Welcome to the Louisiana Folk Roots Online Classes!
First we would like to thank you for your donation to Folk Roots and hope that you will enjoy these Lessons that we have prepared for you during the Covid-19 Pandemic. We would also like to thank the generous instructors that have given their time to us so we may spread the joy of the culture of Southwest Louisiana. Folk Roots will continue to add new content over the coming months and you will alway have access to this content FOREVER! The hope is that we can continue to educate and entertain as well as create economic opportunities for our artists to continue what they love to do!
Here you will find a series of PRE-RECORDED video classes designed to teach Fiddle, Accordion, Guitar, and Vocals for some of the songs commonly heard and some not so commonly heard in the repertoire of the Cajun / Creole musician.
We will also Learn about the French spoken in our area of Louisiana with Dr. Maggie Justus and her husband, musician Chas Justus and a great video from SOLA Violins owner Anya Burgess on basic fiddle set up and maintenance
Let’s Get Started!
We have chosen six songs to start with:
Amitié cassée,
Mon Coeur Fait Mal,
Le Moulin,
I Don’t Hurt Anymore, and Jolie Fille.
Lula Don’t You Go To Bingo
How it Works:
To access our online classes, we ask that you please donate to help keep Folk Roots and our Cajun culture alive! The suggested donation is $100, but we understand that these are unprecedented times, so the minimum donation is $25. Once you donate you will receive a code via email to access all the lessons. Thank you for your support of Louisiana Folk Roots!
Instrument classes are divided into Scratch/Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced levels. Pick whatever level you feel suits you best!
SCRATCH/BEGINNING - Means you are very new to the instrument having maybe picked it up for the first time or have just a basic understanding of the mechanics. We will start off slow and will teach a very rudimentary version of the tune but you will be able to play it by the time you are done!
INTERMEDIATE - Means you have been playing the instrument for a while, know how to care for, tune, basic fingering, and know where to find the note you may need in the lesson.
ADVANCED - Means you have progressed on your instrument to the point where you can pick out a tune by yourself, are familiar with double stops or chords, and usually play lead at jams.
To start your classes just click on “Let’s Learn” above the instrument/instructor below and you will be able to pick your skill level and START PRACTICING! Once you get the lesson down why not share a video of your progress with us on our Facebook page!
Your Instructors/Classes
Zydeco Accordion with Rusty Metoyer
Rusty Metoyer, Doing what he does best!
Get to know your instructors!
Lake Charles native, Rusty Metoyer, is one of southwest Louisiana’s rising stars. Metoyer and his unique brand of Zydeco music have thrilled audiences from California to New York, in Holland and France, and every weekend from Houston to New Orleans!
LOUISIANA FRENCH WITH MAGGIE AND CHAS JUSTUS
Maggie Justus and her Husband Chas Justus reigning over the local Mardi Gras at Lafayette’s own Artmospere dancehall.
Get to know your instructors!
Maggie Justus: Born in Lafayette, she became interested in her maternal grandparents’ first language at an early age. She has a PhD in French Studies from Louisiana State University, has taught at LSU, Université Sainte-Anne in Nova Scotia, and Université de Poitiers in France, and now handles community projects at the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana.
Maggie and Chas will teach you some common phrases and term used in Louisiana French as well as give a list of resources to learn more about the french from S.W. Louisiana.
VOCALS AND GUITAR WITH MEGAN CONSTANTIN
CPT. Meagan overseeing The Ossun Mardi Gras Run in Ossun, LA
Get to know your instructor!
Megan, originally from Tepetate, LA, grew up to the sound of Cajun music at her grandparent’s Cajun restaurant. Singing all her life, Megan took to Cajun music and with it the French language at the age of 18. She sings and plays guitar in the world famous band T’Monde.
Megan will break down the words to the first five songs we are working on. Giving you the vocal melodies and pronunciation of the words as they are in the original recording or the version that we are learning. She will also teach the Guitar chords to each song so you can play along.
FIDDLE 911 WITH ANYA BURGESS
CAJUN FIDDLE WITH BRAZOS HUVAL
Brazos leading the Breaux Bridge Mardi Gras Kids Run Photo: Paul Kieu
Get to know your instructor!
Brazos started the prestigious Brazos Huval School of music in picturesque downtown Breaux Bridge La. He is also the lead bass player with Steve Riley and The Mamou Playboys and is an accomplished fiddle fronting the world famous Huval Family Band made up of brothers and sister.
Brazos will take you through all three skill levels of each tune, focusing fingerings for tuned down fiddle and running through a version in standard tuning for each song.
CAJUN ACCORDION WITH CHAD HUVAL
Chad Huval with brother Brazos
Get to know your instructor!
Award-winning accordion player Chad Huval will take us through all five songs at all levels plus a special SCRATCH ACCORDION VIDEO for those of you who have never picked one up but what to start. Chad is currently playing with Michel Doucet Avec Beausoleil and The Huval Family band.