Biography
Born in March 1, 1962 in Abbeville, Louisiana, his father, Ophey Trahan, encouraged him to learn to play accordion, which he did along with guitar, bass, drums and fiddle.
After living in the Dallas Texas area for a few years and playing local clubs and festivals with other musicians who loved Cajun Music, John moved to Nashville with his friends Stephan and Linda Dudash. In a few months, both John and Stephan were on the road with Country artist Janie Fricke. Unable to hold back the Cajun music, John was featured in her shows performing Cajun songs that had the crowds on their feet. After his time with Janie Fricke, John was ready to get back in the heart of Cajun Country and moved back to Lafayette. John played with a multitude of different bands including Hadley Castille, Mamou and File’, Trahan, Reed and Vidrine and Cajun Tradition. John was also playing in a three piece band with Merlin Fontenot and the late Jimmie Domengeaux, the magic between the three of them started the band John Trahan Avec Le Group Acadiana. La Louisianne owners David and Carol Rachou were impressed with what they heard and worked with Johnnie Allan to get new material for the band to record their first CD. The album project yielded multiple C.F.M.A. nominations. The Cajun hit "Le Vieux Bourge Sur Le Borde du Chemin”, written by Johnnie Allan, is still being requested today. After moving back to Texas in 1993, John was called by legendary Country artist Eddy Raven to do a few shows. Over the years, John performed with Eddy all over the country and also recorded "Live at Billy Bob's Texas".
After John's Father passed away in 2000, he self-admittedly “hit a wall, creatively” and did not perform much up until now. Trahan recently completed recording what he calls “a tribute to his influences and mentors” in which he salutes the Cajun music he grew up listening too with his parents as well as shows his love for the state of Louisiana. He chose the title “My Louisiana" for two reasons. One, the song titled "My My Louisiana" really captures the emotions an exiled Cajun living away from home and two, the entire CD really is Louisiana music that is sung and played from the heart.
“Recording this new project in my home studio allowed me to pause and be inspired musically by looking back without pressure and to move forward creatively enjoying each and every moment,” Trahan says. “I had always wanted to do an album that would pay tribute to the music and artists that shaped who I am as a Cajun musician. Even though I’m known as a somewhat contemporary Cajun artist, I think it has always been obvious that I have a great reverence for our Cajun music heritage. After years of reflecting, I am coming into this album renewed, refreshed and reenergized. I am excited to get going and make new music.”
The title track, "My My Louisiana" was co- written by Eddy Raven and Jimmy C Newman and makes its debut on John's CD. The change to record this song written by two of the best songwriters from Louisiana is definitely a blessing. The best of the best musicians Louisiana who performed on the CD include Mitchell Reed, Joe Rogers, Beau Thomas, Jamey Bearb, Mike Burch, Murnel Babineaux, Lee Allen Zeno, Al Berard, Jimmy Breaux and Doug Belote. Along with some surprise guest musicians who really helped make this project something really special.
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