The Voice of Southwest Louisiana

play it. Unfortunately, it was deteriorated
beyond repair.” The accordion is pretty
expensive and with all Colby had going
on at the time we weren’t sure he would
stick with it,” his mom explains.
His interest in the accordion spiked while
visiting with the Miller family. Colby
watched as Larry and his sons Jay and
Blake made the old-time accordions for
Cajun music. They loaned Colby one and
he began to teach himself to play. Colby
is Cajun but he didn’t speak the language.
After learning to play the accordion he
needed to learn to sing the Cajun songs
too.
He knew exactly where to go, Herman
and Martha Kebodeaux’s home in Iota.
Grandpa took care of the household
duties while Colby and Granny Martha
began their task. She tells, “He’d bring
over an “oldie” from a well-known Cajun
singer and say, ‘I want to learn this
one.’ We’d listen to the recordings and
I would translate the words. At first he
memorized the words but after a while
he began understanding what the words
meant.” Imagine Colby’s excitement at
learning the accordion player.
While Colby was studying to be an
Emergency Medical Technician, his
parents surprised him with an accordion.
He was hired by Acadian Ambulance
Service and assigned to work with Jamie
Bergeron, Kickin’ Cajuns Band and Colby’s
mentor at work. To both their surprises
Colby’s accordion had been purchased
from Jamie. For the next four years they
practiced every day during their breaks.
He played his accordion with Ambush
and followed the Kickin Cajuns’ gigs. In
between he played and sang with his
friends at their homes.
One day a friend’s dad asked Robby,
“Did you know Colby can sing? “another
added “Man that boy’s got a voice.” When
Robby convinced Colby to sing for him he
realized what was missing with Ambush;
Colby and his chanky-chank.
Ambush attracts the younger crowd
and those who grew up dancing to
Cajun music. Colby’s musical voice has
been compared to that of John Conlee,
popular country western singer. When
Colby was a youngster on stage, he
played a guitar that wasn’t plugged in,
but now he is fully invested in the music.
Alternating between his two accordions
in a performance he produces the sounds
that folks come to hear. The band’s
performances are about half country
and half Cajun with plenty of tomfoolery
mixed in. He credits Ambush for making
him sound better.
They were named Times of Acadiana
Third Best of 2014 Local Live
Performances. Recently the band played
at the 2 nd Annual Roll to the Grove
Celebration in Sulphur and Heritage
Square where the audience applauded
in appreciation at what was the band’s
first gig in this area. They look forward
to coming back again to entertain their
newest fans.
The band and family members do not
compete but instead support each
other’s talents. Robby says “I play piano
and guitar but I can’t get the hang of the
accordion.” Colby laughs, “And I can’t play
the piano or the guitar.” This is a family
affair where Deanna and Laurin do much
of the publicity and the Molby children
are not only singing but also learning the
Cajun dance steps. Annie, their eldest
says “I’m lucky I got my singing voice
early.”
And so the beat goes on..........
Colby Latiolais and Ambush have just
released their new recording, “Make It Easy
On Me.” co-written by Colby and Shane
Rodriguez. It can be found on Amazon,
I-Tunes, CD Baby and U Tube.
Volume 4 • Number 1 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM AUGUST 2016