Bman's Blues Report

Classie Ballou made his recording debut as the guitarist on Boozoo Chavis’ first single, “Paper In My Shoe,” the record that literally put zydeco music on the map. The story behind this kit-bashing of stylistic nuances is a rock ‘n’ roll moment that must be savored. Eddie Shuler, who’d decided to record Chavis for his Goldband label, hired Ballou’s band to back him, naturally assuming that with the best R&B combo in the area, he couldn’t go wrong. But, as Shuler classically concluded in John Broven’s South To Louisiana, “I didn’t know it, but Ballou’s band had never heard of zydeco music, let alone played it. Ballou’s boys just couldn’t dig Boozoo’s music and Boozoo didn’t know they weren’t with him!” After eight hours of utter frustration someone had the brilliant idea of fortifying Chavis with a little liquor and things finally began to take shape until suddenly, through the control room door, Shuler heard what he describes as “a collassal crash” in the middle of an otherwise dec...