Leroy "Happy Fats" Leblanc
| Leroy Leblanc | |
|---|---|
Alex Broussard and Leroy "Happy Fats" Leblanc
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Leroy Leblanc |
| Also known as | Happy Fats |
| Born |
January 30, 1915 Rayne, Louisiana, United States |
| Died | February 23, 1988 Rayne, Louisiana, United States |
| Genres | Cajun |
| Occupation(s) | Accordionist, guitarist, vocalist |
| Instruments | Cajun accordion, guitar, vocals |
| Labels | RCA, Bluebird, Decca, Feature, De Luxe, Rebel |
| Associated acts | Rayne-Bo Ramblers, Happy, Doc, and the Boys |
Leroy "Happy Fats" Leblanc (January 30, 1915 – February 23, 1988) was a Cajun swing musician that recorded with RCA Records in the 1930s and 1940s. He is known for his recordings with Harry Choates and his broadcasts on KVOL. Next to the Hackberry Ramblers, the Rayne-Bo Ramblers were the most popular and innovative of the Cajun string bands.
Leroy was born on January 30, 1915 Rayne, Louisiana to Gilbert Leblanc and Carrie Bird Hoffpauir. He married Della Meche. He traded rice in order to purchase his first guitar.
In 1932, his career started when he played guitar with Joe Falcon and Amedee Breaux. Later, in 1935, he would create the band known as the "Rayne-Bo Ramblers" which started as the backup band for Nathan Abshire and played regularly at the OST Club in Rayne. The band featured people such as "Rang Tang Bully" Joe Werner, Harry Choates, Oran "Doc" Guidry, Nathan Abshire and many more. By 1940, he and Harry recorded their first hit, "La Veuve de la Coulee". In 1941, the band split up and Happy joined Leo Soileau's "Rhythm Boys". Later, he would tour with Tex Ritter and appear on the world-famous Louisiana Hayride.
By 1953, every morning on KVOL, Happy would play popular Cajun bands on his radio talk show. That same year, he would meet with John Pusateri, form the "Bayou Buckaroos", and record with Bella Records of San Jose. In his later years, Happy Fats signed up with J. D. "Jay" Miller's "Red Rebel Records". In 1966, he recorded popular segregationist tunes, including one entitled "Dear Mr. President".
On November 9, 1980, Governor Edwin Edwards declared the day "Happy Fats" Leblanc Day. He suffered from diabetes and died in 1988.
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