Jo-el Sonnier

• Genre: Cajun/Zydeco
• Hometown: Rayne

About

Although his own musical career hasn't been too commercially successful, there is not one country musician who can say that Jo-El Sonnier isn't a Cajun King Midas. He is a much in-demand session accordion accompanist and has landed on the albums of such artists as Hank Williams Jr., Ricky Skaggs, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Sonnier's own music is a hearty blend of festive Cajun R&B (he grew up in Louisiana), twang-toned Americana and slick Nashville country. He began playing the accordion at the tender age of three and landed his first radio performance when he was only six years old.

- Eric Shea