Ann Savoy
Ann Savoy (/sɑːˈvwɑː/; born Ann Allen on January 20, 1952)[1][2][3] is a musician, author, and record producer.
Ann Savoy | |
|---|---|
 Ann Savoy performing at the Liberty Theater in Eunice, Louisiana, November 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ann Allen |
| Born | January 20, 1952 |
| Origin | Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Genres | Cajun, folk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, actress |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, accordion, fiddle |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Labels | Vanguard, Arhoolie, Rounder, Memphis |
| Associated acts | Savoy Family Band, Savoy Doucet Cajun Band, The Magnolia Sisters The Zozo Sisters (with Linda Ronstadt) (2002 & 2006) |
| Website | annsavoy |
Biography
Savoy was raised in Richmond, Virginia. She resides with her husband Marc Savoy and family in Eunice, Southern Louisiana.[4]
As a musician, she performs with her husband accordionist Marc Savoy and fiddler Michael Doucet in the Savoy Doucet Cajun Band. She also has an all-woman band The Magnolia Sisters. She also performs with husband Marc and their sons, Joel and Wilson, in the Savoy Family Band. Most recently, she has put together a Django Reinhardt-style swing band called Ann Savoy and her Sleepless Knights.[4]
Savoy appeared as a musician in the film Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and was the associate music director of the film All The King's Men, working on this project with T Bone Burnett. She has appeared in many documentaries on the subject of Cajun music including a Les Blank film, entitled Marc and Ann.
As a record producer she produced, among others, the Grammy Award nominated tribute to Cajun music, Evangeline Made: A Tribute to Cajun Music, featuring singers Linda Ronstadt, John Fogerty, Nick Lowe, herself, and other noted musicians.[4]
She is the editor and compiler of Cajun Music: A Reflection of a People, which chronicles the history of Cajun and Zydeco music. Volume one was published in 1984,[5] and volume two will be released in December 2020. Savoy had put the project on hold while she raised four children and pursued a music career, but the downtime forced by the COVID-19 pandemic plus the encouragement of her grown children allowed her to complete volume two in 2020.[6] Volume one garnered the American Folklore Society's Botkin Book Award, and the documentary film J'etais au bal was based in part on the book.[7]
She has recorded a number of albums. As The Zozo Sisters, she recorded with Linda Ronstadt the Grammy Award-nominated and Billboard-charting CD Adieu False Heart. That album is notable for being Savoy's first time recording in English.[8]
Discography
Ann Savoy and Her Sleepless Knights
- If Dreams Come True (2007) Memphis Records
- Black Coffee (2009) Memphis Records
With Savoy Doucet Cajun Band
- Home Music with Spirits (1981) Arhoolie Records
- Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band (1984) Arhoolie Records
- With Spirits (1987) Arhoolie Records
- J'ai Ete au Bal: I Went to the Dance various artists (1989) Arhoolie Records
- J'ai Ete au Bal: I Went to the Dance video (DVD); various artists (1989) Arhoolie Records
- Two Step D'Amadé (1993) Arhoolie Records
- Les Harias: Home Music (1993) Arhoolie Records
- Live! (1994) Arhoolie Records
- Cajun Country video (DVD); various artists (1995) Shanachie
- Aly Meets The Cajuns video (DVD); Aly Bain and others (1998) Whirlie Records
- Sam's Big Rooster (2000) Arhoolie Records
- Best of the Savoy Doucet Cajun Band (2002) Arhoolie Records
Magnolia Sisters
- Prends Courage (1995) Arhoolie Records
- Chers Amis (2000) Rounder Records
- Après Faire Le Boogie Woogie (2004) Rounder
- Stripped Down (2009) Arhoolie Records
Savoy Family Band
- Savoy Family Album (2003) Arhoolie Records
- Turn Loose But Don't Let Go (2008) Arhoolie Records
- Live at the 2013 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (2013) New Orleans Jazz Fest
With others
- The Rough Guide to Cajun & Zydeco Various Artists (1999) World Music Network
- Evangeline Made: A Tribute to Cajun Music Various artists, including and produced by Ann Savoy (2002) Vanguard Records
- Adieu False Heart with Linda Ronstadt as the Zozo Sisters (2006) Vanguard Records
- Allons Boire un Coup: A Collection of Cajun and Creole Drinking Songs Ann and Joel Savoy; Ann Savoy and Jane Vidrine – various artists (2006) Valcour Records[9]
- I Wanna Sing Right: Rediscovering Lomax in the Evangeline Country four-EP set – various artists (2015) Valcour Records[9]
- Fais Do Do: Louisiana Lullabies Ann Savoy and Jane Vidrine (2019) Valcour Records[9]
References
- "Ann Savoy". Discogs. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
- Harris, Craig. "Ann Savoy biography". Allmusic. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
- Wise, Naomi (June 1, 2008). "Dixie-Fried". San Diego Reader. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
- Wirt, John (September 5, 2008). "Savoy a key component of La. music". The Advocate. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
- Savoy, Ann Allen, ed. (1984). Cajun Music: A Reflection of a People. Eunice, LA: Bluebird Press. ISBN 9780930169015. OCLC 12422720.
- Wirt, John (November 27, 2020). "Out of the box: Ann Savoy finally wraps up sequel to her 1984 classic Cajun music book". The Advocate. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- Cross, Dominick (October 10, 2019). "Ann Savoy helped blaze a trail for women in Cajun music". The Acadiana Advocate. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- Caffery, Joshua Clegg (July 26, 2006). "Songbird Sisters: South Louisiana's Ann Savoy teams up with pop icon Linda Ronstadt for their new CD, Adieu False Heart". The Independent. Lafayette, LA. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
- "Valcour Records". Valcour Records. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
