Photo by Tom Pich

2002 NEA National Heritage Fellow Luderin Darbone and Edwin Duhon Sulphur, LA; Westlake, LA Cajun fiddler and accordionist

Luderin Darbone and Edwin Duhon co-founded the legendary Cajun band, The Hackberry Ramblers, in 1933 and have been leading the band ever since. This long-lived ensemble has combined its native Louisiana French repertoire with string band, Western Swing, and popular ingredients to produce a unique but continually appealing musical program. The group became widely popular in southwestern Louisiana and East Texas by the end of the 1930s, appearing on live radio broadcasts and recording for RCA's Bluebird label, cutting over 100 titles by the end of the 1940s.

Darbone and Duhon were the first musicians to bring electronic amplification to area dancehalls, running a P.A. system off the idling engine of Darbone's Model-A Ford. The remarkable careers of Darbone and Duhon have seen several revivals of popularity and many different bandmates through the years. In 1993, they released their first album in 30 years, called Cajun Boogie. Their 1997 recording Deep Water earned The Hackberry Ramblers a Grammy nomination and an appearance on MTV. "I guess everybody enjoys their life," Darbone reflected at the time. "But being able to play music has added to mine. My life as an ordinary citizen has been good. But if you add the music, it doubles it." In 1999, they fulfilled a lifelong dream by playing at the Grand Ole Opry and in 2002 they made their European debut.

 
< NEA Heritage Fellows 1982-present:  BY YEAR | ALPHA

National Endowment for the Arts · an independent federal agency
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20506

NEA Heritage Fellows
1982-present: 
BY YEAR | ALPHA