Paul Scott: A helping hand for Creole Culture
Scott To Receive Richard J. Catalon
at Creole Culture Day on Sunday, June 7, 2015
June 3, 2015
by Herman Fuselier
The Advertiser
Paul Scott admits he had little interest in zydeco music when he graduated from Opelousas High School in 1982. That same year, a strange concept, something called a zydeco festival, was launched in the nearby community of Plaisance.
A year later, Scott was selling tickets at the event – the Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival. Thirty years later, zydeco festivals stretch from California to Raamsdonksveer, Holland.
"My interest was in the fact that there was an organization putting on an event that was black owned and black run," said Scott. "It was something that was thought of as not being very popular.
"I said I'm going to go give them a hand. I was 19 years old and stood in the road selling tickets. I just kept sticking my nose in more and more. It just went on from there."
Scott's work in music, festivals, culture and economic development have earned him the Richard J. Catalon Sr. Creole Heritage Award. He'll receive the honor at 11 a.m. Sunday during the annual Creole Heritage Day at Vermilionville.
Admission is free to this day-long event, which features live music, film screenings, cooking and craft demonstrations, children's activities, boat tours and more.
Scott's cultural activity has helped grow some of the region's most renowned events. For 20 years, Scott served as the assistant director of the Zydeco Festival in Plaisance, which created a template for similar celebrations across the globe.
As a past board member and current production worker, Scott has seen Festival International de Louisiane develop into a major player on the world festival stage. His management work with the Step-N-Strut Trail Ride has helped the event attract more than 10,000 fans annually to St. Landry Parish. Scott is an active member of Holy Ghost Catholic Church and helped mold its Creole Festival.
Besides his full-time job at the Alon USA refinery in Krotz Springs, Scott, along with his wife Theresa, own Babe Rentals, which refurbishes houses in old Opelousas neighborhoods. He remains active in several community housing developments that help local residents find affordable places to live.
Scott said his busy life is patterned after his mentors, such as Wilbert Guillory, founding director of the Zydeco Festival, zydeco radio pioneer Luke Collins and A. J. McKnight, former Holy Ghost pastor.
"I look at this award as an opportunity bring recognition to people who helped me," said Scott. "I was just riding the ship. Will Guillory let me tag along for all those years. So many people I used to hang with.
"We stood in front of Slim's Y-KI-Ki (dancehall) and handed out brochures night after night after night. I thank Will for allowing me to run amuk. If it sounded good, he went with it. I didn't mind it either."
Scott plans to remain active in hometown and cultural activities for years to come. He hopes to inspire a new generation of activists, just as his mentors motivated him.
"I grew up on The Hill, the black Harlem of Opelousas. We had clubs, restaurants, hair places, hotels, cafes, all black owned.
"Business was always somewhere around. There was always a way to make a living. There's always a way to get out there and get it – no matter what study tells you this is an economically-depressed area.
"The game plan of the United States still works. It's been copied time and time again and I haven't seen one beat it yet. Even doing illegal operations, you can't get rich doing illegal operations and be lazy. You got to get up and go to work."
Want to go?
Creole Culture Day
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
Vermilionville, 300 Fisher Road
Scott To Receive Richard J. Catalon
at Creole Culture Day on Sunday, June 7, 2015
June 3, 2015
by Herman Fuselier
The Advertiser
 |
Paul Scott, recipient of the 2015 Richard J. Catalon Creole Heritage Award, stands at Slim's Y-Ki-Ki, the historic zydeco dancehall in Opelousas.
(Photo: Leslie Westbrook, The Advertiser)
|
A year later, Scott was selling tickets at the event – the Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival. Thirty years later, zydeco festivals stretch from California to Raamsdonksveer, Holland.
"My interest was in the fact that there was an organization putting on an event that was black owned and black run," said Scott. "It was something that was thought of as not being very popular.
"I said I'm going to go give them a hand. I was 19 years old and stood in the road selling tickets. I just kept sticking my nose in more and more. It just went on from there."
Scott's work in music, festivals, culture and economic development have earned him the Richard J. Catalon Sr. Creole Heritage Award. He'll receive the honor at 11 a.m. Sunday during the annual Creole Heritage Day at Vermilionville.
Admission is free to this day-long event, which features live music, film screenings, cooking and craft demonstrations, children's activities, boat tours and more.
Scott's cultural activity has helped grow some of the region's most renowned events. For 20 years, Scott served as the assistant director of the Zydeco Festival in Plaisance, which created a template for similar celebrations across the globe.
As a past board member and current production worker, Scott has seen Festival International de Louisiane develop into a major player on the world festival stage. His management work with the Step-N-Strut Trail Ride has helped the event attract more than 10,000 fans annually to St. Landry Parish. Scott is an active member of Holy Ghost Catholic Church and helped mold its Creole Festival.
Besides his full-time job at the Alon USA refinery in Krotz Springs, Scott, along with his wife Theresa, own Babe Rentals, which refurbishes houses in old Opelousas neighborhoods. He remains active in several community housing developments that help local residents find affordable places to live.
Scott said his busy life is patterned after his mentors, such as Wilbert Guillory, founding director of the Zydeco Festival, zydeco radio pioneer Luke Collins and A. J. McKnight, former Holy Ghost pastor.
"I look at this award as an opportunity bring recognition to people who helped me," said Scott. "I was just riding the ship. Will Guillory let me tag along for all those years. So many people I used to hang with.
"We stood in front of Slim's Y-KI-Ki (dancehall) and handed out brochures night after night after night. I thank Will for allowing me to run amuk. If it sounded good, he went with it. I didn't mind it either."
Scott plans to remain active in hometown and cultural activities for years to come. He hopes to inspire a new generation of activists, just as his mentors motivated him.
"I grew up on The Hill, the black Harlem of Opelousas. We had clubs, restaurants, hair places, hotels, cafes, all black owned.
"Business was always somewhere around. There was always a way to make a living. There's always a way to get out there and get it – no matter what study tells you this is an economically-depressed area.
"The game plan of the United States still works. It's been copied time and time again and I haven't seen one beat it yet. Even doing illegal operations, you can't get rich doing illegal operations and be lazy. You got to get up and go to work."
Want to go?
Creole Culture Day
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
Vermilionville, 300 Fisher Road
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