Nancy Tabb Marcantel; Jefferson Davis, Louisiana Submitted by Kathy Tell Source: Nancy T. Marcantel Submitted: July 2004 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************NANCY TABB MARCANTEL Music and dancing were always a big part of life at the Marcantel home in Jennings. Being in the heart of Cajun country, southwest Louisiana, the music was a real "gumbo." There was Cajun, country, pop, classical, Broadway, rhythm and blues. Always music. Nancy's voice would consistently propel her to the front of musical gatherings. She'd close her eyes and "become" Barbra Streisand or Julie Andrews, her first real influences. Her answer to "What do you want to be when you grow up?" was always "a professional singer." And sing she did. Her first real public performance was before a school assembly in the third grade. The ice was broken. The early years were filled with performing in plays, musicals, weddings and talent shows. Progress was swift and soon she was headed for recording studios, albums, and large audiences. "Ma Louisiane," which was the largest-selling Cajun album up to its time, was her first record. And before a year had passed, she had recorded two albums, been featured in a French television documentary, made the cover of the New Orleans "Times Picayune Dixie" magazine, played every major festival in Louisiana, then topped off this "dream-year" singing on the Seine River in Paris over the national French radio network! Success followed success. Nancy Tabb (Tabb is her middle name) followed "Ma Louisiane" with "Lagniappe," a bilingual country album, "Saute Crapaud," a children's album of Cajun and Creole folk songs, "Spun Gold," an English pop album, "That's What Makes Me Sing," a contemporary Gospel album, "Noel," an English Christmas album, "Noel En Louisiane," a French Christmas album which won the Cajun French Music Association's Award of Excellence that year, "La Louisiane Chante Noel," a double album project with other Louisiana artists, and "Cajun Lullabies," a bilingual album of lullabies for bayou babies. Her voice was heard on commercials for Mahatma and Water Maid rice, Mello Joy coffee, Burger Chef hamburgers and the KATC news. She performed with Lawrence Welk, as Miss Champagne Music in Louisiana, opened for Conway Twitty, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Marty Robbins and Willie LaMothe, Canadian recording artist. She has performed at professional hockey, soccer, football and baseball games across the South and has been a featured performer at tourist attractions throughout Cajun Country. Her new CD is one of three major projects in the last 12 months. Having found her niche, right at home in Acadiana, she was able to pursue her career and still enjoy her family and the culture of south Louisiana. The past few years have seen all this labor of love pay off. The reemergence of her public career is right in step with Nancy Tabb Marcantel's new music and new-found audience. And so the whirlwind gathers new momentum....... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Musician-activist sees Louisiana as a state of mind as well as a place. By Stephanie Shields Special to the Advocate Lafayette – Nancy Tabb Marcantel has had a passion for Cajun Music as long as she can remember. “My mama said that I began singing as soon as I started talking.” Marcantel said. She discovered her innate musical talent as a teen-ager growing up in Jennings, although her father wanted her to learn Southern Cooking. However, Marcantel’s passion sent her toward the studio not the kitchen. Seven albums later, Marcantel’s name is analogous to Cajun Music. Her first Album, is one of the most successful. The title song of that album, “Ma Louisiana,” tells the story of a young girl who leaves the Louisiana and is homesick for the bayous and the moss-draped trees. The girl hears the music of her people calling her home. The story is indicative of Marcantel’s own career choices. An opportunity arose for her to record in Nashville, after singing with Lawrence Welk, but Marcantel declined the offer. Welk’s booking agent wanted an opening act for the Osmonds and Neil Diamond, but the Cajun singer said she didn’t want to be away from home for two years. “I said ‘That’s OK, thank you.’ If I am gone from gumbo more than three weeks I get withdrawal symptoms.” She obtained a bachelor’s degree in Speech and English at USL, and was one of the first four graduates to receive a master’s degree in Mass Comunication. She has also led several choirs, taught drama and public speaking at Welsh High School and now teaches private voice lessons. Recently, one of her students signed with Polygram records in Nashville. In the Acadiana legal community, the versitile Marcantel also enjoys an excelent reputation as a court reporter. She ran her own business for nine years in Lafayette during the 1980s, sold it and retired. In May 1993, she opened her own business again, Marcantel Court Reporters, Inc. Marcantel grew up in Jennings where her father, Bernard Marcantel, was a judge. Her family is very involved with her music. Her three brothers help write and edit songs. Greg, mayor of Jennings, manages the business aspect, and David edits his sister’s songs to ensure the accuracy of her French. Peter has played the guitar and harmonica and previously sang background vocals on some of the albums. David helped write her latest album, "Noel en Louisiane” recorded at Dockside Studio and released last fall. The album received a special recognition award from the Cajun French Music Association. Currently she is considering a Greatest Hits album. Marcantel also has been a representative of the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana. Through CODOFIL, Marcantel performed with the Le Theatre Cadien, a French-speaking touring troupe that helps, expose children to French at an early age. According to Earline Broussard, CODOFIL’s executive director, Marcantel and her brothers are instrumental in protecting the linguistic rights of the French-speaking minority. “Nancy does cultural presentations in French in the schools.” Broussard said. “She is already a professional singer with a marvelous voice and is particularly inspired to sing in French to help the language be heard in an academic setting. She has a wide appeal.” Marcantel’s concern for children extends beyond French linguistics. “Our society has been unable to teach children a primordial respect for human life.” lamented Marcantel. “Many children have lost their raison d’ętre because of the lack of faith in our society. I really do not believe one can succeed in life without faith in their family and God.” “Kids have no hope because they do not see any value to their lives.” She said. “The only thing they see as valuable is money, but when you focus on money instead of focusing on goals you lose the intrinsic value of work – the satisfaction of a job well done.” I pray for my step-children a lot.” she said. “Without divine intervention they cannot succeed. Society itself does not give us a foundation establishing that right is right and wrong is wrong. Once you make everything relative, you lose.” To Nancy Tabb Marcantel, the Louisiana bayous could be that foundation. “The general feeling among people in Louisiana is that we are all one big family.” she said. “Welcome to it.”