About the Band (Biography)

Lynn

Lynn is a South Louisiana native, born in Church Point, LA. of a Menard - Sonnier collaboration. Left Church Point at the end of his 2nd grade of Our Mother of Peace Elementary School and completed his schooling to the 12th grade at Carencro School.

He started playing tuba in elementary school in the 6th grade and continued throughout high school until he graduated. He and his brother, Leland, self taught themselves to play guitar, using a Mel Bay chord book for instruction, after their father ordered an electric guitar from his company safety awards.

Lynn later played his guitar in church, leading the choir at Assumption Catholic Church in Mire, La.

Leland invited his brother to meet him at the Acadian Village bluegrass festival in Lafayette, La in 2002 or 2003. He told Lynn to bring his guitar to join in the front porch jams. Lynn hasn't been the same since. He instantly took to the simple lyrics and chord progressions and hasn't looked back.

Playing in every jam session he learned about from friends, he found himself playing with a few special friends on many, many occasions. Thus Bayou Bluegrass was formed.

Paul

Paul grew up in Forest Hill in Central Louisana. He preferred mostly country music, but enjoyed listening to the rock of the 70's and 80's occasionally.Paul played electric bass for the youth choir led by his Mom at his church in Forest Hill through his teen years and sang in choirs and ensembles at church and school. Bluegrass came into his life later when his Mom and Dad gave him a banjo for his 40th birthday. He instantly became addicted to bluegrass and played the banjo constantly, and after a couple of years purchased a squareneck resonator guitar. After attending a Pete Wernick jam camp in Baton Rouge, Paul began jamming with groups in Baton Rouge. He has focused on the resonator for the last couple of years and admires the work of current national talents such as Rob Ickes, Jerry Douglas, Andy Hall and Randy Kohrs. One of his favorite pasttimes these days is cutting up with his great friends in the Bayou Bluegrass Band.

Vince

Vince was born to Louisiana-native parents in Houston, TX, but his family moved back to Louisiana when he was two. He grew up in Baton Rouge and got involved in music at an early age. Vince’s first banjo was a Dixie Banjo Uke that he got for his 5th birthday, and he’s loved the banjo since! Vince’s sisters ran a dance studio in their home, so his mom worked out a deal to trade trumpet lessons for Vince with dance lessons for the Smith girls (daughters of the elementary school band director) when he was in the 3rd grade, and he played trumpet all the way through high school.

Vince bought his first 5-string banjo when he was a senior in high school, after hearing the monumental collection Will The Circle Be Unbroken by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and many of the best bluegrass and country artists of the time. In addition to banjo, Vince plays guitar, mandolin, and mountain dulcimer. He sings back-up and some lead vocals.

After spending ten years working in Texas and California, Vince returned to Louisiana in 2002 where he met his second wife, Nicole Broussard Abadie. He has two grown children, his son Corie and his daughter Janet.

Marguerite

Marguerite grew up in the foothills of the Ozarks in a family of singers listening to all kinds of music. After getting her nose out of the books, she moved to Louisiana and began exploring musical instruments. She made her own mountain dulcimer, then moved on to guitar, Irish whistle and mandolin before discovering the fiddle. Pete Wernick's jam camp at Bluegrass on the Bayou was her introduction to bluegrass music and friendships resulting in Bayou Bluegrass.

John

About 1814 or so, John started his music career. Well, really not, but soon he will pass the 65 year mark. Playing in jams and bands around the Baton Rouge and Lafayette area, this Texas-born native has worked with the banjo, mandolin, fiddle and his mainstay, the doghouse bass. He also handles the sound equipment for the Bayou Bluegrass Band and other bookings while contributing his really bad, corny hillbilly jokes. Sometimes they even let him sing. John's preference in music is good bluegrass, ole time Gospel and vintage music of the 1800's.