These days it’s difficult to find much of anything that truly represents an American regional culture. That’s why a group like The Revelers stands out as much as they do. This Grammy-nominated band hails from what is arguably the most musically fertile area of the country, Southwestern Louisiana. They combine the different sounds of the region, characterized by Cajun, Zydeco, Swamp Pop, Honky Tonk, and even Rock 'n Roll with their own original material - to represent not only Louisiana’s musical traditions, but where things might be headed in years to come. Some have called The Revelers a “Louisiana supergroup,” since they were formed by founding members of both The Pine Leaf Boys and The Red Stick Ramblers (two of the most popular and highly regarded bands to come out of Louisiana). The Revelers, however, have gone beyond that hype by making a mark of their own, blazing a trail with their busy tour schedule and incendiary live show - and curating the ongoing popular Blackpot Festival held each year in Lafayette in late October. Their songs, sung in both in French and English, have become Louisiana dancehall standards, and have been featured on the nationally syndicated HBO show “Treme” as well as Anthony Bourdain’s hit show “No Reservations.” Linda Ronstadt, who has covered one of their original songs, is a big fan of the group. Their latest full length “Get Ready” was nominated for a Grammy this past year in the Regional Roots category, further establishing their reputation as a group to sit up and take notice of.
On this latest EP release, The Revelers play Swamp Pop Classics Volume Two, the Revelers revisit the genre of Swamp Pop, of which they have become the new torch bearers. Bringing like-minded songs into the genre is key to the evolution of the Swamp Pop tradition, and there are very few artists with the know-how and daring to pull off such an endeavor.
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