Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, December 29, 1998

Lawrence Walker, Aldus Roger kept the tradition alive

by Jim Bradshaw

When anyone asks the question, "Who were the best of the Cajun accordion players?" the names of Lawrence Walker and Aldus Roger are always on the list.

Lawrence Walker, perhaps best known for his "Reno Waltz," was born near Scott in 1908 and learned the fiddle from his father, Allen Walker, who was a well-known musician in the area . The Walker family moved to east Texas when Lawrence was a young boy, and he first began to perform there with his brother, Elton (who played fiddle), and "The Walker Brothers Group." They recorded several songs during the 1920s and 1930s on the Bluebird label.

After World War II, Lawrence returned to Louisiana and began to play regularly at the OST Club in Rayne, the Welcome Club in Crowley, and the Jolly Rogers Club in St. Martinville. Johnnie Allan, who earned his own reputation as a classic swamp pop artist, began his musical career playing with Lawrence Walker. He says that Walker was a perfectionist, and that this was reflected not only in his own accordion playing, but in the sound of the entire band.

"He would make sure that everyone's instrument was perfectly tuned, then he would keep all his musicians in line about how loud to play, the style he liked, and the sound he wanted to produce," Allan said.

Ann Allen Savoy in her book, "Cajun Music, Reflection of a People," gives a typical comment about Aldus Roger: "(His) band, the Lafayette Playboys set the standard for the modern traditional Cajun dance hall band. Mr. Roger, himself, is considered one of the three or four best accordion players to come out of Cajun music., the idol of many young accordion players who followed." Roger, who was born in 1916, began playing the accordion before he was 10 years old.

"My daddy (Francis Roger) used to have an accordion. I would steal it from my daddy and go to the barn arid play until I was tired, then I'd bring it back to the house," he said in an interview with Savoy.

He began playing dances when he was in his early 20s, but continued as a carpenter to make a living.

"I worked every day and played every night," he recalled.