Happy Birthday, Doug Kershaw!
John Dunlop
Fiddle player, singer and songwriter Douglas James Kershaw was born on January 24, 1936, in Tiel Ridge, Louisiana, surrounded by Cajun fiddle and accordion music. He played the fiddle from the age of five, and had mastered it before he learned English at the age of eight. His first gig was at a local bar, where he was accompanied by his mother on guitar. Playing music continued as a family affair, with Doug forming the Continental Playboys in 1948 with his brothers Nelson (“Peewee”) and Rusty Kershaw , whom he had taught to play guitar. Peewee left the group in the early 1950s, and Rusty and Doug continued performing as a duo. Although they initially sang in French, they were persuaded to incorporate English into their repertoire, and their first single, “So Lovely, Baby” went to number 14 on the country music charts. Shortly thereafter, they became members of the Louisiana Hayride cast, and after appearing at the Grand Ole Opry, they became regular members to the Opry’s cast a year later.
Despite the demands of a music career, Doug earned a degree in Mathematics, and he and his brother enlisted in the army in 1958, at the height of their early career. After fulfilling their three-year military obligation, the brothers recorded an autobiographical song that Dough had written while in the Army, “Louisiana Man.” The song not only sold millions of copies, but it is considered a standard of modern Cajun music, and was eventually covered by more than 800 artists. The brothers released three albums before going their separate ways in 1964.
By 1969, Kershaw had sold more than 18 million records and "Louisiana Man" had been a Top 10 country hit. He became widely known in mainstream America as he played at major concert venues and events. He made his first network television appearance on the debut of the Johnny Cash Show, and was the opening act for Eric Clapton's Derek and the Dominos’ week-long engagement at New York City's Fillmore East. Warner Bros. Records signed him to a long-term contract, and he performed at the Newport folk festival along with Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Don McLean, Big Mama Thornton, and Arlo Guthrie. In November 1969, "Louisiana Man" was broadcast back to earth by the crew of the Apollo 12 moon mission.
Despite his success, Kershaw experience a family tragedy at an early age, and he suffered from depression and sorrow. He battled drug and alcohol abuse until 1984, when he rebounded with his biggest selling hit, “Hello Woman”. In 1988, he scored a Top 50 country hit with “Cajun Baby”, which he recorded with Hank Williams, Jr. In 2009, Doug was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Today we celebrate the numerous accomplishments of this legendary performer, and wish him a very happy birthday!
