Robert Bertrand- Tee Maurice

Robert Bertrand was originally from Hathaway, Louisiana; but in 1952, his family moved to Lake Charles. His father, Jake, was a Cajun fiddler and had played with the Elton Playboys. Robert followed in his father's footsteps and learned the fiddle as well. He was a fast learner and soon he and his father were playing at dance halls near Eunice by late 1950.

While living in Lake Charles, Jake and Robert joined accordionist Bobby Leger and played together. They formed the Lake Charles Playboys around 1955. Robert being the better vocalist, provided vocals for the group. Together the group recorded several records at J.D. Miller's studio in Cowley.

Robert played as a sideman playing with numerous local bands in the area. He played drums with Iry LeJeune in the mid 1950's and also played with Sidney Brown.  He played drums, fiddle, and guitar with Joe Bonsall and Phil Menard as well.

In 1965, Robert formed the Louisiana Ramblers. They recorded a couple sides for Miller's label then started recording for Eddie Shuler's Goldband Records. The bulk of Robert's recording output was with Goldband between 1966 and 1970. Jo-El Sonnier played accordion with the group for a while the first year, recording a couple sides for the label.

Around 1967, accordionist John Oliver started plating with the group. John Oliver was born June 18, 1915 in Mowata, Louisiana. In the early 1950's he recorded for the New Orleans based label Meladee Records and recorded one record with them. He moved to Lake Charles in 1962 and by 1967 he was recording with Robert and the Ramblers.

In 1968 the Louisiana Ramblers recorded "Tee Maurice" for Goldband in their Lake Charles studio. It would mark the first recording of Oliver on accordion with the group. The group borrowed the tune as a cover of Oran "Doc" Guidry's recording of "Le Nuevo Tit Maurice". Originally it was recorded by Happy Fats and Doc for RCA during a 1946 session. It was also recorded in 1952 by Terry Clement and his brothers.

John would continue playing with the Ramblers until around 1970. Afterwards the group would use Geno Thibodeaux and Ervin LeJeune to play accordion on recordings sessions. By 1970, Robert had became a standard musician at Goldband Records and Eddie Shuler would use him on other artist's records.

Chris Strachwitz, of Arhoolie records, regretted the day when he told Shuler that the Goldband recordings lacked "bottom" due to the primitive studio conditions.  Thereupon, Eddie proceeded to reissue many of his pristine 1950s recordings, sacrilegiously, with plodding bass guitar and fiddle overdubs. The bass track overdubs were allegedly done by Jo-El Sonnier and Robert Bertrand overdubbed fiddle and guitar on some recordings.

Ervin recalls Robert borrowing Iry's fiddle to record at Goldband studio and notes that most fiddle recordings by Robert in the late 1970's were recorded with Iry LeJeune's fiddle; Robert like the sound the instrument made.

Resources
Early Cajun Music Blog- Wade Falcon
Ron Yule-Cajun Dancehall Heyday
Nick Leigh-Cajun Records 1946-1989
Mitch S. for Bertrand pictures

Release info
Robert Bertrand with John Oliver 
V/fdl, John Oliver (acdn), Ed Gary, T-June Benoit, Wallace Derouen (g), Garland
Domingue (d)
Goldband Studio, Lake Charles LA: 1968-1969
-1 (9060) Tee’ mamou blues Goldband 1199
-2 (9061) Tee’ Maurice Goldband 1199