Belton Richard

Although Belton Richard no longer appears onstage with the frequency he maintained while leading the Musical Aces from 1959 forward, many compositions he wrote years earlier remain staples in current repertoires. Contemporary Cajun groups continue to perform his material on a regular basis. Several of those pieces reached audiences across Louisiana and neighboring territories, including “Un Autre Soir Ennuyant,” drawn from Jimmy Clanton’s “Another Sleepless Night,” and “Le Paradis des Musiciens.” He also cut French-language renditions of additional titles such as “The Streak,” on which Floyd Soileau supplied the announcer’s voice, and “Behind Closed Doors.”

In addition to his songwriting, Richard is recognized as an accomplished accordionist and vocalist. The Cajun Music Hall of Fame listed him among its first inductees in 1997. Other distinctions include the Signature Award presented by the Rayne-Acadia Parish Hall of Honor in 2000. His readiness to adopt fresh techniques surfaced on the 1993 album Modern Sounds in Cajun Music. After retiring from recording in 1987, he reentered the studio in 1996 with I’m Back, issued by Swallow Records; the preceding year the Festivals Acadiens were dedicated to him.

Born in Rayne, Louisiana, in 1939, Richard first handled the accordion under his father’s guidance, although reports differ on the precise age—some sources cite seven, others twelve. Rock & roll briefly held his attention during his teenage years, yet in 1959 his Cajun background prompted him to form the Musical Aces. The band is noted for introducing the electric bass to the genre and may well have been the first Cajun ensemble to feature the instrument.