Albums

Dennis McGee & Sady Courville

“Twin Fiddles from the Cajun Prairie”

Quick Intro

Dennis McGee and Sady Courville were among the first Cajun musicians to record commercially, preserving a pre-accordion fiddle style rooted in 19th-century French parlor dances. Their 1977 album La Vieille Musique Acadienne, released on Swallow Records (LP-6030), revived their historic sound for a new generation and remains a cornerstone of Cajun music scholarship.

In-Depth Profile

Dennis McGee (1893–1989), born near Eunice, was a master of archaic Cajun fiddle styles including reels, mazurkas, and contredanses. His musical partner and brother-in-law, Sady Courville (1905–1988), provided second fiddle accompaniment with rhythmic precision and deep regional knowledge. Together, they recorded seminal 78s in 1929 for Vocalion, including “Madame Young” and “Courville and McGee Waltz.”

After decades of musical dormancy, McGee and Courville reunited in the 1970s amid a cultural revival. Their Swallow LP La Vieille Musique Acadienne (1977) captured the raw, unfiltered sound of Cajun fiddle duets, recorded live with minimal production. The album includes traditional pieces like “Happy One Step,” “Valse des Vachers,” and “Adieu Rosa,” showcasing their mastery of pre-accordion Cajun repertoire.

The duo performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, college campuses, and on NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion. McGee was named Honorary Dean of Cajun Music by the University of Southwestern Louisiana and performed at the 50-yard line of a Ragin’ Cajuns football game with Courville and protégé Michael Doucet.

Signature Tracks

  • “Courville and McGee Waltz” — A haunting twin fiddle piece that became the standard for Cajun duet playing

  • “Happy One Step” — A lively dance tune with syncopated bowing and melodic interplay

  • “Adieu Rosa” — A melancholic farewell waltz, rich in phrasing and emotional depth

Notable Accomplishments & Awards

  • Swallow Records Release — La Vieille Musique Acadienne (1977), catalog #LP-6030

  • Early 78 RPM Recordings — Vocalion sessions from 1929, including “Madame Young” and “Mon Chère Bébé Créole”

  • Featured on NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion and at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

  • Dennis McGee named Honorary Dean of Cajun Music by University of Southwestern Louisiana

Bonus Notes

  • McGee’s style predates the accordion era, preserving dances like the varsovienne, cotillion, and mazurka

  • Courville ran a furniture store in Eunice and played fiddle on Mamou radio into the 1980s

Album Reviews

La Vieille Musique Acadienne
 Swallow Records, 1977

“This is Cajun music before the accordion—raw, rhythmic, and reverent. McGee and Courville’s twin fiddles evoke a lost world of prairie dances and parlor reels.”

Praised by folklorists and collectors, the album remains one of the most authentic representations of early Cajun fiddle music. Its unvarnished sound and historical significance make it a prized entry in Swallow’s catalog and a must-have for any serious archive.