BIOGRAPHY
Nathan Abshire (1913-1981) was a singer and accordionist from Bayou Queue de Tortue, Louisiana, who became one of Cajun music's defining voices. Playing professionally by age eight, he apprenticed under Creole accordion pioneer Amédé Ardoin and fiddler Lionel Leleux before building his own career by the mid-1950s. His 1949 recording 'Pine Grove Blues' became his signature tune, re-recorded many times over his career. He performed widely at festivals and college campuses, including a 1967 Newport Folk Festival set with the Balfa Brothers, and appeared in documentary films during the 1970s. Despite his recognition, he worked manual labor much of his life, including as overseer of the town dump in Basile, where he died in 1981.