D. L. Menard

Biography

Doris Leon 'D.L.' Menard (April 14, 1932 – July 27, 2017) was born in Erath, Louisiana, the only child of Ophy and Helena Primeaux Menard, into a Cajun farming family in Vermilion Parish. His early musical inspirations came from his harmonica-playing father and an uncle in a Cajun band; at age 16, after hearing live Cajun music, he learned guitar from his uncle's bandmate, ordering his first instrument for $11 from a catalog. By 17, he was playing dances, starting with Elias Badeaux's Louisiana Aces band in 1952, which he soon led. A carpenter by trade who built rocking chairs with his wife Louella, Menard was profoundly influenced by meeting Hank Williams in 1951 at the Teche Club, earning him the nickname 'Cajun Hank Williams.'[1][2][3][4]

Menard's career peaked with his 1962 composition 'La Porte En Arrière' ('The Back Door'), inspired by Williams' 'Honky Tonk Blues,' which sold over 500,000 copies and became the most recorded Cajun song ever, according to folklorist Barry Jean Ancelet. Known for his distinctive 'tinny' voice and strumming style—featuring bass runs, up-strokes, and down-strokes modeled after David Bromberg, whom he met in 1973—he performed in over 30 countries as a Cajun culture ambassador, recording in French and English. His style blended country influences with Cajun traditions, and he continued performing into his late 70s.[1][2][4][5]

Menard's legacy includes a 1994 National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, 2009 induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, and a 2010 Grammy nomination for Happy Go Lucky in the Best Zydeco or Cajun Album category. He supplemented music with his chair-making business and remained a storyteller on and off stage until his death in 2017.[1][2][3]

Fun Facts

• When asked what 'D.L.' stands for, Menard jokingly replied 'Darn Lucky.'[2]
• He learned his first songs from a battery-powered radio tuned to Del Rio, Texas, until the battery died annually before cotton harvest.[4]
• 'La Porte En Arrière' was written while working at a gas station and ranked #72 on Rolling Stone's 2014 list of '100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time.'[3][5]
• Menard ordered his first guitar for $11 from Montgomery Ward and upgraded to Sears Roebuck within two months, landing his first gig shortly after.[4]

Associated Acts

• The Louisiana Aces (1952–present)
• Le Trio Cadien

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Hank Williams - major stylistic influence and personal meeting (inspired 'La Porte En Arrière' based on 'Honky Tonk Blues') [1951]
• David Bromberg - influenced guitar strumming style after meeting (adopted bass runs and strokes in Cajun style) [1973]
• Uncle's band guitarist (unnamed) - first guitar teacher (rudimentary chords leading to first gigs) [1948]

Key Collaborators

• Elias Badeaux - early band leader, then Menard took over Louisiana Aces (first dance jobs and band leadership) [1952]
• Terry Huval’s Jambalaya Cajun Band - backing band for later recordings (Happy Go Lucky (2010 Grammy nominee)) [2000s-2010s]
• Sonny Landreth - guest electric slide guitar (Happy Go Lucky) [2010s]
• Marc Savoy, Dewey Balfa - recording collaborators (Under a Green Oak Tree (1976 recording, 1989 release)) [1976]
• Eddie LeJeune, Ken Smith - trio project (Le Trio Cadien (1992)) [1992]

Artists Influenced

• Ann Savoy - codified 'D.L. Menard Style' of Cajun guitar strumming (musician/historian generalizations of styles) [ongoing]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #cajun, #guitarist, #louisiana