Dennis Mcgee

Biography

Dennis McGee (January 26, 1893 – October 3, 1989) was a pioneering Cajun fiddler born in Bayou Marron near Eunice, Louisiana, to a family of French, Irish, and Seminole descent. Orphaned by his mother at age two, McGee grew up speaking French and was immersed in the rural musical traditions of southwestern Louisiana. He received his first violin at age 14 and was performing at local dances within six months, quickly mastering the region’s diverse repertoire of 19th-century French parlor dances, including waltzes, two-steps, reels, mazurkas, polkas, and cotillions.

McGee’s career began in earnest in the 1920s, when he formed a musical partnership with Creole accordionist Amédé Ardoin, making some of the earliest commercial recordings of Cajun and Creole music in 1929. He also collaborated extensively with fiddlers Sady Courville (his brother-in-law) and Ernest Frugé, as well as accordionist Angelas LeJeune. These recordings are among the few surviving examples of pre-accordion Cajun fiddle music, preserving a style that bridged older French musical forms and the emerging Cajun sound. McGee’s intense, archaic fiddle style—later known as the “McGee style”—became a foundational influence on Cajun music.

Throughout his long life, McGee remained a vital figure in Louisiana’s musical landscape, performing at festivals, on radio shows such as 'Prairie Home Companion,' and on college campuses well into his 90s. He directly taught or influenced three generations of Cajun fiddlers, ensuring the survival of a rich musical heritage. McGee’s legacy endures as a crucial link between the 19th-century French musical traditions of Louisiana and the modern Cajun sound.

Fun Facts

• Dennis McGee was one of the oldest performing Cajun musicians, playing at festivals and on radio into his 90s.
• His mother was half Seminole Indian and half French, giving McGee a unique cultural background that influenced his music.
• McGee’s earliest recordings included not just Cajun waltzes and two-steps, but also rare forms like the mazurka, varsovienne, and cotillion.
• Sady Courville, his close collaborator, once requested his name be omitted from early record labels due to the social stigma attached to Cajun music at the time.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• McGee's grandfather - Taught Dennis the fiddle and the repertoire of 19th-century French parlor dances (Traditional dance tunes) [circa 1907-1910]

Key Collaborators

• Amédé Ardoin - Creole accordionist and vocalist; recorded and performed together, producing some of the earliest Cajun and Creole music recordings (Recordings from 1929 onward) [1920s–1930s]
• Sady Courville - Brother-in-law and musical partner; played second fiddle and recorded with McGee (Recordings from 1929, live performances) [1920s–1930s]
• Ernest Frugé - Fiddler; replaced Sady Courville as McGee’s second fiddle partner (Recordings and performances) [1930s]
• Angelas LeJeune - Accordionist; performed and recorded with McGee (Recordings and performances) [1927–1934]

Artists Influenced

• Three generations of Cajun fiddlers - Directly taught or indirectly influenced through his archaic style and repertoire (Numerous Cajun musicians cite McGee as a foundational influence) [20th century]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Ma chérie bébé créole (Les haricots sont pas salés (Legendary Masters of Cajun and Creole Music))
2. Happy One Step (Cajun Classics)
3. Les Blues De Voyage (American Epic: The Collection)
4. Happy One Step (It's Cajun Time!)
5. Two-Step d'Elton (I'm Never Comin' Back)
6. Les Blues de Voyage (I'm Never Comin' Back)
7. Frugé's Reel (Reel a Fruge) [Instrumental] (La vieille musique Acadienne)
8. Mon Chère Bébé Créole (The Complete Early Recordings Of Dennis McGee)
9. Happy One Step (The Complete Early Recordings Of Dennis McGee)
10. La Valse de Gueydan (I'm Never Comin' Back)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia