California Cajun Orchestra's Danny Poullard
Louisiana Creole Musician Dies from a Massive Heart Attack
At The Age of 63
May 2, 2001
Mark Martin
SF Gate
Funeral services will be held tomorrow for Danny Poullard, a nationally known Cajun accordionist who performed in the Bay Area groups Louisiana Playboys and the California Cajun Orchestra.
Mr. Poullard died Friday of a heart attack at his Fairfield home at the age of 63.
Born in Louisiana to a French-speaking family that loved Cajun music, Mr. Poullard moved to the Bay Area in the early 1960s and became an influential and award-winning musician who shared his love of the accordion with anyone willing to learn. He held jam sessions in his garage every Wednesday night.
"Everyone who plays Cajun accordion in the Bay Area probably learned from Danny," said Suzy Thompson, who played with Mr. Poullard in the California Cajun Orchestra.
Mr. Pollard was born in 1937 in Eunice, La. His father and two uncles played the accordion at local dances before the family moved to Texas when Mr. Poullard was 13.
After moving to the Bay Area, he began playing Cajun music in a group called the Opelousas Playboys. He later formed the Louisiana Playboys, which developed a large Bay Area following.
In 1982, Mr. Poullard helped form the California Cajun Orchestra, which routinely played Saturday nights at the Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Center in Berkeley. The group produced two compact discs, with one -- "Not Lonesome Anymore" -- winning an award for best out-of-state band from the Louisiana-based Cajun French Music Association.
He had recently completed an album with his brother Edward.
Mr. Poullard appeared often at Cajun music festivals around the country and was an instructor at the Augusta Cajun/Creole Week in West Virginia and other music camps. He was featured in two films about Cajun music.
He served in the Army and was a supervisor at the commissary at the Presidio of San Francisco for 30 years.
Mr. Poullard is survived by his wife of 31 years, Ruby Poullard of Fairfield; daughters Michelle Randall of Louisville, Ky., Gloria Poullard of Pittsburgh and Amritha Poullard of Fairfield; brothers John and Edward, both of Beaumont, Texas, and Paul and Anthony, both of Houston; sisters Theresa Fontenot, Grace Broussard, Elizabeth Mouton, Winnie Granger and Dorothy Fontenot, all of Beaumont, Texas, and Catherine Shackleford of Houston; and one grandson.
The rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today at the Fairfield Funeral Home, 21750 Pennsylvania Ave., Fairfield. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 2700 Dover Ave., Fairfield.
The California Cajun Orchestra and several other musicians will pay tribute to Mr. Poullard with a performance at 8 p.m. Saturday at Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Center, 1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley.
Louisiana Creole Musician Dies from a Massive Heart Attack
At The Age of 63
May 2, 2001
Mark Martin
SF Gate
 |
Danny Poullard
January 10, 1937 - April 30, 2001
"Creole Traditionalist"
|
Mr. Poullard died Friday of a heart attack at his Fairfield home at the age of 63.
Born in Louisiana to a French-speaking family that loved Cajun music, Mr. Poullard moved to the Bay Area in the early 1960s and became an influential and award-winning musician who shared his love of the accordion with anyone willing to learn. He held jam sessions in his garage every Wednesday night.
"Everyone who plays Cajun accordion in the Bay Area probably learned from Danny," said Suzy Thompson, who played with Mr. Poullard in the California Cajun Orchestra.
Mr. Pollard was born in 1937 in Eunice, La. His father and two uncles played the accordion at local dances before the family moved to Texas when Mr. Poullard was 13.
After moving to the Bay Area, he began playing Cajun music in a group called the Opelousas Playboys. He later formed the Louisiana Playboys, which developed a large Bay Area following.
In 1982, Mr. Poullard helped form the California Cajun Orchestra, which routinely played Saturday nights at the Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Center in Berkeley. The group produced two compact discs, with one -- "Not Lonesome Anymore" -- winning an award for best out-of-state band from the Louisiana-based Cajun French Music Association.
He had recently completed an album with his brother Edward.
Mr. Poullard appeared often at Cajun music festivals around the country and was an instructor at the Augusta Cajun/Creole Week in West Virginia and other music camps. He was featured in two films about Cajun music.
He served in the Army and was a supervisor at the commissary at the Presidio of San Francisco for 30 years.
Mr. Poullard is survived by his wife of 31 years, Ruby Poullard of Fairfield; daughters Michelle Randall of Louisville, Ky., Gloria Poullard of Pittsburgh and Amritha Poullard of Fairfield; brothers John and Edward, both of Beaumont, Texas, and Paul and Anthony, both of Houston; sisters Theresa Fontenot, Grace Broussard, Elizabeth Mouton, Winnie Granger and Dorothy Fontenot, all of Beaumont, Texas, and Catherine Shackleford of Houston; and one grandson.
The rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today at the Fairfield Funeral Home, 21750 Pennsylvania Ave., Fairfield. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 2700 Dover Ave., Fairfield.
The California Cajun Orchestra and several other musicians will pay tribute to Mr. Poullard with a performance at 8 p.m. Saturday at Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Center, 1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley.
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