Marc Savoy
Marc Savoy (/sɑːˈvwɑː/ sah-vwah)[1] (born October 1, 1940)[2] 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 in 2009 | |
Background information | |
Born | Near Eunice, Louisiana, U.S. | October 1, 1940
Genres | Cajun |
Occupation(s) | Accordion maker, accordionist |
Instruments | Cajun accordion |
Associated acts | Savoy Family Band, Savoy Doucet Cajun Band, |
Website | http://www.savoymusiccenter.com/ |
Early life
He was born on his grandfather's rice farm near Eunice, Louisiana. 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.[3]
Career
Savoy holds a degree in chemical engineering[4] but his primary income is derived from his accordion-making business, based at his Savoy Music Center in Eunice. His wife is the singer and guitarist Ann Savoy, whom he met in 1975 and married in 1977.[4] 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.
Awards and honors
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.[5]
Discography
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)
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)
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.
- "Marc Savoy: Cajun Accordion Maker/Musician". www.arts.gov. National Endowment for the Arts. n.d. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- 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. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
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