Video: Traditional French-Canadian Fiddle Music from Connecticut
Connecticut French-Canadian band Daniel Boucher & Friends perform some traditional tunes for the Library of Congress.
Traditional French-Canadian music combines some of the best elements of French, English, and colonial American styles. The regions’s earliest non-indigenous settlers primarily came from Northern France, bringing Celtic Breton-influenced musical styles with them. Fiddles, accordions, and rhythm instruments like spoons, jaw harps, and foot-tapping are all commonly used. Over time, these musicians traveled west or settled in the region around Quebec. Their music, while staying true to its roots, slowly evolved into the French-Canadian musical genres enjoyed now. It also trickled south into New England, where it remains popular to this day.
Modern French-Canadian musicians practice all kinds of music, but many people still hold a special fondness for old-fashioned tunes. This video, courtesy of the Library of Congress, presents the traditional Connecticut French-Canadian band Daniel Boucher & Friends. Between melodies, members of the band share their stories, their connections to French-Canadian music, and a little bit of the history behind the genre.
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