Austin Pitre and the Evangeline Playboys- Chinaball Waltz

Austin Pitre was born February 23, 1918 in Ville Platte, Louisiana. Growing up his parents were sharecroppers and would always sing in the field and in the evenings play music on the porch. His father, Joseph, played fiddle, but he presented Austin a accordion on his 6th birthday in hopes of his young son playing with him at fais do do's. By age 11 he was playing with his father as a regular musician.

By the age of 22 he formed the Evangeline Playboys. His flamboyant playing style and energetic vocals set him apart from other musicians at the time. Austin was known for playing the accordion behind his back, over his head and between his legs. 

 In 1950 he had the distinction of being the first Cajun artist to record for J.D. Miller's Feature label out of Crowley. Around this time, Austin had a radio show every Sunday afternoon on KSLO in Opelousas. During the day, he had a steady job as a mechanic. But during the evenings he played locals clubs and dance halls.

His wife, Dorothy recalls,

"Austin was very popular and drew big crowds in a fifty mile radius of our home,
playing six or seven nights a week, plus he worked his day job as a mechanic."

He recorded with Feature records until 1956. At this time labels like Khoury's and Goldband were focused on music outside of Cajun music. Floyd Soileau started recording Cajun music in 1957 with two brief labels; Vee Pee and Big Mamou. Jukebox operator Ed Manuel had recorded Austin and his band at a party and their recording of "Manuel Bar Waltz" would be Floyd Soileau's entry into the music buisness.

It was in 1960 that Austin Pitre and the Evangeline Playboys recorded "Chinaball Blues". The song was actually a melody by Doc Guidry called "Le Nuevo Te Maurice". Austin's "Chinaball Waltz" also sounds similar to his previous Feature recording of "Chatatinia Waltz". 

Austin had a long engagement at the Chinaball Club which was located in Bristol, between Opelousas and Rayne.  The Chinaball Ball Club was originally built in 1949 and owned by Alex Leger. At the time, the Chinaball Club wasn't doing too good. The owner, in a last desperate effort to save his club, begged Austin to play his club. At this time, Austin and his band were drawing capacity crowds wherever they played. The owner told Austin that he didn't come play there that the club would be forced to close up. So Austin and his band packed up and headed to Bristol and brought the crowds with them. A lot of artists around this time recorded songs with the clubs name in it. Sometimes the intent was for more work at the club and sometimes just to celebrate and market the club.


"Viens nous joindre au Chinaball,
c’est pour avoir un bon temps avec votre famille
T’allais voir les mazurkas.
C’est cela, oui qui va vous traiter bien
La plus belle place dedans le pays,
oui, asteur, oui, que tu vas au Chinaball.
Viens nous joindre là-bas au Chinaball.
C’est la place moi je vas quand ça fait noir
Oui, cela ayoù tout le monde
peut se joindre, oui, pour avoir de l’agrément.
Va les joindre ,
Oui, là-bas, la meilleure place dedans le pays."


"Come join us at the Chinaball
to have a good time with your family.
You can see the mazurkas.
It’s the place where they’ll treat you right.
It’s the most beautiful place in the world,
yes, now that you come to the Chinaball.
Come join us out there at the Chinaball.
It’s the place that I go when it’s dark out.
Yes, the one where everybody
can meet up, yes, to have fun.
Go join them,
Yes, out there, the best place in the world."

n 1959 Soileau had changed the name of his label to Swallow and would continue to record and release Austin's music. His recording of "Flumes Dans Faire (Flames of Hell) was the first big hit for the label. He recorded for the label from the late 50's until the 1970's. In 1973 Austin was invited to perform in Washington, D.C. to perform at the Smithsonian Festival. He passed away April 8, 1981.

Resources
John Broven- South to Louisiana
Early Cajun Music Blog
lyrics by Erin S.