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Harrison Fontenot

1934 – 2011

American musician

Musician Accordion
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About Harrison Fontenot

Lived 1934 – 2011 (aged 76). Harrison Fontenot was an American musician and accordion.

Harrison Fontenot (August 1, 1934 – January 21, 2011) was a Cajun accordion player and builder, best known for his recording of "The Cajun Twist" in 1962.

Born in Point Blue, Louisiana in 1934, Fontenot got his first taste of music at the age of 16, when he regularly practiced on the accordion while his father was at work, listening to the Grand Ole Opry as well as Aldus Roger and Austin Pitre. After forming his band, the Cajun Trio, he recorded songs during the 1960s and 1970s such as "La Cravat", "Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette", "If Teardrops Were Pennies", "I Passed in Front of your Door", "Jealous Heart", and several holiday songs. In 2001, Fontenot was designated a Master Accordion Player and Master Accordion Maker at the Mamou Cajun Music Festival. Fontenot began making accordions under the brand name Imperial.

Discography Merry Cajun Christmas (LP-SW6036 Swallow Records) 21 Cajun Classics (SW6079 Swallow Records) Cajun Classics: Kings of Cajun at Their Very Best (ACE820 Ace Records 2002)

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Important facts

Birth century
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Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Harrison Fontenot's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Harrison Fontenot?

American musician

When was Harrison Fontenot born?

Harrison Fontenot was born on 1 August 1934.

When did Harrison Fontenot die?

Harrison Fontenot died on 21 January 2011.

What was Harrison Fontenot's occupation?

Harrison Fontenot was a musician and accordion.

What nationality was Harrison Fontenot?

Harrison Fontenot was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Harrison Fontenot

· Wikidata: Q16095595

· DBpedia: Harrison Fontenot

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Harrison Fontenot. https://biography.guide/harrison-fontenot/

MLA: "Harrison Fontenot." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/harrison-fontenot/.

Chicago: "Harrison Fontenot." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/harrison-fontenot/.

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