John Delafose
# John Delafose

John Irvin Delafose (April 16, 1939 – September 18, 1994) was an American French-speaking Creole Zydeco accordionist from Louisiana.

## Early life

Delafose was born in the unincorporated village of Duralde, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, near Mamou. His parents were sharecroppers. As a child, Delafose fashioned fiddles and guitars out of old boards and cigar boxes fitted with window-screen wire. The fiddle was his first instrument. He eventually took up the harmonica, and at the age of 18 learned the button accordion. However, he turned to farming and did not pursue music as a career until the early 1970s.

## Career

He began as an accordionist and harmonicist with a variety of local Zydeco bands. In the mid-1970s, he formed the band The Eunice Playboys, with which he played until his death. Over its history, band members included three of his sons, as well as nephews and grandsons. The band continued under the direction of his son Geno Delafose.

Delafose gained wider public recognition with albums such as Joe Pete Got Two Women (Arhoolie, 1990) and Blues Stay Away from Me (Rounder, 1993).

He was seen in performance footage and his music was featured on the soundtrack of the 1992 John Sayles film Passion Fish. He was also a featured artist in the 1989 documentary film J'ai été au bal (I Went to the Dance).

## Style

Delafose had a dynamic style and strong rural roots, with a strong staccato rhythm on the accordion, which has influenced almost all current Zydeco musicians. Unlike some of the younger performers at the time, Delafose sang in both English and French, and his repertoire featured two-steps and waltzes in addition to the highly percussive Afro-Caribbean rhythms of Zydeco. He occasionally played fiddle with the band, which was rare in Zydeco music. He and his band packed audiences into dance halls in southwest Louisiana, east Texas and New Orleans for more than 20 years.

Delafose's hit version of the Canray Fontenot song "Joe Pitre a Deux Femmes" brought the single-row accordion back into favor among Zydeco musicians.

## Death

Delafose had a heart attack in 1993, while on the road headed toward a festival in Rhode Island. He later recovered, but experienced bouts of fatigue afterwards.

Delafose died after a short illness in the early morning hours of September 18, 1994 at the Opelousas General Hospital. He was buried in the cemetery of St. Mathilda Catholic Church in Eunice, Louisiana.

## Discography

### Studio and live albums

| Album title | Record label | Stock number | Release year |
| - | - | - | - |
| Zydeco Man | Arhoolie | 1083 | 1981 |
| Uncle Bud Zydeco | Arhoolie | 1088 | 1983 |
| Zydeco Excitement | Maison de Soul | MDS-1015 | 1985 |
| Zydeco Live!: Direct from Richard's Club, Lawtell, Louisiana | Rounder | CD 2070 | 1989 |
| Heartaches and Hot Steps | Maison de Soul | MDS-LP-1035 | 1990 |
| Joe Pete Got Two Women | Arhoolie | CD-335 | 1990 |
| Père et Garçon Zydeco | Rounder | CD 2116 | 1992 |
| Blues Stay Away From Me | Rounder | CD 2121 | 1993 |

### Singles

| Song title(s) | Album title | Record label | Stock number | Release year | Note(s) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| "Co-Fe? (Why?)" / "Joe Pitre A Deux Femmes" | Zydeco Man | Arhoolie | 45-541 | 1980 | 7", 45 RPM |
| "Blues At Midnight" / "Baby, Scratch My Back" | <unknown> | Bad Weather Records | BW 113 | 1981 | 7", 45 RPM |
| "Joe Pete Lost His Two Women" / "Mother's Day Blues" | Uncle Bud Zydeco | Arhoolie | 45-547 | 1983? | 7", 45 RPM |
| "Blues At Midnight" / "Do The Mill" | Zydeco Excitement / <unknown> | Maison de Soul | 45-1019 | 1985? | 7", 45 RPM |
| "Loan Me Your Handkerchief" / "Broken Hearted" | Zydeco Excitement | Maison de Soul | 45-1034 | 1986 | 7", 45 RPM |

