Inspiration for songs can come from the most unlikely places. Even a routine band practice can spark an award-winning tune. Just ask Cajun accordionist Don Fontenot.

“My guitar player, Karl Deshotels, and his dad live in Tate Cove,” said Fontenot. “One day, his dad Ellis was sitting there watching us play. He tells us he had written a couple of songs and we could listen to them. If we like them, we could have them. We listened to them and fell in love with them.” So did the Cajun French Music Association. Fontenot and his Les Amis de la Louisiane Band won four Le Cajun awards, the CFMA’s version of the Grammys, at the annual three-day music festival held August 17 at Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette.

Fontenot and friends won Band of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year honors. Le Necessaire (The Necessities), their CD released on Louisiana Proud Records, claimed Best Recording of the Year. “The Porch Swing,” a song from the CD written by Ellis Deshotels, was named Song of the Year. “That’s a song about an old man and lady sitting on the porch,” said Fontenot. “Their children have moved away and they remember where they used to play. The grass used to never grow there and now the grass is grown. The old house is abandoned. It’s a really nice song.” Other top Le Cajun winners include Travis Matte (Fiddler of the Year), Lee Benoit (Accordionist of the Year) and Christine Balfa (Female Vocalist of the Year). Jason Frey and Travis Matte with Lagniappe won Best First Recording of the Year for their CD, A La Vielle Maniere (The Old Way), on La Louisianne Records.

While Don Fontenot’s inspiration came from an unlikely source, Christine Balfa’s motivation is in the blood. Balfa only had her dad and uncles, legendary Cajun fiddler Dewey Balfa and the Balfa Brothers, playing in her living room every night. Christine’s first child is bound to follow in her footsteps, even though she’s still two months from being born. “When I play the guitar, it’s right there on top of her,” said Balfa, who is seven months pregnant. “She’s really calm while we play. She doesn’t really move around. It seems to soothe her. But after I play, she really starts moving. She’s either getting back at me or she wants more. I’m hoping she wants more.” Balfa, who sings and plays guitar in Balfa Toujours with her husband Dirk Powell, was pleased by her top female vocalist honor. The award was based on the band’s latest CD, Live at Whiskey River Landing, on Rounder Records. “It’s a honor to get recognized in my home area,” said Balfa. “It’s something that people from this area vote on and do to recognize their local artists. It was nice to hear how much people enjoyed the CD. We have a tendency to record more acoustic versions of what we do and not so much of the dancehall sound. We love doing all the different styles that move us. Whiskey River is such a wonderful club and it has such a great atmosphere. It was the perfect place to capture that sound.”

Balfa’s recognition comes as her career is in high gear and facing the major changes of pregnancy. With six CDs under her belt, Balfa maintains a hectic touring schedule with Balfa Toujours, an eight-year-old band dedicated to her father Dewey, a National Heritage Fellowship winner. Balfa Toujours has traveled as far as Australia, Hong Kong, Germany and England just in the past year. Balfa recently played in St. Louis and Chicago with the Magnolia Sisters, an all-female Cajun band.

Earlier this year, Balfa Toujours, along with zydeco musicians Keith, Brad and Jennifer Frank, played as the Louisiana Renegades in the upcoming film, Coastlines, directed by Victor Nunez. Work on a Louisiana Renegades recording, including additional musicians, will begin in September. Balfa serves as executive director of Louisiana Folk Roots, a non-profit organization dedicated to the traditional Louisiana folk culture, particularly Cajun and Creole heritage. With offices in downtown Breaux Bridge, Louisiana Folk Roots sponsors a weekly “Fait a la Main” (handmade) series highlighting local crafts and culture.

This fall, the series will feature gardening with Louisiana native plants and fiddle lessons. Louisiana Folk Roots held its first Dewey Balfa Cajun and Creole Heritage Week last spring at Lake Fausse State Park in St. Martinville. The camp offered daily classes in music, dance, language, cuisine and native crafts of the reasons. The successful camp attracted more than 100 campers, most of whom were from outside the area. Balfa aims for more local participation in the 2002 camp, set for April 14-21. Balfa’s breakneck music career is about to come to a screeching halt. In preparation of her due date of December 3, Balfa is set to take six months off from traveling. She plans to return to the bandstand at a much less feverish pace. A baby has brought new priorities. “We’ll probably do some local stuff, then start traveling to a few festivals next summer. Traveling takes a lot more out of me, but I feel good. I’m really looking forward to this next phase. I’m 33 and it’s amazing how much of a nesting bug I have now. I want to be at home more and get the house ready for the baby. Traveling has been a wonderful phase, especially getting to see the world with my husband. But I always knew it was only temporary. Balfa Toujours will always be, but it’s not going to be the same.”

Traveling has also become a part of Don Fontenot’s short, but remarkable career. Fontenot and band have played as far away as Branson, Missouri at Cedric Benoit’s Cajun/Zydeco Festival. They’ve scheduled fall gigs performing for large Cajun dance groups in Atlanta and Birmingham, Alabama. Fontenot, an Opelousas native who now lives in Grand Prairie, did not play accordion until his grandmother gave him a squeezebox in 1992. With the help of jam sessions and friends, Fontenot learned his instrument and played with W.D. Fontenot and the Cherokee Playboys. He began playing regularly in 1994 and released his first CD, Fier d’etre Cajun (Proud to be Cajun), just two years ago. The disc claimed Best First Recording of the Year honors. Despite his growing success, Fontenot can’t see life was a full-time musician. He welcomes the regular checks from his job in computer network management at Cabot Corp. in Ville Platte. Plus, band members have other commitments. “My career has gone way beyond anything I ever thought,” said Fontenot. “We all have full-time jobs and families and we want to keep it that way. There’s not a lot of money playing music. And the life of a musician is like a job. Now, it’s like a hobby for me and I don’t want to play and not enjoy it.”

In news from the zydeco world, Carlton Thomas, a.k.a. Guitar Thomas, died Tuesday, September 4 at a Lake Charles, Louisiana hospital. Thomas, 57, performed and recorded with Boozoo Chavis for over 25 years and was an original member of Boozoo’s Magic Sounds Band. Thomas’ funeral was held September 8 at St. Henry Catholic Church in Lake Charles.