| According to Cajun folklore, if you bury the umbilical | | | | yet again. He had quite a following. |
| cord (nom-bril) of a newborn under a rose bush the | | | | Lawrence wrote his songs like the traditional Cajun |
| baby will become a musician. While this is not a | | | | songwriters, with an emphasis on personal meaning |
| custom I’m aware of taking place today, it does | | | | and experience. In short he wrote what he knew. |
| make you wonder. Louisiana does have its’ fair | | | | He wrote only original songs, unlike other Cajun |
| share of Cajun musicians. The early Cajun French | | | | performers of his time. Case in point is his “Reno |
| music pioneers are legendary. When people today | | | | Waltz”. |
| speak of late great Cajun musicians, the ones who | | | | Besides writing and singing his music, Lawrence played |
| came before, there is one accordion player | | | | the accordion. Man, did he play. In the 1930’s |
| extraordinaire that stands out. | | | | Lawrence and his band traveled to the Texas |
| Born 1907 in Duson, near Scott, both small towns | | | | Centennial in Dallas, Texas. They won first place in |
| outside of Lafayette, Louisiana, was Lawrence | | | | the contest there. Over the years there were many |
| Walker. By the age of thirteen, Lawrence had begun | | | | other contests where he was challenged by the |
| his musical career. He played in a band with his | | | | various other accordion players. During these |
| father, Allen, a prominent fiddler, and brother, Elton, also | | | | showdowns the crowds were usually the judges. |
| a fiddler. It was the early 1920’s. Although music | | | | Lawrence always won. He was known far and wide |
| wasn’t his first profession, he became a rice | | | | as “King of the Accordion Players” at that |
| farmer by trade, it was his first love. 1929 brought | | | | time. He was also quite well known for his great |
| about their recording debut with Bluebird with tunes | | | | showmanship with his instrument. It is said that he |
| such as "La Breakdown la Louisianne" and "La Vie | | | | could completely captivate his audience in a way few |
| Malheureuse”. Walker continued to farm until after | | | | accordion players ever have. Lawrence Walker was |
| World War II. He traveled Louisiana and southern | | | | inducted into the Cajun Music Hall of Fame in 1997 |
| Texas playing with his band the Wandering Aces. | | | | when it opened. |
| The early 1950’s saw him in the recording studios | | | | |