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Herman Fuselier’s childhood home always had music playing. His parents, Matteal and Herman Fuselier, enjoyed the sounds of James Brown, Otis Redding, and Frank Sinatra. While Herman’s generation was into the 70’s genre of the Jackson 5 and the Carpenters, Herman always enjoyed Zydeco music and listened to it before it was “cool.”
As a long-time freelance music and entertainment writer for the Daily Advertiser and Times of Acadiana, Herman Fuselier was originally hired as a sports writer for the Opelousas Daily World. After realizing that the only time great musicians were covered by the paper was when their obituary was published, he convinced his boss, Harlin Kirgan, to allow him to cover the music scene. Permission was granted, but only when he promised not to allow it to interfere with sports coverage!
Herman Fuselier covered the Louisiana music scene for more than twenty-five years before being hired as the Executive Director of the St. Landry Tourist Commission in December 2018. He has contributed features to Offbeat Magazine of New Orleans, Oxford American, Living Blues, and other national publications.
He’s written CD liner notes for Lil’ Nate, Leon Chavis, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, Beau Jocque, Jeffery Broussard, and the World Music Network of Australia.
Herman has been interviewed for cultural stories done by NPR, The Wall Street Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and more.
In sharing his love of music, Herman also hosts The Zydeco Stomp on KRVS, our local public radio station, each Saturday from noon to 3 pm.
Herman is the author of Ghosts of Good Times: South Louisiana Dance Halls Past and Present, which examines the world of Cajun dance halls, Zydeco clubs, Chitlin’ Circuit R&B nightclubs, Swamp-Pop Honkytonks and other venues that at one time were prevalent throughout the region. Photographs by Philip Gould blend architectural imagery of buildings still standing with historic photographs of the clubs that he took back in their heyday. Herman and other writers provide a rich selection of historical accounts and essays about their personal experiences in the clubs. The book also examines the dancehall scene today and how the venues have changed. The music following remains strong and people still come to dance. The surviving old dance halls and newer venues are still in full swing. Old or new, they are icons, a proud south Louisiana legacy of Good Times.
Herman Fuselier’s writings have served as a treasure trove for our region, as he shines the light on the soul of the performers he covers. His body of work will guide you if you are unfamiliar with Zydeco, Cajun or Swamp Pop music, as well as rock, jazz, and other genres.
Listen to Herman Fuselier’s Zydeco Stomp by tuning in to 88.7 KRVS in Lafayette or by visiting http://krvs.org/programs/zydeco-stomp-krvs.
*This post was updated May 22, 2019.
