Evangeline Made: A Tribute to Cajun Music

Producer Ann Savoy's goal for Evangeline Made was to demonstrate the affection of popular artists for Cajun music.[1] She enlisted various pop performers along with members of BeauSoleil, her own group with her husband accordionist Marc Savoy and fiddler Michael Doucet of the Savoy Doucet Cajun Band, as well as other musicians to "renew and extend Cajun tradition rather than simply re-create it".[2]

Vocal performances include two duets by Linda Ronstadt and Savoy, John Fogerty, Rodney Crowell, Patty Griffin, Nick Lowe, Maria McKee, Richard Thompson, Linda Thompson and David Johansen. Each song is sung in French even though most of the artists do not speak the language. The two instrumental tracks do not identify the musicians performing. Savoy later reunited with Ronstadt to record the album Adieu False Heart; released in 2006, it would be Ronstadt's final album before her retirement.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
No Depression	(Favorable)[2]

Evangeline Made was nominated for Best Traditional Folk Album at the 45th Grammy Awards.

Music critic Richie Unterberger, writing for AllMusic, rated the album 4 of 5 stars, writing: "The production is understated and sympathetic, as it's neither hardcore Cajun music nor Cajun music that's been bleached into pop… Purists might find this something of a sellout, a dilution of the real and rawer thing for ears unaccustomed to the real deal. Perhaps they have viable points, but here's a fact which might be hard for them to face: this simply has much more variety, skillful singing, and thoughtful, pleasing production than most Cajun records do, without compromising the spirit of the music."[3]

Writing for No Depression, Don McLeese called the album "musical interplay so soulful and vibrant it transcends the language barrier." and avers the collection "honors the music not as a folk purist’s artifact, but as a living dynamic. Not one of the fourteen cuts seems less than a labor of love"[2]

Music critic Mike Warren reviewed the album for The Pitch and of the songs, wrote, "Because they're in French, and because they're sexy as hell, the songs have an air of sultry mystery that's part of the best Cajun music."[4]

1. "Vagabond Special" (Marc Savoy) – 2:56
   • performed by an all-star band of Cajun musicians
2. "La Chanson d'Une Fille de Quinze Ans (Song of a Fifteen Year Old Girl)" (Traditional; lyrics by Marc Savoy and Ann Savoy) – 2:26
   • performed by Ann Savoy and featuring Linda Ronstadt
3. "Diggy Liggy Lo" (J. D. Miller) – 3:22
   • performed by John Fogerty
4. "Je Veux Plus Te Voir (I Don't Want You Anymore)" (Belton Richard) – 3:31
   • performed Linda Thompson
5. "Pa Janvier, Laisse Moi M'En Aller (Pa Janvier, Let Me Go)" (Traditional; with new lyrics by Ann Savoy) – 3:54
   • performed by Patty Griffin
6. "Les Flammes d'Enfer (The Flames of Hell)" (Austin Pitre) – 2:35
   • performed by Richard Thompson
7. "Ma Mule (My Mule)" (Traditional; arranged by David Johansen and Brian Koonin) – 3:24
   • performed by David Johansen
8. "Ma Blonde Est Partie (My Blonde Left)" (Traditional) – 2:35
   • performed by Maria McKee
9. "Blues de Bosco (Bosco Blues)" (Eddie Shuler) – 4:21
   • performed by Rodney Crowell
10. "O, Ma Chère 'Tite Fille (Oh, My Dear Little Girl)" (Cléoma Falcon, with English lyrics by Ann Savoy) – 3:49
    • Ann Savoy and featuring Linda Ronstadt
11. "Valse de Balfa (Balfa Waltz)" (Will Balfa) – 2:56
    • performed by Linda Thompson
12. "Two Step de Prairie Soileau" (Traditional; arranged by Marc and Ann Savoy) – 4:03
    • performed by an all-star band of Cajun musicians
13. "Arrêtte Pas la Musique (Don't Stop the Music)" (George Jones) – 3:00
    • performed by Nick Lowe
14. "Tout un Beau Soir en Me Promenant (On a Beautiful Evening While ...)" (Traditional; arranged by Ann Savoy) – 3:12
    • performed by Maria McKee

• Linda Ronstadt – vocals, harmony vocals
• Ann Savoy – vocals, harmony vocals, fiddle, guitar
• John Fogerty – vocals, guitar
• Rodney Crowell – vocals, guitar
• Patty Griffin – vocals
• Nick Lowe – vocals
• Maria McKee – vocals
• David Johansen – vocals, harmonica
• Christine Balfa – guitar, triangle
• Richard Thompson – vocals, guitar
• Jimmy Breaux – accordion
• Austin Broussard – drums
• Sam Broussard – guitar, slide guitar
• Mike Burch – drums
• Michael Doucet – fiddle
• David Greeley – fiddle
• Kevin Wimmer – fiddle
• David Doucet – guitar
• Jane Vidrine – guitar
• Rodney Miller – steel guitar
• Kevin Dugas – drums, triangle
• David Egan – piano
• Brian Koonin – guitar, cardboard box, toy organ
• Sonny Landreth – slide guitar
• Dirk Powell – accordion, bass, fiddle
• Mitchell Reed – bass
• Marc Savoy – accordion
• Wilson Savoy – piano

Production notes:

• Ann Savoy – producer, arranger, liner notes, photography
• Steve Buckingham – executive producer
• Marc Savoy – arranger
• David Johansen – arranger
• Brian Koonin – arranger, engineer
• Tom Rothrock – engineer
• Scott Ardoin – engineer
• Jim Brady – engineer
• Erich Gobel – engineer
• Edward Haber – engineer
• Nick Hannan – engineer
• David Rachou – engineer
• Kevin Lacey – engineer
• Tony Daigle – engineer, mastering, mixing
• Jim Bessman – liner notes
• Jennie Carey – production assistant
• John Fago – photography
• Chris Gabrin – photography
• Jim Akin – photography
• Miranda Penn Turin – photography

• NPR interview with Ann Savoy