Credit: Alphonse “Bois Sec” Ardoin plays the accordion for the Duralde Mardi Gras in 1977. Photo: Nicholas R. Spitzer via Louisiana Folklife
It’s true, June is National Accordion Awareness Month, a designation made in 1989 to introduce the instrument to a wider audience. Zydeco Crossroads was lucky enough to tour the Martin Accordions workshop and showroom in Scott, Louisiana last fall, and you can watch a video of our visit below.
The family-owned business has been manufacturing and repairing accordions for thirty years, led by “Junior” Martin, his son Anthony and daughter Penny.
In this behind-the-scenes video of the shop Anthony walks us around the showroom, explaining the differences in accordion styles and pointing out the unique features of the Martin accordion. In the workshop we see how detailed the process of making an accordion is and Anthony tells us what makes him so proud of their product.
Learn more accordion facts here.