Farewell, Alligator Man: A Tribute To Jimmy C. Newman
Acadiana Center For The Arts
Lafayette, LA
Louisiana Crossroads Series Presented by Downtown Lafayette
Friday, January 18, 2019
The Blood Red Moon expected to illuminate the firmament on Sunday was preceded by a blazing comet streaking over the skies of Lafayette on Friday, January 18. The comet had its own virtual soundtrack, familiar to local residents, the songbook of Jimmy C. Newman, born in a small Louisiana town far from the bright lights of Nashville. His songwriting output of American country music, later infused with songs influenced by his Cajun upbringing, covered as much territory as the comet that streaked over Lafayette.
I can’t read the notes I scribbled in the dark interior of the Acadiana Center for the Arts but I can tell you that I witnessed a night of dazzling music sung and played with cohesion, presence, expertise, and genuine love that swirled between spontaneity and synchronized beauty.
“Farewell, Alligator Man” was a tribute to Jimmy C. Newman (August 29, 1927 – June 21, 2014) a man whose type of rootsy music is never going to go out of style. I was surprised at the solid country sound and feel of his songs. I expected to hear music that sounded like the iconic Cajun singer Dewey Balfa and here I got a night reminiscent of Hank Williams. What else would you expect from a man who listened to Gene Autry when he was growing up in the small town of Mamou, LA.
This was one special night of music. It had superstars Marty Stuart and Doug Kershaw who played Newman’s music with sparkling energy but the night belonged to local musicians Kelli Jones (Fiddle, Guitar and Vocal), Joel Savoy (fiddle, vocals), Gary Newman (Bass and the son of Jimmy Newman), and Chris Stafford (Piano and Guitar), who were joined by Caleb Klauder (Mandolin, Guitar, and Vocals), Reeb Willms (Guitar and Vocals, half of the Klauder/Willms Duo), Rusty Blake (Pedal Steel and Guitar), Matt Meyer (Drums), and Jesse Lége (Accordion) all of whom played Newman’s music and sang his lyrics with utter affection and supremely original takes on old time music.
The carousel of Newman’s songs was played at what felt like rehearsal level and that’s a compliment. Every musician was in the moment, waiting to cover a song, add a lick, take a solo, or just beam a wide smile as they listened to a band mate interpret a Newman song with breathtaking freshness. This was way more than a concert, more like a piece of in-the-moment performance art for voice and instruments.
There is something universally appealing about Newman’s pure, direct singing and writing from half a century ago. Savoy, Jones, Klauder and Willms discovered Newman’s music independently, fortuitously met at venues across the country, and bonded over their mutual admiration.
Joel Savoy, fiddle player extraordinaire, and founder of the Louisiana-based label Valcour Records in Eunice, LA, promotes music and musicians with similar sensibilities. One of his first grand ideas after being named curator for the esteemed Louisiana Crossroads concert series at the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Downtown Lafayette was to put together “Farewell Alligator Man, A Tribute To Jimmy C. Newman.”
Valcour Records had last year just recorded “Farewell, Alligator Man: A Tribute to the Music of Jimmy C. Newman” with Savoy, Caleb Klauder, Reeb Willms, and Kelli Jones. Savoy asked heavy hitters Jesse Legé, Marty Stuart, and Doug Kershaw, who had known Newman over the years, to come along for tonight’s ride. They were honored for the invitation and had a blast playing alongside the whippersnappers.
Newman got his start playing on the radio program Louisiana Hayride out of Shreveport. You might know the names of a couple other young singers who launched from the hayride, George Jones and Elvis Presley. In an astonishing 50 year run at the Grand Ole Opry, Jimmy C. Newman had a big run of country songs. The song that launched his career was “Cry, Cry Darling’” in 1956.
From 1954 to 1970, he hit it out of the park and charted 33 songs on the Billboard Country Chart. He began to integrate Cajun influences into hit songs like the 1961 release of "Alligator Man" and a year later, "Bayou Talk." He claimed that the C in his name stood for “Cajun” and the man never forgot his roots and never stopped including Cajun songs in his shows.
Tonight’s “Farewell, Alligator Man” might have been more aptly titled, “Hello, Cajun Country Man.”
