Known as the “Godfather of Cajun Music” and the “Fiddle King of Cajun Swing,” Harry Choates moved to Port Arthur, Texas, with his mother in the 1930s and began playing fiddle in barbershops at age twelve for nickels tossed his way. He received little formal schooling, instead spending much of his time in local bars listening to jukeboxes and absorbing the popular music of the day. By his early teens, he was already performing publicly for spare change.

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Choates gained early professional experience playing in the bands of Leo Soileau and Leroy LeBlanc before forming his own group, the Melody Boys, in 1946. That same year, he recorded “Jole Blon,” which became a Top 10 hit—reaching No. 4 on the Billboard charts—under the Gold Star Records label. Demand for the single quickly exceeded Gold Star’s capacity, leading it to be co-released on another label to keep up with sales. “Jole Blon” was later recorded by country singer Moon Mullican and became a major hit, but Choates had waived his rights to the song and received no compensation from its success. He went on to record other regional favorites such as “Basile Waltz,” “Port Arthur Waltz,” “Poor Hobo,” and “Grand Mamou.”

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In mid-1951, Choates was jailed in Travis County for failing to pay child support. During his confinement, he repeatedly struck his head against the bars of his cell, eventually knocking himself into a coma. The condition persisted for several days, and he died on July 17, 1951, with his alcoholism noted as a contributing factor in his decline.

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Choates is remembered as le parrain de la musique cajun—the Godfather of Cajun music—largely for the wailing vocal style he introduced into his recordings, a hallmark later embraced across the genre. In 2014, Rolling Stone ranked his version of “Jole Blon” at No. 99 on its list of the 100 Greatest Country Songs, cementing his legacy as one of Cajun music’s most influential figures.