Biography
The Bluerunners derive their name from a fish native to Louisiana swamps and operate chiefly as a Cajun rock and roll ensemble, though they also perform traditional Cajun pieces, blues, and funk, making any fixed label impossible. Comparisons to Los Lobos arise frequently, yet the vocals emerge in French rather than Spanish.
Founders Steven Le Blanc and Mark Meaux carry unmistakably Cajun surnames, and the band hails from Lafayette, Louisiana, the core of Cajun territory in the southwestern region of the state. French-language songs appear often, among them the traditional “Ossun 2 Step,” while the bulk of original material is credited to Meaux or Le Blanc. Their cultural background surfaces clearly in the arrangements, yet an inventive quality distinguishes the delivery, most evident when the music itself is heard.
Present members include Will Golden, Adrian Huval, Cal Stevenson, and Chris Courville; earlier participants were Frank Kincel and Bennie Hasha. The self-titled debut appeared in 1991 and supplies vigorous, dance-oriented tracks—music that fails to inspire movement in Cajun country may as well be consigned to the nearest bayou for alligator consumption.
Their 1996 album The Chateau Chuck documents accelerated development as the group drives hard with fiddle and triangle intertwined with wailing saxophone and steel guitar, producing numbers such as “Burn Up the Night.”
Issued in 1998, To the Country presents a fully formed blend of traditional and experimental elements, often within the same selection. “Landslide” illustrates this hybrid approach through trading lines between acoustic fiddle and electric steel guitar, while “Au Bout Du Chemin” and “The Longest Day” further confirm steady growth free of repetition.
Le Grand Bleu, released in 2001, includes former core member Steve Le Blanc on mandolin and fiddle together with Michael Doucet and Mark Meaux, who collectively generate striking fiddle passages; Adrian Huval contributes lyrical accordion. Sonny Landreth supplies slide guitar and Russ Broussard appears on guest drums, while Golden handles saxophone and steel guitar, Stevenson plays bass, and Courville covers drums. Running from “Tout Ca Qui Reste” through “On and On,” the album stands as a high-caliber statement of the Bluerunners at their strongest.
Founders Steven Le Blanc and Mark Meaux carry unmistakably Cajun surnames, and the band hails from Lafayette, Louisiana, the core of Cajun territory in the southwestern region of the state. French-language songs appear often, among them the traditional “Ossun 2 Step,” while the bulk of original material is credited to Meaux or Le Blanc. Their cultural background surfaces clearly in the arrangements, yet an inventive quality distinguishes the delivery, most evident when the music itself is heard.
Present members include Will Golden, Adrian Huval, Cal Stevenson, and Chris Courville; earlier participants were Frank Kincel and Bennie Hasha. The self-titled debut appeared in 1991 and supplies vigorous, dance-oriented tracks—music that fails to inspire movement in Cajun country may as well be consigned to the nearest bayou for alligator consumption.
Their 1996 album The Chateau Chuck documents accelerated development as the group drives hard with fiddle and triangle intertwined with wailing saxophone and steel guitar, producing numbers such as “Burn Up the Night.”
Issued in 1998, To the Country presents a fully formed blend of traditional and experimental elements, often within the same selection. “Landslide” illustrates this hybrid approach through trading lines between acoustic fiddle and electric steel guitar, while “Au Bout Du Chemin” and “The Longest Day” further confirm steady growth free of repetition.
Le Grand Bleu, released in 2001, includes former core member Steve Le Blanc on mandolin and fiddle together with Michael Doucet and Mark Meaux, who collectively generate striking fiddle passages; Adrian Huval contributes lyrical accordion. Sonny Landreth supplies slide guitar and Russ Broussard appears on guest drums, while Golden handles saxophone and steel guitar, Stevenson plays bass, and Courville covers drums. Running from “Tout Ca Qui Reste” through “On and On,” the album stands as a high-caliber statement of the Bluerunners at their strongest.
Albums