Ganey Arsement

While being Cajun will always be at the core of his being, Ganey views it as a positive that his life has been influenced by many different types of music.

Born in Lake Charles, LA, Ganey grew up 80 miles from the heart of Cajun land, Lafayette, LA and 45 miles from the hometown of George Jones, Beaumont, TX. From an early age, he felt an emotional connection to Cajun, Creole, Zydeco, Country and Folk music.

Working for nearly twenty years as a bassist in great Cajun bands such as Balfa Toujours and the Basin Brothers, he has shared the stage with Doug Kershaw, Jo-EL Sonnier and many others. After a series of events led him to an opportunity to move to the front of the stage, a reluctant Ganey was reminded by a friend of a French poem he had written while in college pursuing his degree in English literature. In 2009, he showcased his songwriting skills in the form of a full length recording with his acoustic Cajun trio, the LakeSide Gamblers.

The success of this release brought to the front the realization that he had a lot to say in his songs, and it could not be limited to French. In 2012, the Louisiana Division of Arts honored Ganey by selecting him to receive an Individual Artist Career Advancement Grant. The result of this grant was a second full length recording released in the Summer of 2013 featuring not only original Cajun songs, but also Zydeco, Country, Folk and Americana.

Since the Fall of 2013, Ganey has primarily performed solo, or accompanied by one, and sometimes accompanied by a full band. He presents his music in the manner it was written, either on accordion or guitar, while tying them in with traditional music and explaining the differences between Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music.