A loping rendition of “You Didn’t Have To Go,” opened the show firing on all cylinders, Savoy, Jones, Klauder, Willms trading lyrics and virtuoso solos. As they would do all night, Rusty Blake’s eloquently mood setting pedal steel, Gary Newman’s rhythmically thumping standup bass, Matt Meyer’s steady subtle drumming, Chris Stafford’s solid work on keyboard/electric bass, provided the musical roux, the perfect atmospherics for Newman’s songbook.
Kelli Jones, with her soaring Appalachian tonality that must have come from listening to music in her hometown of Raleigh, NC, mesmerized us with “I Wanna Tell All the World.”
This short sweet song was as country it comes. The dye was cast. We were in for a night of pure, heart on your sleeve, inspirationaLly delivered music played by musicians who have found what, for them, is the Holy Grail.
Swapping vocals and playing jaw dropping solos on mandolin, fiddle, accordion, guitar, and keyboard, they covered just about every song on the Alligator Man CD and several chosen by the performers. SET LIST BELOW
Hall of Fame musicians Marty Stuart (whose elegant black tour bus was parked in front of the ACA for two days) and Cajun legend Doug Kershaw knew that tonight they were part of the show, not THE show. They knew they were part of this campfire evening in which musicians took turns shaking new life into old songs or recreating them with the same purity Newman wrote them. "I've Got You On My Mind"...exhibit A.
Most of the songs were about three minutes long, just the way they were played on the A and B sides of the 78-rpm records back in the day.
Willms can swing sweet or sassy depending on Newman’s lyrics. Klauder and Savoy match Newman’s intent with vocal range and back it up with their crafty playing. Savoy and Jones fiddle playing was crisp, spritely or plaintive depending on the song. Part of the fun for me was watching their eye contact as they played duets standing close together as one unit on stage. Caleb Klauder’s mandolin playing was melodic or insanely flying fingers picked.
Marty Stuart and Doug Kershaw were inspired choices. There was Stuart representing Newman’s country side, wearing his white suit with black piping around lapels, black shirt, and flowing gray and black scarf, and 83 year-old Kershaw representing Newman’s Cajun side wearing a bright yellow open collared shirt with crawfish embroidered above the black pockets.
Then there was Jesse Lége. Lége is the Caruso of Cajun singers, his voice at once raw, sonorous, plaintive, and richly evocative. When he sings Jimmy C. Newman waltz, I feel like I’m embedded in amber listening to a house party on a porch down in Gueydan, LA. Descended from the tradition of Dewey Balfa, the man is the most senior balladeer carrying the flag of Cajun music still touring around the world.
My belief that SW Louisiana is Cajun and Creole music territory into which country sounds were imports from honky tonks across the state line in Texas has taken a serious revision. Jimmy C. Newman was an authentic country star, not as luminous as Hank Williams, but bright enough to light up the Grand Ole Opry and the sky over Lafayette tonight.
The evening’s last two roof- raising songs saluted Jimmy C. Newman with hits that celebrated his Cajun roots. “Alligator Man”…do I have to tell you how a title like that resonated with this crowd?
Doug Kershaw put a foot stomping charge in the evening’s final song, Newman’s spirited Cajun anthem, "Diggy Liggy Lo", that featured the entire cast singing and playing the daylights out of the song, and the audience standing, cheering, and singing along.
People from these parts revere music that celebrates their roots and musicians that proudly call Louisiana home. The Alligator Man crossed over country and Cajun genres. His star still shines bright in the Louisiana night.
Set 1 (courtesy of Joel Savoy)
You Didn’t Have to Go- Key of G
I Wanna Tell all the World- Key of D
I thought I’d never fall in love again- C
Let’s Stay together- Key of E
Got You on my Mind- Key of E
Jolie Blonde Ayou Toi T’es- Key of A
Great Big Fais Do-Do- Key of D
Cry Cry Darlin- Key of Bb
If you Tried as Hard to Love Me- Key of G
Cajun Baby- Key of D
Set 2 (courtesy of Joel Savoy)
Louisiana Man- Key of D
Colinda- Key of A
Day Dreamin- Key of A
Let the Whole World Talk- Key of D
Blue Darlin- Key of G
H Brown Shuffle - Key of F
Hole in my Heart- C/G after 2nd Chorus
Again in your Arms- Key of C
Alligator Man- Key of A
ENCORE: Diggy Diggy Lo Key of A
VIDEOS, PHOTOS
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