Hall Of Fame
The Lake Charles Chapter’s Hall of Fame began under the direction of Joe Bonsall in 1990, three years after the chapter’s formation. It began with a group of inductees voted by the Hall of Fame Board and the induction of Cajun Musicians who had been inducted into the Hall of Fames at the Lakeshore Club, in Lake Arthur, and Belizaire’s, in Crowley.
The Lakeshore Club Hall of Fame was the brainchild of Joe Bonsall, “T-Brud” Forester, and Jerry Dugas. Inducted into the Lakeshore Club and Belizaire’s were a large group of the pioneers of Cajun music: Nathan Abshire, Amade Ardoin, Robert Bertrand, Joe Bonsall, Amade Breaux, Sidney Brown, Jerry Dugas, Joe Falcon, Atlas Fruge, Percy Fuselier, “Shorty” LeBlanc, Ivy LeJeune, Walter Mouton, Austin Pitre, Belton Richard, Aldus Roger, Milfred Simon, and Lawrence Walker.
By the late 1980s, the Lake Charles Chapter of the CFMA decided to create a Hall of Fame that would be housed under their chapter. The Hall of Fame at the Lakeshore Club had ceased operation and the members were moved to the Lake Charles Chapter and inducted on May 5, 1990. Also inducted at that time were the charter members of the newly formed Lake Charles Chapter, Hall of Fame: Fernest “Man” Abshire, John Loyd “Tee Bruce” Broussard, Lesa Cormier, Lionel Cormier, Wallace Derouen, Austin “T-Brud” Forester, Floyd J. LeBlanc, Wilson LeJeune, Darrell Higginbotham, Phil Menard, Larry L. Miller, Hilrae Mott, Sr., and Alvin Myers.
Excepting four years, numerous singers, fiddlers, accordionists, guitarists, bassists, drummers, disc jockeys, record producers, and steel guitarists have been inducted. The Hall of Fame is currently at the Lake Charles CFMA Chapter building on East Prien Lake Road in Lake Charles. Induction ceremonies are usually held each November at the chapter building. The plans are to build a permanent CFMA Museum where the Hall of Fame and other information and memorabilia about Cajun music in southwest Louisiana will be displayed to the public.
In 1991, Joe Bonsall turned the operation and direction of the Hall of Fame over to Phil Menard and Della Mott. Following their retirement Joe Simon handled this position for two years. Currently the Hall of Fame curator is Renee Daigle.