Blind Uncle Gaspard
Encyclopedia
Alcide "Blind Uncle" Gaspard was a blind
vocalist and guitarist from Louisiana
who alternated between string-band music (in a band with his brothers) and traditional Cajun
balladry on his recordings for Vocalion. Born in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana in 1880, he became blind when he was 7. Gaspard formed his first band with his brothers Victor and Amade. When he began recording in the late 1920s, it was as a backing guitar
ist for fiddle
r Delma Lachney. He also recorded on his own at the same sessions. Little else is known about Gaspard, though four of his sides (and a few of his appearances with Lachney) appear on the Yazoo
compilation Early American Cajun Music released in 1999. Gaspard died in 1937.
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
vocalist and guitarist from Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
who alternated between string-band music (in a band with his brothers) and traditional Cajun
Cajun
Cajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
balladry on his recordings for Vocalion. Born in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana in 1880, he became blind when he was 7. Gaspard formed his first band with his brothers Victor and Amade. When he began recording in the late 1920s, it was as a backing guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist for fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
r Delma Lachney. He also recorded on his own at the same sessions. Little else is known about Gaspard, though four of his sides (and a few of his appearances with Lachney) appear on the Yazoo
Yazoo Records
Yazoo Records is an American record label, founded in the late 1960s by Nick Perls. It specializes in early American blues, country, jazz, and other rural American genres ....
compilation Early American Cajun Music released in 1999. Gaspard died in 1937.