### Various artist compilation albums

| Album title | Record label | Stock number | Release year | Song title(s) |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Festival de Musique Acadienne '81 Live | Swallow Records | LP-6046 | 1982 | "Nairobi Special" |
| Zydeco Festival | Maison de Soul | MDS LP-1024 | 1988 | "Broken Hearted" |
| Kings of Zydeco: Black Creole Music from the Deep South | Trikont (Germany) | CD-0158-2 | 1989 | "Broken Hearted" |
| Kings of Zydeco: Black Creole Music from the Deep South | Trikont (Germany) | CD-0158-2 | 1989 | "Joe Pete Is Broke" |
| Kings of Zydeco: Black Creole Music from the Deep South | Trikont (Germany) | CD-0158-2 | 1989 | "Chokin Kind" |
| 101 Proof Zydeco | Maison de Soul | MDS 1030-2 | 1990 | "Broken Hearted" |
| J'ai Eté au Bal = I Went to the Dance: the Cajun and Zydeco Music of Louisiana | Arhoolie | CD-331 | 1990 | "Joe Pitre a Deux Femmes" |
| Alligator Stomp: Cajun & Zydeco Classics, Vol. 2 | Rhino | R2 70740 | 1991 | "Ka-wann" |
| Alligator Stomp: Cajun & Zydeco Classics, Vol. 3 | Rhino | R2 70312 | 1992 | "Co-Fé? (Why?)" |
| Cajun Music and Zydeco | Rounder | CD 11572 | 1992 | "La misère m'a fait brailler" |
| Stomp Down Zydeco | Rounder | 11566 | 1992 | "Hold That Tiger" |
| Stomp Down Zydeco | Rounder | 11566 | 1992 | "Cajun Two-Step" |
| Stomp Down Zydeco | Rounder | 11566 | 1992 | "I'm Gone and I Won't Be Back" |
| Stomp Down Zydeco | Rounder | 11566 | 1992 | "Broken Hearted" |
| Stomp Down Zydeco | Rounder | 11566 | 1992 | "Onion Town" |
| Zydeco Champs | Arhoolie | CD 328 | 1992 | "Joe Pete Got Two Women" |
| Zydeco Champs | Arhoolie | CD 328 | 1992 | "Mardi Gras Song" |
| Zydeco Party | Ace (UK) | 430 | 1992 | "Loan Me Your Handkerchief" |
| Zydeco Party | K-Tel International | 60592 | 1992 | "Mardi Gras Song" |
| The Best of Louisiana Music | Rounder | CD AN 08 | 1993 | "Watch That Dog" |
| Passion Fish: Original Soundtrack | Daring Records | CD-3008 | 1993 | "Oh, Negresse" |
| Passion Fish: Original Soundtrack | Daring Records | CD-3008 | 1993 | "Grand Mamou" |
| Passion Fish: Original Soundtrack | Daring Records | CD-3008 | 1993 | "Poor Man's Two-Step" |
| Let's Go Zydeco! | Ace (UK) | CDCHD 543 | 1994 | "Petite Et La Grosse" |
| Let's Go Zydeco! | Ace (UK) | CDCHD 543 | 1994 | "Crying in The Streets" |
| Let's Go Zydeco! | Ace (UK) | CDCHD 543 | 1994 | "Lonesome Road" |
| Let's Go Zydeco! | Ace (UK) | CDCHD 543 | 1994 | "Mardi Gras Song" |
| Rockin' Zydeco Party! | Maison de Soul | 1049 | 1994 | "John's Lonesome Waltz" |
| Alligator Stomp: Cajun & Zydeco, The Next Generation, Vol. 5 | Rhino | R2 71846 | 1995 | "Slow Motion Zydeco" |
| Legends of Zydeco: The Old School Strikes Back | Trikont (Germany) | US-0203 | 1995 | "Loan Me Your Handkerchief" |
| Legends of Zydeco: The Old School Strikes Back | Trikont (Germany) | US-0203 | 1995 | "Outside Woman" |
| Legends of Zydeco: The Old School Strikes Back | Trikont (Germany) | US-0203 | 1995 | "Morning Train" |
| Legends of Zydeco: The Old School Strikes Back | Trikont (Germany) | US-0203 | 1995 | "Blues at Midnight" |
| Legends of Zydeco: The Old School Strikes Back | Trikont (Germany) | US-0203 | 1995 | "Mon Coeur Fait Mal" |
| Legends of Zydeco: The Old School Strikes Back | Trikont (Germany) | US-0203 | 1995 | "Joe Simien Special" |
| Legends of Zydeco: The Old School Strikes Back | Trikont (Germany) | US-0203 | 1995 | "John's Lonesome Waltz" |
