A brief history of La Louisianne Records & Recording Studios

During the mid 1950s, Carol Rachou owned and operated a local stereo and record shop in downtown Lafayette called the Music Mart. Being a musician himself, Carol experimented recording a few groups in the back of his store and released them on the Jazz at the Music Mart label. It wasn't until the late 50s that he was approached by local Cajun musician & songwriter Alex Broussard. Alex wanted him to record a song called "Le sud de La Louisiane" about the Cajuns exile to South Louisiana. Having being raised in South Louisiana by parents who spoke primarily Cajun french, Carol had no problem understanding the words to this song and agreed to record it. Carol, however, felt it was inappropriate to release this on the Jazz at the Music Mart label, and hence the name La Louisianne Records was born! It has been many years since that event, but Hundreds of Cajun, Swamp Pop and R & B recordings were released on this label. Since Carol's retirement in the early 1980s, his son David has taken over the operation of the company and continues to release fine recordings of South Louisiana Music!!

Around 1958, Carol Rachou decided that he enjoyed the recording aspect of the music business and since there weren't any studios in Lafayette, why not build one. His mother and father had a grocery store in front of their home and decided that they were tired of the grocery business. With some major renovations, La Louisianne Recording studio was up and running. Carol started out with a single Telefunken microphone and an Ampex one track recorder. He engineered thousands of recording sessions not only for his own label, but for many other labels & producers world wide. The studio still continues to record many sessions under the direction of Carol's son David and has complete Twenty Four track capability. Located at the original location, La Louisianne Recording Studio continues the tradition of recording South Louisiana music!

La Louisianne's Catalog of Cajun Music

La Louisianne's Order Form