Lynn August, despite his lack of eyesight, fulfilled his vision of becoming one of the greatest zydeco musicians to ever live. He is the legendary Lynn August.
Born Joseph Leonard August, Jr. on August 7, 1948, in Lafayette, his already bad eyesight turned to total blindness by the age of four. Being blind, however, didn’t slow him down from eventually learning to play the keyboards and the accordion, although it was his drumming and percussion skills at an early age that launched his musical career.
He moved 50 miles east and attended the Louisiana State School for the Blind in Baton Rouge but didn’t leave behind his tremendous love for the zydeco music he grew up with in Acadiana. His uncle, Claude Duffy, was an accordion player, and by age 11, Lynn began to join in by playing drums, while also singing at times with the ‘Duffy Band.’
At the age of 12, pre-teen Lynn was playing drums six nights a week at the ‘Peppermint Lounge’ in the French Quarter for Fats Junior, whose band happened to open for the iconic and flamboyant ‘Esquerita.’ Many say Esquerita was the inspiration for ‘Little Richard’s’ style of playing and singing. At times in the early 1960s, August would also sit in and play drums for Esquerita.
After seeing what Lynn could master, Esquerita got permission from August’s mother to let her son join his band full-time. August spent the next three years with Esquerita, mostly around New Orleans. Esquerita played an organ with pedals, so he needed a drummer to carry the beat. He also encouraged August to take up the piano, and later, Lynn added the accordion to his repertoire.
When Esquerita left New Orleans around 1963, August moved back to Baton Rouge and joined Jay Nelson’s band in the Capitol City. August gave tribute to Esquerita later on by recording his own version of Esquerita’s song, “Undivided Love,” which eventually appeared on his “Creole Cruiser” album in 1992.
Also, in the 1960s, August played drums with Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural, who later became known as “Buckwheat Zydeco.” Taking Esquerita’s advice that he should become a solo artist, August, who had now mastered his Hammond organ, played and sang as a solo artist in clubs and restaurants. In 1966, he recorded his first single, “Little Red Rooster,” for Lafayette record producer Carol Rachou, Sr. It appeared on the ‘TAMM’ label, with “Let Them Talk” on the flip side.
In the late 1970s, while heading up a church choir, he was recruited by accordionist Marcel Sugar to play the organ for his band. As zydeco music had taken off like a rocket during that time, he decided to go out and buy an accordion.
By the late 1980s, August had co-founded a new group, ‘Lynn August & The Hot August Knights,’ along with saxophonist John Hart. Quickly gaining popularity doing shows and festivals, they recorded their first album, “Zydeco Grove,” in 1988. He later released albums on both Floyd Soileau’s ‘Maison de Soul’ label, as well as Creole Cruiser (1992) and Sauce Piquant (1993).
In the mid-1990s, August switched gears and formed his own company, Touch Tech, designing and selling computers for visually impaired people. Although he had open-heart surgery in 1998, he continued to record and perform.
In 2012, he released an album, “Legends Making Memories,” with Willie-Tee Trahan and the band ‘Cypress.’ In 2023, August once again attended the annual “Swamp Pop Reunion” in Ville Platte and was one of the many legends who performed that night. However, August did not attend the 2024 event this past February.
Admission is $15 at the door.