Cedric Watson

Cedric Watson is a Creole artist from southern Louisiana who plays the fiddle and accordion, writes his own songs, and sings them. He made his full-length solo debut in 2008 with the Grammy-nominated album Cedric Watson after establishing himself a few years earlier in collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:786IOgcZbyqrWKQRyc4PIV">the Pine Leaf Boys</a> and others. Born in 1983, Watson grew up in Sealy, Texas and later moved to Lafayette, Louisiana, where he found a musical scene befitting his talents. He made his commercial recording debut in 2004 on the album L'Autre Bord de l'Eau by the Savoy-Michot Cajun Band. The critically acclaimed album earned the Savoy-Michot Cajun Band praise from Offbeat magazine, which gave them its award for Best Emerging Cajun Band of 2004. In the wake of this acclaim, bandleader <a href="spotify:artist:2nchFsD8SVE2Xb5kQZNroe">Wilson Savoy</a> (accordion, fiddle, vocals) and Watson teamed up in a new Cajun band, <a href="spotify:artist:786IOgcZbyqrWKQRyc4PIV">the Pine Leaf Boys</a>, who made their album debut in 2006 with La Musique on Arhoolie Records. Around this same time, Watson was featured on a few other albums: Goin' Down to Louisiana (2006), a collaboration with Corey Ledet (accordion) on Valcour Records; Allons Boire un Coup (2006), a compilation on Valcour; and Les Amis Creole (2006), a collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:1KzJWqlec6Q3SP2JE4os6K">Edward Poullard</a> (accordion, fiddle, vocals) and James Adams (guitar) on Arhoolie Records. The second <a href="spotify:artist:786IOgcZbyqrWKQRyc4PIV">Pine Leaf Boys</a> album, Blues de Musicien (2007), was nominated for a Grammy Award. Watson left the band at this point and embarked on a solo career as a Creole artist. He made his full-length solo debut in 2008 with the Grammy-nominated eponymous album Cedric Watson. His second album, the likewise Grammy-nominated L'Ésprit Créole (2009), features the backing band <a href="spotify:artist:5OykVhXm5X4y3ns6OHbrsn">Bijou Créole</a>. The band is comprised of Mike Chaisson (frottoir), Blake Miller (bass), <a href="spotify:artist:24y0T0KOLcsXbPCSbbkvJG">Chris Stafford</a> (guitar), and Jermaine Prejean (drums). ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi