Biography
Errol Verret stands out as a revered player of the Cajun accordion, a talent he pairs with the skill of constructing these instruments himself. His approach to performance merges traditional Cajun tones with distinctive personal touches. For nearly a decade, he contributed to Beausoleil as one of its members, later lending his accordion playing to the Basin Brothers. Additional collaborations brought him alongside Chet Atkins, Emmylou Harris, and Richard Thompson. Beyond the albums created during his time with Beausoleil and the Basin Brothers, his contributions appear on recordings by Jo-El Sonnier, Sonny Landreth, Canray Fontenot, and Dennis McGee, to name a few. Venues across the United States, Europe, and Canada have hosted his performances, including such notable spots as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Lincoln Center, and the Smithsonian-sponsored Festival of American Folk Life.
Hailing from Louisiana’s Atchafalaya River Basin area, Verret holds membership in the Louisiana Crafts Program as a master artisan whose Cajun accordions earn widespread admiration. He extends his craftsmanship to boat building, where he is recognized as an expert, having produced traditional craft like houseboats and pirogues that reflect the Atchafalaya region’s heritage. In 1991, a grant enabled him to mentor an aspiring boat builder. During the middle of the 1980s, another grant from the National Endowment for the Arts supported his partnership with master boat builder Albert Latiolais. Culinary pursuits also engage him, particularly the mastery of classic Cajun dishes including gumbo and crawfish étoufée. Beth Verret, his spouse, served five years as director of the Festival International de Louisiane before succumbing to cancer in 1998 at the age of 41.
Hailing from Louisiana’s Atchafalaya River Basin area, Verret holds membership in the Louisiana Crafts Program as a master artisan whose Cajun accordions earn widespread admiration. He extends his craftsmanship to boat building, where he is recognized as an expert, having produced traditional craft like houseboats and pirogues that reflect the Atchafalaya region’s heritage. In 1991, a grant enabled him to mentor an aspiring boat builder. During the middle of the 1980s, another grant from the National Endowment for the Arts supported his partnership with master boat builder Albert Latiolais. Culinary pursuits also engage him, particularly the mastery of classic Cajun dishes including gumbo and crawfish étoufée. Beth Verret, his spouse, served five years as director of the Festival International de Louisiane before succumbing to cancer in 1998 at the age of 41.