It was 20 years ago, August 1999, when brothers Louis and Andre booked their first gig as a yet-to-be-named band at Café Rue Vermilion in downtown Lafayette. On the way to perform, Louis stopped by to see his friend, the late Ryan Domingue, who asked what their name was. When Louis said, “We don’t have one,” Ryan offered up “Lost Bayou Ramblers” which both young men loved. And the rest is history.

The Lost Bayou Ramblers are celebrating their 20th anniversary with local screenings of On Va Continuer, a documentary that captures the personal and professional story behind the band. The title translates to “We Will Continue” which Louis Michot says at the end of each performance, signifying the band’s mission to preserve the Cajun culture and French language for future generations.

Worklight Pictures created the “rockumentary,” On Va Continuer, with director Bruno Doria capturing the personal and professional story behind the band. It was filmed following the recording of their 9th album, Kalenda, which won a Grammy for Best Regional Roots Album in 2017. The film looks at the modern Cajun culture and the importance of sustaining the Cajun French language.

Band members also include Johnny Campos (electronic guitarist), Eric Heigle (electronics and acoustic guitar), Bryan Webre (electric bassist) and drummer Kirkland Middleton.

Mark your calendar for the celebration of Lost Bayou Rambler’s 20^th anniversary to catch one of the upcoming events: a screening of the documentary on September 19 and a no-cover performance by Lost Bayou Ramblers on September 20, both at Bayou Teche Brewing, and the screening of On Va Continuer with a performance by the band on September 28, 2019, at the Acadiana Center for the Arts.

You can hear the Discover Lafayette podcast interview Jan Swift conducted with Andre and Louis Michot here.