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The music of Jo-El Sonnier is a way of life. Steeped in passion, relentlessly committed to his craft ... he has been the undisputed 'King of Cajun' for the past 20 years and occupies a significant place in the rich artistic landscape of this country. His fans are undeniably dedicated, while the music industry elite - Dylan, Costello, Diamond, and Cash to name a few - admire his work to no end. He is a 'musician's musician' with a wonderful gift to sing and entertain you in a way often imitated but never duplicated. Jo-El Sonnier was born in Rayne, Louisiana to poor, French-speaking sharecroppers. He began to play accordion at three years of age and as he grew,so did his love for the instrument and his ability to play it. News of this gifted, French-singing child led to a radio debut by age 6 and his first recording session by age 11. As a favorite in local clubs, Sonnier remained a Louisiana sensation during his early adult life, but decided to try his luck in California. He received quite a reputation as a session player, but success as a solo artist eluded him. This led Sonnier back east during the mid-1970s with his sights now set on Nashville, where he landed a recording contract with Mercury Records. After several years of making recordings that failed to gain significant chart success, Sonnier decided to head home once again. Returning to Louisiana, Sonnier nearly gave up the accordion when he received a break from Merle Haggard, who sought Sonnier as his opening act on the road. This positive turn of events spawned a return to Los Angeles, where he began performing solo shows with the help of many notable friends including guitarist Albert Lee and Garth Hudson of 'The Band'. By 1984, just two years after his sojourn had concluded, Sonnier had a Grammy nominated recording to his credit with Cajun Life. The recognition achieved with the success of Cajun Life prov
