We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful C.j. Benoit. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with C.J. below.
C.J., looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I think the best learning process for a musical instrument is to make as much noise as possible on it til it eventually sounds good. It’s the most Punk Rock approach to it, and you find YOUR sound on an instrument.
. . . Or barring that, neighbors, friends, and family members might chip in for lessons.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’ve been in the music industry since 2007, and Los Swamp Monsters has been formed since 2012 (admittedly under other names).
I think the biggest thing that sets us apart is we play a mixture pretty unique to Nashville, fusing Cajun/Zydeco, Tex-Mex, Swamp Pop and Conjunto music with Rock, Blues, Country and Soul with the accordion and saxophone right along the electric guitar in the forefront. We perform in four languages (English, Spanish, and French, as well as a Native American song we borrowed from the late Jim Pepper).
I think our claim to fame though, is not using a setlist and drawing from everywhere, even picking up the description “the Tex-Mex Grateful Dead” with how we’ll jam and segue through songs (while simultaneously cutting our teeth in punk clubs and redneck bars). That spontaneity and jamming on medleys means every show is different and exciting.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish despite being a lifelong Zydeco fan, that I learned the accordion earlier. I only got started on the button boxes back in 2019 (and yet somehow that’s become my signature instrument. My money was on the saxophone!)
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Bouncing off that first question, I had an accordion player in the band for a while. Nice guy, great player, but he was really regimented and big time in the Bierhaus polka circuit. He left my band to focus on that and after finding out how tricky it was to find a squeezebox player to fit in the band, I decided it was about time I learn and become that player.
So 2019 I bought a Hohner Panther. Now I have that, a Compadre, and an Ariette Cajun box. Been a Hohner guy ever since I picked up the harmonica as a kid (I play 45 instruments give or take . . . The hobby got WAY out of hand!) Maybe one day I’ll mess around with a MIDI Accordion. I didn’t think the Accordion would be the instrument that would be the Signature, but hey, it works out!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.losswampmonsters.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/losswampmonstersofficial
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/losswampmonsters
Image Credits
Photos are by myself, Jess Daughrity, the shorts and guitar pic was by a fan in Cumberland, MD, and Bryce Harmon of the Murfreesboro Pulse and Folk and Proper News.