RICHARD L. FORD

Richard L. Ford was born and raised in Raceland, Louisiana. He started playing the drums at age of 13 with some

friends from school. They played in places from Grand Isle to Houma.

After he left Raceland, he had the pleasure of playing music with Jerry Raines in Morgan City. He also recorded

Cajun music with Clifton Fonseca, Jimmy Trahan and Vin Bruce.

He moved to Marrero and started playing drums with Jr.

Blanchard, E.J. Blanchard, Nolan Dufrene and Billy Rawls.

They played at Tarzan's in Des Allemands, the Green Door in Paradis and the Old Fireman's Hall in Westwego.

His next group was, "The Beverly Hillbillies", whose members were Ray Freeman and A. J. Foret. This band played

at the Swamp Inn, Canal Bank Inn, The Moulin Rouge, The Robert E. Lee and many parties and weddings. Richard

also worked with A.J. Foret, Bob & Vernon in a Jazz band in the French Quarter, in the Marriott Hotel and at the

Aquarium of the Americas.

He then decided it was time to put his own group together with Ray Freeman, David Adams and Leo on the steel

guitar.

The band was named, "Blue Velvet" and played just about every venue on the Westbank plus private parties and

weddings.

On his nights off he would go "sit in" with musicians like Buddy Frank, Wayne and Aaron Foret, Ray Freeman,

Skeeter Thomassie and Cliff Fonseca, not to mention playing for countless of fund raisers. Richard also enjoyed

playing in church for a while

Born on June 22, 1955 in Westwego, Louisiana,

Ricky Benoit is the son of Clinton and Velma Thibodaux Benoit. Ricky has one brother Gabe and one sister, Mary

Blanchard.

Ricky started playing music when he was 14 years

old and has been playing for the past 38 years.

Influenced by the Rock & Roll sounds on AM radio, he played with a little group called, The Backstops"; followed by

groups like, "Ash", and "3 Toed Foot". His music preferences began to change and Ricky formed a band called,

"Dixie" which played Swamp Pop and Country music. Then he formed a band called,

"Southern Knights" which lasted for 10 years.

In 1998, Ricky met his wife Kelly Collins Benoit

and joined the Collins family band named, "The Country Dee Jays. " Ricky has played with such musicians as Vin

Bruce, Harry Anselmi and Tommy Warren to name a few and has played in places like, The Armadillo Club, Gabby's,

Silverado, The Pub, The Cobra, Frontier's, Rome's Lounge and PJ's Fed Pond.

Ricky has one daughter, Chelsie and one son, Blaine along with two step children Fasia and T.C.

Griffin.

Ricky enjoys being in the family band and hopes to be in the music business for many years to come

Born September 27, 1950, in Houma, Louisiana, I was raised in Cut Off, along with my sister

Marsha and my brother Andy by our parents Steve and Rena Plaisance.

I graduated from Larose Cut Off

Jr. High and South Lafourche High School. I attended Nichols State University for 2 years and completed courses in

accounting, computers and electronics from Spencer Business College and Louisiana Vocational Technical School.

Studying drums in Junior High and High School, gave me a great sense of timing, even though I ended up making a

living playing keyboards. After teaching myself to play guitar I starting performing with the Jaguars at 14 years of age

in 1964. The Jaguars, which consisted of Aaron Fanguy, Richard Savoie, Greg Comeaux, Jerry Gisclair and myself,

was one of the first teen bands to ever exist in the South Lafourche area. Shortly after becoming aware that we had

three guitarist, basically playing the same thing, I jumped to keyboards as it was a necessity to improve the group's

ability to cover more material. It was an easy step for me since I had been teaching myself piano from years earlier.

In 1965 I joined the Moon Spinners. They were a well managed teen band that was a force in the Battle of the Bands

and clubs in the area. Shortly after the Beatles hit the radio waves, I grew some hair and realized the attention and

respect a musician received was reason enough to pursue music as a career.

My first big break came on June 20, 1969, when my idols Debby and The Ladds, asked me to join

the group. A few months later, on Sept 18, 1969, we signed a record deal with Paula Records, moved to Shreveport,

Louisiana and recorded Nite Owl. The record had great success locally, across the United States as well as abroad.

The band was renamed The Bad Habits, and as the record gained popularity, we

enjoyed success with television work, personal appearances, concerts, club dates and record signings. We recorded

an album, which was never released, as well as several singles which were released and received notable radio play.

Our songs were tracked in Billboard Magazine for months. During my stay with the Bad Habits we performed solo

concerts around the country and well sharing the stage with such great bands as The Rascals, Smith, Sugar Loaf,

Vanilla Fudge, Edgar Winter and others.

