herself if she strained on the accordion. One day, he realized he had forgotten something and walked back into the house in time to hear her playing a complete song. The kicker? She was just five years old. Eula Mae was inducted into the CFMA Lake Charles Chapter’s Cajun Music Hall of Fame in 2002. She passed away in March of 1992 at 69 years old. Definitely a true Cajun music Pioneer and amazing. Composed by Neal P Granger
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