Larry Miller (accordionist)

Larry G. Miller (born July 7, 1936) is a Cajun accordion maker from Iota, Louisiana. The brand name of his accordions is "Bon Cajun" (originally "Bon Tee Cajun").[1][2][3]

Larry Miller
Larry Miller in a cap in his shop screwing a screw on a Cajun accordion.
Larry constructing an accordion.
Background information
Born (1936-07-07) July 7, 1936 (age 87)
OriginIota, Louisiana
GenresCajun
Occupation(s)Accordion maker, musician, accordionist
Instrument(s)Cajun accordion

Biography

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Miller is the son of sharecropper Abraham Miller and Algena Leger. He worked in primary and secondary education for 22 years, and began to build accordions as a hobby in 1978. In 1988, building accordions became his full-time profession. He was also one of the founders of the Cajun French Music Association. Miller retired from building accordions full-time in 2006. His grandson Jay continues to build accordions under the brand "Bon Cajun."[1][2]

In 2003, he estimated he built approximately 85 accordions and repaired 200 – 250 accordions each year.[1] He says each accordion was hand-crafted and took between 160 and 175 hours to make, and he made about 1200 in total.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Jiro Hatano (2003). "Larry Miller and Bon Cajun Accordions". Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
  2. ^ a b Yar, Cengiz (June 13, 2018). "The Accordion Maker". Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. Retrieved June 13, 2024.

Bibliography

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  • Miller, Larry G.; Miller, Mike (1984). You Can Play Cajun Accordion: Designed for Beginners. Swallow Publications. ISBN 9780961424596.
  • Miller, Larry G. (October 2017). "The Craft of Building Cajun Accordions". The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 142 (4_Supplement): 2570. doi:10.1121/1.5014396.