Ervin Joseph Bruce was born in April 25, 1932 from a Daddy that was a great fiddle player and was raised on waltzes, two-steps and the crodilles either on live music, old needle phono or battery radio. Vin’s Grandmother was a musician too.He grew up the son of a farmer and trapper near the small town of Cut Off, which lies about sixty miles southwest of New Orleans. Jimmie Rodgers and Ernest Tubb were the favourites around and Vin got the luck to meet Ernest back stage at the New Orleans Municipal Auditorium. The tall Ernest Tubb gave the wise advice to sing its own style and to forget to try to sing like any other guys. About fifteen, Vin was hired by Gene Rodrigue and became for a while member of the Louisiana Troubadours. For a short time he was also member of Dudley Bernard’s band, The Southern Playboys. Accordion being not popular in them neck of the woods they don’t played much Cajun song except "Big Texas" and "Jolie Blonde". By then Lafourche Parish had around 42.000 people and a large part of them being white. The biggest town was Thibodaux settled as a town in 1838 under the name Thibodauxville, in honor of local plantation owner Henry Schuyler Thibodaux, who provided land for the village and served as acting governor of Louisiana in 1824.

Being spotted by a local Columbia talent scout while doin’ radio work in New Orleans, Vin was signed by Don Law on October 22, 1951. The first session took place at the Tulane Hotel with Ernie Newtown (bs), Grady Martin (mandolin), Tommy Jackson (Fiddle), Owen Bradley (pno) and Bob Foster (steel) on February 13, 1952. Three Vin’s originals, two being in French, were cut and Acuff –Rose provided a fourth song written by Autry Inman. "Fille de La Ville", a fast song, and "Dans La Louisianne", a hillbilly blues, were issued back to back on Columbia 20923 in April 1952. This sold half a million records and Vin mentioned shyly that for a short while he had a fan club with members from all across the country. "Sweet Love", a plaintive song in Lefty Frizzell’s style, and "I Trusted You" followed on Columbia 20973 by June 1952. In August 10, 1952, Vin was back at the same location with the same band and Chet Atkins to cut two other French slow ditties from its own pen, "Claire de la Lune" and "Je Laissez Mon Coeur". "Are You Forgetting", a weeper, and a more dynamic "Knockin’ On The Door" (from Autry Inman) make the session complete and were issued as its third release on Columbia 21027. For that session Grady Martin handled mandolin, guitar, and fiddle … what a versatile musician.

While in Nashville, Vin meet Hank Williams while buying a belt at Hank and Audrey’s Coral. In fact, Vin left the shop forgetting to pay for that belt after a long talk with Hank. From that meeting Vin was invited to The Louisiana Hayride and was fired by Gene Rodrigue for missing local date. After another meeting with Hank, Vin was invited for his public wedding celebration at the New Orleans Municipal Auditorium on October 19, 1952. Vin loaned his Martin’s guitar to Hank on stage and backed him with his band for the two performance at 3.00 and 7.00 pm. On February 18, 1953 Vin was back on studio to cut a Chet Atkins’ song titled "I’ll Stay Single", a Boudleaux & Felice Bryant’s composition "I’m Gonna Steal My Baby Back" showing the Ernest Tubb’s influences, two very nice traditional sung in French "La Valse de St. Marie" and "Oh Ma Belle" issued back to back on Columbia 21189, "My Mama Said" featuring great guitar part and "Goodbye To A Sweetheart (Hello To A Friend)" that sound so much close to Hank Williams unique style than I could consider it like being "Goodbye to a friend". "My Mama Said" was issued with "I’ll Stay Single" on Columbia 21120 as a folk release on June 1953 and "Goodbye to a Sweetheart" backed with "I’m Gonna Steal My Baby Back" followed in August 1953. These six sides are very interesting with strong vocal and superb backing from fiddle to piano.

Vin Bruce played the Grand Ole Opry and travelled with its band in Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and as far as Lubbock where a young Buddy Holly attended his show. Vin’s band included Ulis Adams (bass), Gene Dusenberry (guitarist) and Johnny Bonvillian (steel gtr) who played also with Werly Fairburn.

Vin’s final session was completed on May 14, 1954 still at the Castle studio with Don Helms on steel guitar and Jerry Rivers on fiddle. Any of the six songs cut that day were from its pen and two Cajun songs written by A. Adams and G. Sherry stayed unissued until now. "La Délece", with Chet Atkins on guitar, et "Si Toi Tu M’aime" are two superb slices of Cajun music. The up-tempo "I Tried" and the mourning " Here Is The Bottle" were issued on Columbia 21271 while "Over An Ocean Of Golden Dreams" and "Too Many Girls" issued on November 1954 were the last Columbia release for Vin. It’s very surprising to have that record released as far as New-Zealand/Australia on a Philips Western Serie (P24554). By then Honky-Tonk music was challenged by Rock and Roll and sales were going slow even for Ray Price, Marty Robbins, Billy Walker or Carl Smith.

Later Vin started to roughneck on the offshore oil rigs but he never stopped to play music. He saw his cousin Josef Barrios running on the charts as Joe Barry with “I’m A Fool To Care” recorded for "Jin". Vin recorded also on the Swallow label from 1961 to 1970, for Jin, BCS and La Louisianne and is still playing over southeastern Louisiana. During the early 1980's, Vin and his band, "The Acadians" were invited to tour the U.S., Europe and Canada. Since these glory days, Vin Bruce was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, received award from the state of Louisiana, was honoured with a "Vin Bruce Day" by his hometown and was Lafourche Parish's "Citizen of the Year for 1978". Vin also had LPs issued on Swallow (ref 6003/6016) and CDs released on Swallow in 2000 and Mardi Gras in 2006.

That Cajun CD brings you all Vin Bruce Columbia sides including two unissued with stunning never-seen-before photographs, discography and authoritative liner notes by Louisiana musicologist Michael Hurtt from New Orleans. Without his great work and the help of Leroy Martin or Johnnie Allan, I would be unable to give you for free that invitation to travel in Lafourche Parish. This set is a revelation for Cajun and country music fans alike. If you dig Cajun music watch out also for Bear Family "Acadian All Star Special" (BCD 17206), "Jole Blon" (BCD 16618), "Harry Choates" (BCD 16355) and "Tibby Edwards" (BCD 16557). There’s also a big project coming on Rock and Roll Revue but we will let you know later, oh ma Belle!

Dominique "Imperial" Anglares - October 19, 2011