On this past Saturday’s show, I had the pleasure and honor of meeting the one of a kind Louisianan, Debbie LaGrange. She’s a songwriter, which is a title she only started claiming a few years ago. Personally, I think she’s been a songwriter all along–she just officially tapped into it back in 2016.
Debbie spent her career as an operating room nurse in her beloved Arnaudville, Louisiana. She’s always had a keen interest in the arts, and the French language and culture of Louisiana. She’s an excellent writer and world class storyteller, and I hesitate to tell you too much of her story here, because it’s better when delivered in her own words, which you’ll hear in our interview, and can read on her website.
Ten years ago, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. That’s one of many setbacks she’s had to deal with. It helped focus her priorities, and in 2017, she wrote and recorded her first song, realizing a lifelong dream. Now in 2020, she’s got a few more songs under her belt, and a new one coming out this week: “La Chanson des Moustiques” (“The Mosquito Song”). This one is special. She collaborated with Louis Michot and the Melody Makers (full disclosure: Louis is a favorite radio interviewee of mine), and to her great pleasure and surprise, was treated as an equal by these legendary musicians. She and Louis actually have a lot in common. Both live in Arnaudville–which has become a bastion of the arts over the past few years, and both are keepers of the flame of the Cajun French language and culture. The song and the title itself have a special meaning too–Debbie explains it way better than I could.
I was enthralled by her stories, and full discloure–after our long, deep conversation on the air, we continued the long, deep conversation off the air for a while after that. And yes–we do talk about food. A lot. Check out Debbie’s story–and perhaps pick up one of her beautiful, custom-designed T-shirt at https://www.mosquitotees.com/ And check out the song itself, featuring Debbie’s vocals, at https://michotsmelodymakers.bandcamp.com/track/la-chanson-des-moustiques-the-mosquito-song.
Check out all the other great music on the show as well. This one was packed to the brim. Enjoy!
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