Marc Savoy
Marc Savoy (/sɑːˈvwɑː/ sah-vwah)[1] (b. near Eunice, Louisiana, United States, October 1, 1940) is an American musician, and builder and player of the Cajun accordion.
Marc Savoy | |
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Marc and Ann Savoy playing at the Balfa Camp. | |
Background information | |
Born | October 1, 1940 |
Origin | Near Eunice, Louisiana |
Genres | Cajun |
Occupation(s) | Accordion maker, musician, accordionist |
Instruments | Cajun accordion |
Associated acts | Savoy Family Band, Savoy Doucet Cajun Band, |
Website | http://www.savoymusiccenter.com/ |
He was born on his grandfather's rice farm near Eunice. His grandfather was a fiddler, who occasionally played with the legendary Dennis McGee, who was once a tenant farmer on his grandfather's property. Marc Savoy began playing traditional music when he was 12 years old.[2]
Savoy holds a degree in chemical engineering[3] but his primary income is derived from his accordion-making business, based at his Savoy Music Center in Eunice, Louisiana. His wife is the singer and guitarist Ann Savoy, whom he met in 1975 and married in 1977.[3] He has performed with Robert Bertrand, Dennis McGee, Rodney Balfa, Sady Courville, Dewey Balfa, D. L. Menard, and Michael Doucet, the latter of whom he plays with in the Savoy-Doucet Band. He also plays in the Savoy Family Band with his wife Ann and their sons Joel and Wilson.
He hosts regular jam sessions and mini-festivals at the Savoy Music Center.
Savoy is a recipient of a 1992 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.[4]
Discography
As Marc Savoy
Albums
- 1976 : Under a Green Oak Tree (with Dewey Balfa and D.L. Menard) (Arhoolie Records)
- 1981 : Oh What a Night (Arhoolie)
- 1998 : Made in Louisiana (Voyager)
- 2003 : The Savoy Family Band Cajun Album (Arhoolie)
Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band
Albums
- 1983 : Home Music (K7, Arhoolie)
- 1987 : With Spirits (K7, Arhoolie)
- 1989 : Two-Step d'Amede (Arhoolie)
- 1992 : Home Music with Spirits (Arhoolie)
Live album
- 1994 : Live! At the Dance (Arhoolie)
Compilation album
- 2002 : The Best of (Arhoolie)
Savoy-Smith Cajun Band
Album
- 1996 : Now and Then (Arhoolie)
Films
- 1972 - Spend It All
- 1981 - Southern Comfort. Directed by Walter Hill.
- 1989 - J'ai Ete Au Bal (I Went To The Dance). Directed by Les Blank.
- 1990 - Yum Yum Yum! A Taste Of Cajun And Creole Cooking. Directed by Les Blank.
- 1991 - Marc & Ann. Directed by Les Blank.
References
- Berman, Leslie (January 2003). "Savoy fare: the *real* family values of Marc & Ann Savoy.(Sound Recording Review)". Sing Out!. 47 (3).
Marc Savoy (pronounced 'SAH-VWAH') turns back to his worn workbench covered with accordion parts and pauses to compose himself.
- Nyhan, Pat; Rollins, Brian; Babb, David (1997). Let The Good Times Roll!: A Guide to Cajun & Zydeco Music. Portland, Maine: Upbeat Books. pp. 116–117. ISBN 9780965823203. OCLC 38128267.
- Govenar, Alan (2001). "Marc Savoy: Cajun Accordion Maker and Musician". Masters of Traditional Arts: A Biographical Dictionary. vol. 2 (K-Z). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-Clio. pp. 546–548. ISBN 1576072401. OCLC 47644303.
- "NEA National Heritage Fellowships 1992". www.arts.gov. National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Marc Savoy. |
- Savoy Music Center
- Marc Savoy at AllMusic
- Marc Savoy discography at Discogs
- Marc Savoy's love for the music of his culture is rooted deep in his own family. Barry Jean Ancelet, Meloche.net
- Marc Savoy interview at Rootsworld