al ferrier

Biography

Alfous Glenn Ferrier (August 19, 1935 – January 6, 2015) was an American rockabilly, country, and Cajun musician born in Olla, Louisiana, who became known as the "King of Louisiana Rockabilly."[3] Growing up in a large musical family with seven brothers and three sisters, Ferrier was influenced by country legends like Jimmie Rodgers, Grandpa Jones, and especially Hank Williams, whose intense vocal style shaped his own singing approach.[3] He began playing guitar at age eight and by his early teens had formed Al Ferrier & the Boppin' Billies with his two older brothers, Brian (electric lead guitar) and Warren (fiddle and double bass), creating a distinctive fusion of country, Cajun, and early rock 'n' roll that defined the Gulf Coast sound.[2][3]

Ferrier's recording career began in March 1955 at Eddie Shuler's primitive studio in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he recorded for the Goldband label.[3] His first released single, "No No Baby" (April 1956), transformed an R&B song into raw swampy rockabilly and sold well locally.[3] Though he recorded several tracks that would become classics—including "Let's Go Boppin' Tonight," later rerecorded as "Hey Baby" for Jay Miller's Excello label in 1957—commercial success largely eluded him during the 1950s.[3] After retiring from professional performance in the early 1960s, Ferrier continued to perform in family settings and experienced a resurgence during the European rockabilly revival of the 1970s, when J.D. Miller recorded him and his "New Boppin' Billies" in 1975.[3] His later work included the 1990 LP "Greetings from Louisiana" on Jin Records and a 1996 gospel album, "Help Me Keep the Faith," marking his transition to religious music.[2][3] Though he never achieved widespread commercial recognition, Ferrier's authentic recorded legacy became increasingly collectible and important to rockabilly history, and he was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2012.[3]

Fun Facts

• Ferrier met the young Elvis Presley while performing on the Louisiana Hayride radio show, one of the most widely audible country music programs of the era.[1]
• Eddie Shuler, the engineer who recorded Ferrier's first sessions, waited a full year before releasing "No No Baby" in April 1956, despite it being recorded in March 1955.[3]
• Ferrier's classic rockabilly track "Let's Go Boppin' Tonight" was initially recorded for Goldband Records but remained unreleased during the 1950s; it only became available to the public years later when Shuler began releasing previously unreleased masters from his back catalog.[3]
• In 1980, Ferrier received an award from the Mayor of Natchitoches City for 25 years in the music business, recognizing his long-standing contributions to Louisiana's music scene.[1]

Associated Acts

• Al Ferrier & His Boppin’ Billies
• Al Ferrier & His New Boppin' Billies

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Hank Williams, Sr. - Major stylistic influence on Ferrier's intense vocal delivery and emotional singing approach (General influence on vocal style) [1940s-1950s]
• Eddie Shuler - Early recording engineer and producer who discovered Ferrier and gave him his first recording opportunity at Goldband Records studio in Lake Charles ("No No Baby" (1956), early Goldband recordings) [1955-1956]
• J.D. (Jay) Miller - Producer and studio owner who worked with Ferrier after he left Goldband, providing better equipped recording facilities and co-writing credits ("Hey Baby"/"Let's Go Boppin' Tonight" (1957), Excello and Rocko label releases) [1957-late 1950s, 1975]

Key Collaborators

• Brian Ferrier - Older brother and exceptionally talented electric lead guitarist; core member of Al Ferrier & the Boppin' Billies (Al Ferrier & the Boppin' Billies recordings, Goldband and Excello singles) [1955-1957, 1975]
• Warren Ferrier - Older brother playing fiddle and double bass; founding member of Al Ferrier & the Boppin' Billies who later left to pursue religious pursuits (Early Boppin' Billies recordings (1955-1956)) [1955-1956]
• Katie Webster - Pianist who played on Ferrier's studio recordings with J.D. Miller ("Hey Baby"/"Let's Go Boppin' Tonight" (1957)) [1957]
• Warren Storm - Percussionist who played on Ferrier's Excello recordings with J.D. Miller's studio crew ("Hey Baby"/"Let's Go Boppin' Tonight" (1957)) [1957]
• Louisiana Swamp Cats - Backing band for Ferrier's performances into the 2000s (Live performances) [2000s]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #rockabilly