| Legends of Zydeco: The Old School Strikes Back | Trikont (Germany) | US-0203 | 1995 | "Co-Fé?" |
| Legends of Zydeco: The Old School Strikes Back | Trikont (Germany) | US-0203 | 1995 | "Ma Femme m'a quitte" (with Geno Delafose) |
| Louisiana Spice: 25 Years of Louisiana Music on Rounder Records | Rounder | CD AN 25 Part 2 | 1995 | "Père et Garçon Zydeco" |
| More Cajun Music and Zydeco | Rounder | CD 11573 | 1995 | "Poor Man's Two-Step" |
| The Real Music Box: 25 Years of Rounder Records | Rounder | CD AN 25 | 1995 | "Père et Garçon Zydeco" |
| The Royal Family of Zydeco | Rock 'n Bowl | 1001 | 1995 | "Watch That Dog" |
| Bayou Dance Party | Rounder | CD 7014 | 1996 | "My Little Dog" |
| It's What We Do, Vol. 1, 1995 | Daring Records | 3020 | 1996 | "Oh, Negresse" |
| Let's Have a Blues Ball | Arhoolie | 590 | 1996 | "Rag Around Your Head" |
| The Real Louisiana | EasyDisc | ED 9002 | 1996 | "La misère m'a fait brailler" |
| Zydeco's Greatest Hits | EasyDisc | ED CD 7025 | 1996 | "Broken Hearted" |
| 15 Louisiana Zydeco Classics | Arhoolie | CD 105 | 1997 | "Rag Around Your Head" |
| 15 Louisiana Zydeco Classics | Arhoolie | CD 105 | 1997 | "Oh, Negresse" |
| Bayou Beat | EasyDisc | EDCD 7053 | 1997 | "Old Time Two Step" |
| Bayou Hot Sauce | EasyDisc | ED 7044 | 1997 | "Père et Garçon Zydeco" |
| Zydeco Dance Hall | EasyDisc | ED 7035 | 1997 | "I Don't Want Nobody Here But You" |
| Zydeco Dance Hall | EasyDisc | ED 7035 | 1997 | "Gotta Find My Woman" |
| Rough Guide to Cajun and Zydeco | World Music Network (UK) | RGNET 1028 CD | 1998 | "La misère m'a fait brailler" |
| Zydeco Barnyard | EasyDisc | 12136-7070-2 | 1998 | "Watch That Dog" |
| Zydeco Party | EasyDisc | ED CD 7045 | 1998 | "Oh 'Tit Fille" |
| Zydeco Stomp: All Instrumental | Rounder | ED CD 7065 | 1998 | "Two-Step Farouche" |
| Cajun & Zydeco Jamboree | EasyDisc | ED 12136-7076-2 | 1999 | "Midland Two-Step" |
| Kings of Cajun: 15 Stomps from the Swamps | Music Collection International (UK) | 50105 | 1999 | "Broken Hearted" |
| Zydeco Essentials | Hip-O Records | 767 440161 2 | 1999 | "Joe Pete Got Two Women" |
| 40th Anniversary Collection, 1960–2000: The Journey of Chris Strachwitz | Arhoolie | CD 491 | 2000 | "Co-Fé?" |
| Music from the Zydeco Kingdom | Rounder Select | 11579 | 2000 | "Tu M'As Fait Brailler: You Made Me Cry" |
| Cajun & Zydeco: Alligator Walk | ARC Music | EUCD 1657 | 2001 | "Old Time Two Step" (with Geno Delafose) |
| Roots Music: An American Journey | Rounder | 11661-0501-2 | 2001 | "Père et Garçon Zydeco" (with Geno Delafose) |
| Dat's Zydeco: The Best Old-Skool Zydeco | Maison de Soul | MDS 1079 | 2002 | "Richard Two-Step" |
| Louisiana | World Music Network (UK) | RGNET 1094 CD | 2002 | "Slow Motion Zydeco" |
| Southern Style: Zydeco | Southern Style (Netherlands) | 641920 | 2002 | "Joe Pete Is Broke" |
| Southern Style: Zydeco | Southern Style (Netherlands) | 641920 | 2002 | "Lake Charles Two-Step" |
| Zydeco: The Essential Collection | Rounder | 1166-11605-2 | 2002 | "Friday Night Waltz" |
| Rough Guide to Zydeco | World Music Network (UK) | RGNET 1145 CD | 2005 | "Joe Pete Got Two Women" |
| Zydeco: The Essential Pulse Series | Mirana | 8502 | 2008 | "Loan Me Your Handkerchief" |
| Good Music, Good Times: Spicy Bon Temps Cajun and Zydeco Music from Opelousas, Louisiana | Swallow | <unknown> | 2009 | "Broken Hearted" |
