Johnny Allan performs with Gregg Martinez and the Delta Kings.

In the 1960s and ’70s, fans jitterbugged and two stepped while Johnnie Allan sang, danced and pranced in dancehalls, like the Southern Club in Opelousas and the Jungle Lounge in Ville Platte. In 2025, Allan traded prancing for a stool at center stage.

Many fans don’t dance. They stare, take pictures and shoot cell phone videos.

“I wasn’t 87 years old back then,” laughs Allan about his early years. “I don’t have to spell i...