Lawrence Walker and His Wandering Aces- Reno Walz (La Valse De Reno)

                               

Lawrence Walker was born September 1, 1907 in Duson, La. At age 13 he began playing in a band with his father and brother. He and his brother first recorded with Brunswick in 1929 and then again in 1935 with Bluebird Records.

He returned to farming after the Bluebird recordings and later on, back to recording and playing after World War II. Lawrence and his Wandering Aces played the clubs and had a string of recordings from 1950-1962. By the 1950's Lawrence was known for developing a new style in Cajun music. He was known to be a perfectionist; he demanded higher standards of his band.

He first recorded "Reno Waltz" for George Khoury's label. Reno was named after the Reno Dance Hall located between the towns of Kaplan and Gueydan. It is based on a older tune, "La Valse de Grand Chenier". Lawrence had gotten into a argument with Reno's owner, "Dado" Seaux. In order to make amends and to keep performing there, he named the song after the Club. Lawrence's popularity in his live performances earned him the title "King of The Dancehalls". He was a big leader in the accordion revival in Cajun music. Johnnie Allan remembers:

            " Lawrence was a big factor in French music. His songs were all the sad, melodic type songs, he was a very good  accordion player, very well known in the area. I played steel guitar for him for 6 years and he crowds were tremendous almost everywhere we played."

From 1950 thru 1955 Lawrence and his Wondering Aces recorded for Khoury's. By the late 1950's, Khoury lost interest in recording Cajun music, Lawrence aproached Floyd Soileau to release his recordings. Two records were released on Swallow in 1956 and Lawrence didn't have a record come out until 1961. 

Carol Rachou built a studio in Lafayette out of his parent's old grocery store and started his label, La Louisianne. From 1961 thru 1962, Lawrence released seven titles on La Louisianne Records. Along with one of the first Cajun rock and roll numbers sung in English; "Allons Rock and Roll", he also recut his Khoury classic, "Reno Waltz". On this version, Lawrence used different lyrics than he used on the original and replaced the steel guitar with fiddling by "Doc" Guidry.

Oui, la place que moi, je voudrais mourir                      

c’est dans les bras de mon petit bébé.                          

Demander pardon pour ça j’ai fait,                             

là je serais d’accord de m’en aller dans Grand Gueydan.         

Quand je vas mourir, j’aimerais que tu viennes.                 

Fermer mes yeux, petit bébé, pour moi je m’en vas.              

Pour moi, je m’en vas dans la terre pour toujours.              

Comme tu connais, ça fait du mal juste à y jongler.

             

T’es si petite, si mignonne, si canaille, petit bébé,         

Mais je t’aime quand même.                                      

Moi je vois p’us dans le monde quoi moi je vas faire.           

J’ai p’us personne dedans le pays qui veut m’aimer.            

Yes, the place where I’d like to die

is in the arms of my little baby.

To ask forgiveness for what I’ve done,

then, I’d agree to go away to Big Gueydan.

When I die, I’d like for you to come.

Close my eyes, little baby, so that I can go away,

so that I can be buried in the ground forever.

As you know, it hurts just to think about it.

You’re so little, so cute, so mischievous, little baby,

but I love you anyway.

I don’t see anything left for me to do on this Earth.

I don’t have anyone left in this land who wants to love me.

After these recordings, Swamp Pop and Rock and Roll took over music like Lawrence's. Johnny Allan had joined the Wandering Aces a few years prior. After a couple years playing, he left the group due to his career taking off. Johnny convinced members of the Wandering Aces to join his band called the Krazy Kats. With this band set up they played a couple shows until Lawrence found out about the other group. By this time he had enough.

He stopped recording after these recordings and in 1968, he passed due to a heart attack. His legacy remains overlooked. His playing was bluesy and full of Cajun soul. His songs have been a influence on the next generation of Cajun musicians, but Lawrence has been mainly overshadowed by Nathan and Iry, sadly.

                                                     
                                        Lawrence Walker and His Wandering Aces
                                        Reno Walz (La Valse De Reno)
                                               LL 8030
                                         Recorded 1961-1962
                                           La Louisianne Studio, Lafayette, La,





                                                          Resources
                                                            Early Cajun Music Blog
                                                          John Broven-South To Louisiana
                                                          translation- Erin S.