Al began playing the guitar at the age of 11. Right out of high school, he played lead guitar in a rock band called ReFlx with high school friends, Mark Allemond-bass-vocals, Keith Blanchard-drums and the late Mike Bijeaux-guitar-vocals. (Rest In Peace Mike) That was in 1979-1980.In 1983, helped formed another group, The Basin Brothers Band, original members were Kenneth Angelle, Dwayne Brasseaux, Barry Hebert, Keith Blanchard, Mark Allemond, Kenneth Knott and manager Dean Angelle. performing mostly country and pop.In 1989 the bands sound changed to traditional and original Cajun French music playing festivals, clubs, and workshops at numerous locations in the United States and in other countries including Canada, France, and Ireland striving to promote and preserve the Cajun culture and music.
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CREDITS/PROJECTS
Grammy Nomination for Best Traditional Folk Music Recording, 1991
Produced the album titled Lets Get Cajun by the The Basin Brothers Band--
Recorded the album in a garage studiowith band mates, Danny Collet, Dwayne Brasseaux, Keith Blanchard and Barry Hebert.
Public Broadcasting System and West Virginia State Park, 1995
Composed and recorded segments of original music and voice-overs for documentaries.
HBO Series--Sopranos, Television Series--Northern Exposure, Movie--Double Jeopardy, 1990s
Several of my original songs were used as background cues (BG-CUES) in the above-mentioned series and movie.
Al Berard Teaches.Cajun Fiddle Basics DVD, 2002
Produced by Tommy Gath and Susi Mills, recorded this 50 minute teaching DVD of interactive instruction organized for replay of sections for beginner fiddle players--lead fiddle and seconding.
Jingles for local radio and television commercials, 1990s
Composed, produced and recorded jingles for Budweiser, Whitney Bank, Evangeline Motors, Randols Restaurant, Cajun Heartland State Fair, and Now Its Cajun Seasoning Company--Lafayette, Louisiana area.
Producer for Various Recording Albums/Artists
Produced and Co-procuced albums for The Basin Brothers Band--Lets Get Cajun, Stayin Cajun, Mulates
Presents The Basin Brothers, Dans La Louisiane, Deux Violons (Two Violins), and Fait a la Main (Hand Made).
Produced two personal albums--Cest Dans La Sang Cadjin (In the Cajun Blood)--Al Berard and Errol Verret and Al Berard and Friends--Al Berard.
Produced, recorded and edited the album Chante Ti Garcon--Pope Huval.
Co-produced, recorded, and edited the album--Creole Jam--T-Mamou Band.
Co-produced the album--Feet Off The Ground--Al Berard and Karen England.
Co-produced the album--Old Style Cajun Music--Al Berard and Jason Frey.
Recorded the album--Scrapbook--Martin Swinger.
Recorded the album--Hey Mom--Camey Doucet.
Recorded albums for local and French artists--Alain Gatay with Trans Bayou Express Band--France and the late John Dubois.
Produced and recorded demo sessions for various artists.
Composed liturgical music for services at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cecilia, Louisiana.
Rounder Records, Flying Fish Records, Swing Cat Records, Polydor Records--Germany, Beams Records--Japan, Swallow Records, Acadiana Records and Old Man Records
Recorded for the above-mentioned record companies.
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Fiddle Workshops
Traveled to fiddle workshops locally and nationwide teaching Cajun fiddle and promoting Cajun music and culture--Cajun/Bluegrass Festival at Escoheag, Rhode Island; Fiddle Tunes at Port Townsend, Washington; Philadelphia Folk Festival at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Louisiana Folk Roots, Lake Fausse Pointe State Park at St. Martinville, Louisiana; Falcon Ridge Folk Festival at Hillsdale, New York; Augusta Heritage , WV; and various school programs locally as well as out-of-state.
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Collaboration With Various Artists
Performed on stage/studio with Zachary Richard, Sonny Landreth (slide guitar player), Michael Doucet (Beausoleil Band), Errol Verret (accordionist), Karen England (fiddle), Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Dirk Powell (fiddle,banjo), Native Sons, Hadley Castille, Sheryl Cormier, Calico Cats, Alain Gatay (French performer), Stefan Waggershausen (German performer), Makoto Kubota (Japanese performer), The Traiteurs, Filé--Cajun Dance Band, and many, many more.
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Festivals/Performances
Montreal Folk Festival and Winter Festival, Montreal, Canada; Trois Riviere (Three Rivers) Festival, Canada; Festival du Voyager, Winnipeg, Canada; Cajun Festival, Dalkey Island, Ireland; Festival International des Arts Traditionnels, Quebec, Canada; Festivals Acadiens de Wedgeport, Nova Scotia, Canada; Old Songs Festival, Altamont, New York; International Jazz Festival, New Orleans, Louisiana; Greek Theater, Los Angeles, California; Concord Pavilion, Concord, California; Rainbow Festival, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Leaf Festival, North Carolina; West Virginia State Fair, West Virginia; Cajun Crawfish Festival, Panama City Beach, Florida; Super Bowl Party and Tampa Yacht Club, Tampa, Florida; Crawfish Festival, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana; Little Rock Crawfish Festival, Little Rock, Arkansas; Memphis Crawfish Festival, Memphis, Tennessee; City Lights, Nashville, Tennessee; City Stages, Birmingham, Alabama; Panoply Festival, Huntsville, Alabama; Summer Series Festival, El Paso, Texas; Le Rendez-Vous des Cajuns, Liberty theater, Eunice, Louisiana; Cajun Heartland State Fair, Lafayette, Louisiana; Festivals Acadiens, Lafayette, Louisiana; Le Festival International de Louisiane, Lafayette, Louisiana; Rhode Island Cajun/Bluegrass Festival, Escoheag, Rhode Island; Cajun/Zydeco Festival, Moodus, Connecticut; Le Festival Interceltique, Lorient, France; Johnny Ds, Boston Massachusetts; Mechanics Hall, Worcester, Massachusetts; Mardi Gras/Northern Rhode Island Arts Council, Woonsocket, Rhode Island; Mardi Gras Ball, Washington, D.C.; Sals Rhythm & Blues Club, Johnston, Rhode Island; Blackstone River Theater, Cumberland, Rhode Island; Cajun & Zydeco Mardi Gras Ball/Lagniappe, Providence, Rhode Island; La Bell Epoque, New York City, New York; Great Hudson Revival, New York; Raouls, Portland, Maine; Old Orchard Beach Festival, Maine; Bastile DayFestival, Augusta, Maine; Foxwood Theater, Norwich, Connecticut; Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri.many.many other places
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Awards
Grammy Nominated Finalist--Best Traditional Folk Music for Lets Get Cajun--The Basin Brothers Band, 1991
The Times Music Award--Best Country/Swamp Pop Guitarist, 1989
The Times Music Award--Best Country Guitarist, 1990
Cajun French Music Association--Best Fiddle Recording for The Grand Anse Fiddle Song-- recorded and performed by Al Berard, 1992
Cajun French Music Association--Nominated for Best Fiddler, 2003
Cajun French Music Association--Nominated for Best Recording--Deux Violons--The Basin Brothers Band, 2003--with band members, Faren Serrette, Tommy Bodin and Keith Blanchard. Al Berard & Jason Frey “Peoples Choice Award” recording of “Old Style Cajun Music” 2007 Cajun French Music Association, “Fiddler Of The Year 2007” Cajun French Music Association.
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PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.), 1994 to present
ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), 1990 to 1994
CFMA (Cajun French Music Association), 1992, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
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