I also had the honor and privilege to serve as a studio musician at The Ronnie Cole studio, Studio

in the Country, Floyd Swallow Records, Robin Hood Bryan Studio in Tyler Texas, Sound Stage Studio in Shreveport,

and several studios in the Nashville, Tennessee area. I recorded for many legends, such as Brook Benton, The Next,

who won the B97 radio talent contest in New Orleans, and so many of my friends in the music business of which I

have recorded in studios locally, to numerous to mention. Last year I was fortunate enough to work in a local studio

with Jim Riley, the current drummer for Rascal Flats on an album project. I have always owned and operated my own

recording studio as well. My studio, The Upstairs Studio, has recorded countless local artist, including Vin Bruce,

Gene Rodrigue, Doc Guidry, Seabrook, Bayou Kings, Collin's family, Gilligan, Wade Bernard, and many others. Also,

many of the swamp pop artist have sang and/or played for the studio on different projects. I would personally like to

thank all of the un-sung heroes who rarely get any credit for studio work like, Pookie Anselmi, Buddy Benoit, Harry

Anselmi, Johnny Pennison, Ronny Arcement, Jon and Lynn Hargis, Carl Soudilier, and so many others. These great

musicians have worked on many projects for me and my studio.

After enjoying the success of Nite Owl and My Baby Specializes with The Bad Habits, I moved to

Lafayette, Louisiana and worked with Johnny Soul, Stone, Nation, where I fist backed up Percy Sledge, Rick and

Dianne and the Country Sunshine Band, Wrangler Competion Winner, Wade Bernard, Seabrook, and others...

I worked as a duo for many years, playing piano, Hammond B3 organ, kicking bass pedals and singing with Wade

Bernard and later with Kevin Lasseigne through the Dusty Case Booking Agency out of Texas. The duo's worked

several of the more up-scale dinner clubs, country clubs and hotels from New Mexico to North Dakota.

1 received great fulfillment as pianist for South Lafourche Baptist Church, where I served for a few years and equally

enjoyed local success with the group Seabrook until we moved to Murfeesboro, Tennessee in 1988. In Tennessee 1

ran an electronics business and worked as a solo pianist Middle Tennessee State University and many other private

functions. I also was blessed to serve as pianist at a New Hope Baptist Church in Christiana, Tennessee for several

years. Playing bass guitar in a successful blue grass band was a fun and unique experience departure from keys. We

remained in the Nashville area for 14years.

My family and I then move to Pensacola, Fl. where I worked with Cliff Darby, an up and coming

country singer/song writer, working clubs and other venues in that area.

Finally, in 2002 I moved back to my roots, Cut Off, Louisiana, where it all started some 44 years earlier. I re-joined

Seabrook and worked for a couple of years. I was honored to play piano for Joe Barry's funeral a couple of years ago

and again honored to play piano for Kim Dufrene's funeral recently. I also performed with the Bayou Kings, Gary T.,

Treater Band, Jr. Lacross, Emmet Boudreaux, Vin Bruce, Joe Barry, D.J.Collins and many others until 1 joined The

Blue Eyed Soul Revue in 2006.

1 am currently working with BER and enjoying the opportunity to back such greats as Percy

Sledge, Jimmy Clanton, Tommy Mc Clain, Al "Carnival Time" Johnson, Clarence "Frog Man" Henry, Troy Shondelle,

Jerry Rains, Roy Head, Tommy Mc Clain, Clint West, Charles Mann, Gilligan, and so many other national and local

artist. We have played most of the area's festivals, including Jazz Fest, and performed at many casinos as well as

carnival tableaus and clubs. On my space, please check out The Blue Eyed Soul Revue for pictures and information.

Dee Dee Broussard was born on April 18, 1930 to Mary Hank Broussard and Marcel Broussard in Carencro,

Louisiana.

Dee Dee grew up in Carencro and attended Opelousas Elementary School.

At about the age 25, Dee Dee Broussard move to the west bank. He married Mary DeSalvo Broussard. Dee Dee

Broussard was married to Mary and resided in Marrero, Louisiana, until the time of her death in 2005.

Dee Dee and Mary had two girls, Marie Broussard Matherne and Sandra Broussard Abadie.

Dee Dee has 4 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.

Dee Dee remarried to Barbara Lacrosse in 2006 and now resides in Gretna, Louisiana.

Dee Dee Broussard taught himself to play drums at about the age of 20. He later formed his own band, Dee Dee and

the Rockabilly's.

Over the years, Dee Dee Broussard played with many local musicians. He played drums for Alan Fontenot for about

5 years. Dee Dee also played with the Delta Boys Cajun Band with Nick Contranchis, Carl Contranchis, Billy Joe

Webb, Clincy Gros, Smokey Guthrie. He played with Jerry Morvant, his brother Leslie Broussard, Harold Laverne,

Dudley Vicknair, Sr., Benny Chaisson, Lionel Foret, Al Louvelle, Big Al Foret and many others.

