Zachary Richard — singer-songwriter, poet, environmental and cultural activist — has earned his perch on the Cajun renaissance’s Mount Rushmore here in Louisiana. But in Francophone Canada he’s a superstar. Honestly, we think that should be the other way around.
If you missed his Louisiana Public Broadcasting production of Attakapas: The Cajun Story — a beautiful stage performance of songs, images and dialogue celebrating his heritage — LPB will encore it this Sunday, March 19, at 5:30 p.m. More on that here.
Richard has a new collection of songs written and is about to embark on recording his 21st album, a mix of songs in English and French that reflect his bilingual and bicultural creative perspective. And, with a nod to the realities of the 21st century music industry, Richard is looking to crowd-fund this new record via Kickstarter:
I have recorded 20 albums since my first one in 1972, and you’re invited to help make my 21st album a beautiful reality. For the first time, I have decided not to segregate my songs into linguistic ghettos, but to record them in the order in which they were written.
Living on the frontier between two cultures, I have come to know almost all of the communities of French North America. This album is a reflection of my bi-cultural, bilingual experience. I sing of Saskatchewan and Manitoba and Newfoundland, of Acadia and, as always, of my beloved Louisiana. I am still tremendously inspired by my home and its collisions of culture, the tectonic plates of our collective heritage grinding together to create our unique melting pot.
I invite you to come with me on this voyage of the heart. I am offering vintage and VIP rewards from my personal archives that cannot be found anywhere else. You can be part of the recording sessions and have V.I.P access to record release events. A limited number of sponsors can even get Executive Producer credit and a private concert in your home.
Richard hopes to raise $45,000, which will cover paying musicians and engineers, the record studio, printing the records, and distribution and promotion — the whole enchilada.
Click here to pitch in. And bonne chance, Zachary!