Biography
Clarence Joseph Garlow (February 27, 1911 – July 24, 1986) was born in Welsh, Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana, and moved to Beaumont, Texas, as a child. He learned fiddle as a youngster and later mastered guitar and accordion in his teens, with his guitar style influenced by T-Bone Walker. Working in factories, he debuted in 1949 on Macy's Records with 'She's So Fine' b/w 'Blues As You Like It,' followed by his breakthrough hit 'Bon Ton Roula' in 1950, a rhythm and blues-laced zydeco song blending Cajun elements with swirling rhumba rhythm that reached #7 on the Billboard R&B chart, introducing Louisiana music to a national audience.
Garlow toured Texas and Louisiana post-hit, releasing variations like 'New Bon Ton Roula' and recording for labels including Lyric, Aladdin, Flair, Feature, Folk Star, and Goldband through the 1950s. In 1954, he opened the Bon Ton Drive-In in Beaumont and toured with Clifton Chenier as the 'Two Crazy Frenchmen.' By the late 1950s, he shifted to DJing on KJET's Bon Ton Show until 1961, later working in radio in Orange, Texas, and as a mail carrier. He made infrequent local performances in the early 1980s, including the 1984 San Francisco Blues Festival, before passing in Beaumont at age 75.
Known for R&B, jump blues, Texas blues, and Cajun/zydeco styles, Garlow pioneered blending these genres. His legacy endures through 'Bon Ton Roula's' influence and compilations like the 2003 Clarence Garlow album, cementing his role as the first zydeco performer with a national R&B hit.
Fun Facts
- Garlow was described as a 'black Cajun' and was the first zydeco performer to achieve a hit on the national R&B charts with 'Bon Ton Roula' in 1950.
- He opened the Bon Ton Drive-In in Beaumont in 1952, naming it after his hit song.
- Garlow hosted the Bon Ton Show on KJET radio in Beaumont until 1961 while working as a DJ.
- His song 'Please Accept My Love' was later recorded by Jimmy Wilson (1958) and became a hit for B.B. King, reaching #9 on Billboard R&B.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- T-Bone Walker - guitar playing influence (general style influence on Garlow's recordings) [teenage years, pre-1949]
Key Collaborators
- Clifton Chenier - touring partner billed as the Two Crazy Frenchmen (live tours) [late 1954]
Connection Network
External Links
Tags: #blues, #new-orleans-r&b, #r&b
References
Heard on WWOZ
Clarence Garlow has been played 5 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.