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All Music Guide:
Leo Soileau was one of the dominant Cajun musicians of the 1930s and early '40s. His more than 100 recordings included such influential tunes as "Hackberry Hop," "La Gran Mamou," La Valse De Gueydan," and his greatest hit, "Jolie Blonde." Taught the fiddle by influential Cajun fiddlers Dennis McGee and Sady Courville, Soileau made his recording debut, in 1928, when he joined with accordionist Mayeus Lafleur to record the second Cajun record ever, "He Mon." Following Lafleur's death, nine days later, he teamed with accordionist Moise Robin. He also recorded, in the late '20s, with the Soileau Couzens. Forming his own band, the Three Aces, with rhythm guitarists Floyd Shreve or Dewey Landry and bassist/drummer Tony Gonzalez in the early '30s, Soileau expanded the group into a quartet, the Four Aces, in 1934. They later became the Rhythm Boys. The group drove to Chicago in 1941 to record the first of nearly 100 songs in the Windy City. Soileau remained active in the early '40s, recording with Leo Soileau's Rhythm Boys. Dropped by Decca when the label decided to stop recording Cajun musicians at the beginning of World War II, the group continued to perform at the Silver Star Club in Lake Charles for eight years. Shifting to the Showboat Club in Orange, TX, the band continued to play together for another two years. Although Soileau and the group appeared frequently on the radio, they never recorded again. In the late '40s, Soileau left music to work with his brothers in a general contracting firm in Ville Platte. He died in August 1980.
Wikipedia:
Leo Soileau (1904–1980) was one of the most prolific Cajun recording artists of the 1930s and 1940s. He recorded over 100 songs, which was a substantial amount considering the reluctance to record the music during its early stages. His first recording was made in 1928, when he joined fellow musician Mayeus Lafleur in recording what is widely considered only the second documented recording of the genre, "He Mon". After Lafleur was killed in a quarrel over moonshine just two weeks after the recording, Leo began recording with fellow accordionist Moise Robin. His most well-known song was the hit "Jolie Blonde", a song he performed with Amadie Breaux, under the French name "Ma Blonde Est Partie". Leo recorded Cajun music until the start of World War II, when his label, Decca, decided to stop recording Cajun artists. He continued to perform with his group The Rhythm Boys until the end of the decade, when he left the music business altogether. He died on August 1980, in the same place he was born, Ville Platte, LA.