Dee Dee Broussard played at places such as the Sunrise Inn in Crown Point, the Monaco Bar in Marrero, The last

Round-Up, The Tip Top in Marrero, The Swamp Inn in Westwego, The Canal Bank In in Westwego, The Launch in

Pearlington Mississippi, Ronnie's Bar in New Orleans, the Keyhole, Fuzzy's Bar in Lafitte, the Blue Angel Inn in Belle

Chasse, and many others

Born on July 19, 150 to Vincent, Sr. and Madeline Gilmore Baldassaro, Vincent Jr. has 2 brothers Joey and Danny

and 2 sisters, Sharon and Patricia. Vincent attended Marrero Jr. High School and graduated in 1968 from West

Jefferson High.

His junior & senior years of high school he played keyboard with a band called, "The Silhouettes" that played at the

Lafitte Grill every Saturday night. To play there, every band had to know how to play "Matilda". He then played with

different bands which played at fraternity houses and lounges like, The Encore, The Sands, Soul City and the Tahiti

Club on the Westbank.

In April of 1972, he joined "Kingsroe". They played at the Captain's Quarters and numerous BOL dances for different

social and carnival clubs and wedding receptions.

In January of 1989, two singers from "Kingsroe" and Vincent started a group called, "Strictly Business" which lasted

till Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005.

In April of 2002, Vincent along with all the members of

"Kingsroe" were inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

In March of this year, he began playing with the band,

"FlipSide" with singer Chuck Cavet who recorded the song

"Bells In My Heart". Vincent is still presently playing with

"FlipSide

Hi! I am Wendy Folse Foret. I was born on August 9, 1961 to Gatewood

"Pott" Folse, who is a member of the Westbank Musicians Hall of Fame, and Earline Sevin Folse. I am the fifth of six

children. I have four brothers, Rickey, Ronny, Steve and Randy Folse and one sister, Debra Folse Chiasson. I was

born and raised in Raceland, La. and I reside there still. I attended St. Mary's Elementary School, Holy Savior Jr. High

School, E.D White Catholic High School and graduated from Central Lafourche High School. I have been married to

my soul mate, Bobby Foret, for 18 years.

We have two children, Kerry and Lil' Bobby Foret. I am a housewife and mother 24/7 and I double up as a musician

on week-ends.

At five years old is as far back as I can remember. I was already playing piano and singing. At about nine years old,

mom and dad gave me my first guitar. I was so little, it was a three quarter size guitar. My first performance in front of

a live audience was when I was 10 years old. It was at the Central Lafourche High School auditorium, for

intermission, for the Miss Lafourche beauty pageant. I sang "Kansas City". I played flute in the school band and was

the vocalist for the high school stage band. While I was still in high school, we recorded a family album. It was entitled

"Bayou Country Funk". Mom, who played slide trombone and sang, and dad, each had two songs on the album. We

six children had each one song. We also had a church choir. It consisted of three of my brothers, my sister, a sister-

in-law and me. For church, I would have to say we rocked. I have been playing music professionally for 34 years. My

dad, Pott Folse, put me in his band when I was 13 years old. I played music with his band for 16 years.

During that time, we performed in Natchez, Mississippi before Jerry Lee Lewis and at Nicholls State University before

Stonewall Jackson and Jack Greene. We also performed in Washington, D.C. once. I recorded my first 45 in the

1970's in Nashville, Tennessee under Dominion Records label. It was called "Rebel Child" and the B side was "Now I

Lay Me Down To Sleep" which was co-written by Terri Gibbs. My second recording, also on 45, was done at my

dad's studio in Raceland, La. under the Starbarn label. It was entitled "We've Got A Hold On Love" and the B side

was "When You and I Said Good-bye" written by my brother, Rickey Folse. I was also a member of my brother

Rickey's group called the "Country Sunshine Band" who placed in the top ten of a national country star search in

1982. We earned places in shows at the Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee.

On the shows with us were Roy Acuff, Mel Tillis, Tammy Wynette and T.G. Shepperd. Jerry Reed and Dennis

Weaver were the hosts. In 1990, my husband, Bobby Foret, and I played music as a duo until his band, "Southern

Pride", hired me as their female vocalist and rhythm guitar player. While with "Southern Pride" , we were opening acts

for the likes of McBride and the Ride, Neal McCoy and Joe Diffie at a club called "Cowboys" in Houma, La. We

opened up for Ronnie McDowell at Nicholls State University, and we were opening act for a T. Graham Brown

concert for "Oak Entertainment Company" who also featured Pott Folse, L.J.

Foret, Vin Bruce and others. "Southern Pride" was the house band at Bronco's here on the Westbank for quite some

time. I was with them for three years then took a little time off to have Lil' Bobby. When I came back, we downsized

from a six piece band to a three piece and we called ourselves "Down Home". As "Down Home".

, we still play music all up and

down the Westbank and South Louisiana. We've performed twice at the governor's mansion. You may have seen us

at the Moulin Rouge or the Junkyard on numerous occasions, and we frequently play at the V.F. W. in Marrero and

for the AmVets in Westwego. I am honored and proud to be selected to be in the Westbank Musicians Hall of Fame. I

would like to thank any and everyone who helped in any way