This post was updated in January 2025. Thanksgiving is about family, so for this Thanksgiving week I want to congratulate my father, Bob Richardson, on the release of his first set of songs on iTunes.
My father is an architect by day, but he has had a passion for music his entire life, and he wrote the music and lyrics for a number of songs before and after Hurricane Katrina. His band’s name is Beau Swank, and the band just released four songs on their new EP entitled Gras Deux.
I know I’m biased, but all four of them are great songs.
Bob was inspired to write these songs in the years following Hurricane Katrina. The songs celebrate the unique culture in South Louisiana between New Orleans and Lafayette. After performing and perfecting many of those songs with Ronnie Rauber (often under the band name “Dos Bobs”), Bob recorded a number of these songs at Radionic Studios in New Orleans.
Bob recruited some great musicians to join him in the studio. In addition to Bob on rhythm guitar and Ronnie on bass guitar, Zen Crook—a seasoned Nashville musician who has played with many music legends—played keyboards, fiddle, banjo, accordion and horns, Mike Loupe played horns and guitar, Buzzy Beano played guitar and bass guitar, and Mike Barras played drums. Originally, Bob provided vocals, but later Pete Adams came on board to provide lead vocals and enhance the lyrics. (In the 1960s, Pete and Ronnie were in the popular band The Roamin’ Togas.)
The first track, “The New New Orleans,” was written by Bob immediately after Hurricane Katrina. It describes the optimism shared by many New Orleanians that the city could come back stronger than ever.
The second track, “The Living is Easy,” describes the love affair that many New Orleanians have with their city.
The third track, “Marigny Mambo,” was inspired by Bob’s son (and my brother) Conner, who loves the sections of town adjacent to the French Quarter, including the Marigny and Bywater.
The final track, “Lafayette Waltz,” was written for Bob’s wife (and my mother) Connie and grows out of the time that they spent living together in Lafayette as newlyweds.
Click here to find Beau Swank’s album Gras Deux on Apple Music. Click here to find that album on Spotify.
You can also watch the band perform on YouTube. The songs there are Back in Thibodaux, Mexican Eyes, and The Living is Easy Down in New Orleans.
A slow version of my father’s song Back in Thibodaux was covered by the Abita Stumps. Click here for Apple Music.
Enjoy!