LAFAYETTE PARISH (LAFAYETTE) — Grammy-winning artist Michael Doucet and Louisiana Poet Laureate John Warner Smith are teaming up for a unique performance that will blend music and poetry in a special one-night event at Baranco Elementary on Thursday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m.
Doucet, the frontman of the renowned Cajun band Beausoleil, and Smith, a poet with multiple publications, will combine their artistic talents for a performance that celebrates Louisiana’s rich cultural heritage.
“I say all the time that poetry found me, I didn’t find poetry,” Smith said. “It was that experience that just kind of lit a fire.”
The event, which will feature both music and poetry, is designed to offer a powerful experience for attendees, with a special focus on Black History Month.
“It won’t be all Black history-themed, but there’ll be three or four that’ll be strictly Black history, so yeah, it’s going to be very appropriate for the moment, for the month,” Smith explained.
Doucet, who grew up in Louisiana, is excited to share his deep knowledge of Cajun music, which he calls “homegrown.” He explained that his connection to the music is personal, with roots in both Cajun and Creole traditions.
“For us, being— we never called ourselves Cajuns— we were always ‘Acadiens,’ but we’re also Creoles, too,” Doucet said. “The fact that we’re homegrown, and this music is homegrown, just like John’s poetry is homegrown. So hopefully, we’re going to water the garden.”
The performance will also feature an American Sign Language interpreter, ensuring accessibility for all attendees.
For ticket information, click here.
