Biography
It was her marriage to a New Orleans jazz musician nicknamed "Slow Drag" that apparently prompted Annie Pavageau to pursue sacred singing, yet anyone seeking to hear the outcome of that shift has little material available—just five recordings she made as singer and pianist from 1961 to 1974. Her spouse, Alcide "Slow Drag" Pavageau, had begun his long career in the Big Easy by playing guitar with The Undertakers as early as 1915; over time he gained fame as a marvelous dancer before becoming recognized as one of the great bassists in classic jazz.
Annie Pavageau, by contrast, did not commence her recording career until the last decade of her husband’s life. The central item in her discography remains the 1970 Soutland album issued under the name Annie Pavageau and the Morning Star Choir. In an interview she remarked simply, "Any kind of music make you feel good--blues or church music. It's the sincereness of it--that's what make you feel good." Several tracks on a release by bandleader Jim Robinson, among them "In the Sweet Bye and Bye," also showcase her distinctive vocal approach, with the slow drag of her husband anchoring the rhythm section.
Annie Pavageau, by contrast, did not commence her recording career until the last decade of her husband’s life. The central item in her discography remains the 1970 Soutland album issued under the name Annie Pavageau and the Morning Star Choir. In an interview she remarked simply, "Any kind of music make you feel good--blues or church music. It's the sincereness of it--that's what make you feel good." Several tracks on a release by bandleader Jim Robinson, among them "In the Sweet Bye and Bye," also showcase her distinctive vocal approach, with the slow drag of her husband anchoring the rhythm section.
Albums