Dennis McGee

Dennis McGee stands among the most influential fiddlers in Cajun music history. Though his recording career spanned just five years from 1929 to 1934, he continued to shape generations of Cajun players through appearances at Acadienne festivals and a vast store of traditional material encompassing hundreds of historic Cajun songs.

A cousin presented McGee with his first fiddle. After isolating himself for two days to figure out the instrument, he emerged able to perform two pieces. Six months later he was already performing at house parties across southwest Louisiana.

In the company of second fiddler Sady Courville, McGee journeyed to New Orleans in March and again in October 1929, cutting numerous singles that featured his own compositions “Madame Young Donnez Moi Votre (Madame Young, Give Me Your Sweetest),” “Mon Chere Bebe Creole (My Creole Sweet Mama),” and “The Happy One-Step.” On later sessions he was joined by fellow fiddlers Ernest Fruge and Amedee Ardoin.

Although he also learned accordion and used the squeezebox at several early dances, the fiddle stayed McGee’s principal instrument. A player of pronounced rhythmic drive, he employed seven distinct tunings and commanded an extensive array of dance forms.