Bios

Kurt Daigle (drums) was born in Lake Charles, La. He first became interested in playing music at the age of 15 and began playing guitar and then the drums. He has played and recorded gospel music, swamp pop, country and Cajun music. He's performed with Theresa Trahan, Charlie and the Bayou Bandits, August Broussard, The Calcasieu Ramblers,and The Spicy Cajun Band. Kurt has earned the nickname "Wild Man" of the band because of his energetic drumming style. Kurt's wife, Renee, is his biggest fan and almost never misses a performance and Kurt's daughter, Morgan, sometimes sings with the band. Kurt likes to hunt deer and squirrel when he isn't playing.

	Kurt Daigle (drums) was born in Lake Charles, La. He first became interested in playing music at the age of 15 and began playing guitar and then the drums. He has played and recorded gospel music, swamp pop, country and Cajun music. He's performed with Theresa Trahan, Charlie and the Bayou Bandits, August Broussard, The Calcasieu Ramblers,and The Spicy Cajun Band. Kurt has earned the nickname "Wild Man" of the band because of his energetic drumming style. Kurt's wife, Renee, is his biggest fan and almost never misses a performance and Kurt's daughter, Morgan, sometimes sings with the band. Kurt likes to hunt deer and squirrel when he isn't playing.
	Karl Deshotels (guitar and bass) was born in Ville Platte,La. and began playing Cajun and country music at age 8. He also plays accordion and has played with the Tate Cove Ramblers, and The Spicy Cajun Band. Karl mixes the sound or as his fellow band members say, "Karl puts the ear in the sound." Karl is an electrician and a cattle farmer and in his leisure time he likes to hunt and fish. Karl's father Ellis wrote an award winning song The Porch Swing for the band in 2001. Karl still lives in Ville Platte and has two children.
	Don Fontenot (accordian and vocals) was born in Opelousas, La. and now resides in Grand Prairie (10 miles east of Ville Platte). Playing guitar since the age of 20, Don was given an accordion by his grandmother in 1992. Self-taught on both guitar and accordion, Don quickly learned some of the basic Cajun songs and graduated to the more difficult melodies with the help of jam sessions and friends. Starting with W.D. Fontenot and the Cherokee Playboys, Don began playing accordion regularily in 1994 and was a member of the Tate Cove Ramblers. Listed as influences for Don's aggressive and upbeat playing style are Aldus Roger and Austin Pitre. Don is married to Millie and has one son.
	Layton W. Thibodeaux, Sr. (bass, guitar, and vocal) was born in Lake Charles, La. Layton started playing country, Cajun and rock 'n roll at the age of 12. In the mid 1980's, he played guitar in Cajun bands, namely Buford Galley and the Holly Playboys, August Broussard and the Calcasieu Ramblers, Bobby Leger, The Lake Charles Playboys and The Spicy Cajun Band. In 1996, he started playing bass guitar and now plays bass with Les Amis De La Louisiane. Layton resides in Basile,La. with his wife, Judy, and seven of his eight children. Layton enjoys playing Cajun music and bringing our music heritage to other parts of the country via his radio show played live Saturday mornings on the internet on Louisiana Proud KBON 101.1FM.
	Mark Young (fiddle and keyboard) was born in Mamou, La. Mark started playing guitar at home and in 1976 Austin Pitre took him underwing and let him play with his band. Austin also convinced Mark to learn to sing Cajun songs. In 1976 Mark and Jamie Berzas started the band Cajun Tradition. They cut their first album, La Veille Facon, in 1990 which was nominated for a grammy. Mark and Jamie played together for 19 years. Mark stopped playing for a while and then met Don Fontenot and joined Les Amis De La Louisiane. He is very enthusiastic about his fellow musicians and their music. Mark can play a variety of instruments and has played lead guitar and vocals with Willis Prudhomme and Zydeco Express. He also loves to hunt and restore classic cars. Mark is married to Carol and has two children and three grandchildren.