Phoebe Legere:

Vive L'Acadie!

Musically, she's done it all, from the most subterranean of underground rock to the swankiest sounds of cabaret. If there was such a thing as a Hall of Fame for American musical eclecticism, she would be--along with Ray Charles, Linda Ronstadt and precious few others--a charter member.

But Phoebe Legere's latest musical journey is to that land we all come back to, no matter how far we travel: Home.

Phoebe Legere has always embraced her French heritage; for as long as she's been a performer, her accordion has been her favorite on-stage partner. French lyrics often cascade from her lips like water from a Parisian fountain.

But now, the sound of francais coming from Phoebe is that of North America. It's coming from a place much closer to her heart and soul--to say nothing of her DNA. The Acadian/Cajun sound--Franco-American soul music--is the sound of today's Phoebe Legere.

That sound is literally in her blood. Part Native American, part French Canadian, Phoebe is steeped in the Acadian musical traditions of her grandparents, as well as the tribal and cultural traditions of the Penobscot/Abenaki tribes of Maine. Those traditions were a joyful and vital part of her Massachusetts upbringing.

"On a Sunday, the Legeres always got together with the Robichauds and the LeBlancs, and we'd make music. The air would be full of the mouth watering smells of tourtiere, salmon pie, ployes, cretons and baked beans."

"A typical gathering would feature my Grandpa Jean-Philippe on accordion, Tante Rosalie on spoons, Daddy on fiddle and a bunch of the boys pounding out a rhythm with their feet. We often played music written by folks in the family, including 'Father Legere's March,' which I still play in my shows."

Thus, Phoebe's fantastic musical journey began. It would take her to Vassar and the New England Conservatory, to the legendary East Village performance art scene of the 1980's (her friends and contemporaries would include Allen Ginsberg, Spaulding Gray and Hunter Thompson, all of whom knew a creative rebel when they saw one), to the top of the cabaret world (piano bars from New York to Nairobi to Singapore to Hong Kong would have their ivories tinkled by Phoebe) to the swing revival of the 1990's. To put it in plain French, Phoebe was in the avant-garde of it all.

But, Phoebe's love for the music which graced her childhood never faltered, even when it was challenged. At age 18 she was signed to a contract by Epic Sony Records. On the day of her signing she brought along her accordion--to the consternation of the label president. "Don't let anyone see you carrying THAT thing!" he admonished her. Who knew that the accordion, an instrument then regarded as musically (as well as literally) "square," would soon become a chief instrument (in all senses of the word) of the great Acadian/Cajun/Zydeco movement? Obviously, Phoebe did. It can honestly be said that Phoebe was Acadian/Cajun before Acadian/Cajun was cool.

Phoebe Legere appreciates and respects where the music comes from as much as she does the music itself. An accomplished and entertaining storyteller, she regales her audiences with stories of her own Franco-American family and its heritage. (One member of her family, her Great Uncle Benjamin Legere, was an organizer--as well as an actor and musician--for the IWW, the "Wobblies." Ben was present at the great Lawrence, Massachusetts textile workers' strike of 1912, the "Bread & Roses Strike." It was therefore very appropriate that Phoebe should appear at the 2006 Bread & Roses Labor Day Heritage Festival in Lawrence--her own way of bringing it all back home.)

Phoebe is long past the days when her accordion--and her ethnic identity--were considered unhip. Today she is an exciting presence at folk festivals, from Bread & Roses in Lawrence to the Blueberry Festival in Wilton, Maine to the River to River Festival in New York City. And, her musical bloodlines are as strong--and as ubiquitous--as ever. The name Legere is ever-present in Canada, New England and Louisiana, and it should surprise no one that many of those Legeres are accomplished and acclaimed musicians. (Her cousin Jess is a famous accordionist; another relative, Ray, is a famous fiddler.)  

Phoebe has never forgotten where she came from, in either a personal or ancestral sense. Her concerts feature both stories and songs of the Native American and Franco-American experiences, including the heartbreak of the first great North American pogrom, the expulsion of the Acadians from Acadia to Louisiana in 1755. But even here, the message is one of inspiration, passion and hope. "I show how the music stayed alive and kept us together during the long years of our struggle. French culture is coming back in America."

Leading the way is Phoebe Legere, entertaining and enlightening all who are blessed to see and hear her. You don't need to know French to love Phoebe; just keep in mind that in French, "legere" means "light."

- Hartley Pleshaw