For the past 34 years, Louisiana’s BeauSoleil has carried the torch of tradition while charting new waters with ingenuity and innovation. Their 2009 release Alligator Purse is not only a vibrant testament to BeauSoleil’s healthy spirit but is easily their most adventuresome recording yet. Since their founding in 1975, BeauSoleil has not only spearheaded a cultural Renaissance, but has elevated Cajun music to international acclaim.

Along the way, they have appeared regularly on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion and garnered ten Grammy nominations. In 1998, they became the first Cajun band to win a Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album. BeauSoleil won a 2009 Grammy for their Live CD from the 2008 New Orleans Jazz Festival. While they’ve introduced legends like Dewey Balfa and Freeman Fontenot to new audiences, they’ve also daringly blended zydeco, Tex-Mex, western swing, and calypso into their music. In 2005, BeauSoleil won the Big Easy Entertainment Award once again and founder Michael Doucet was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship.