Upcoming Events 

Bayou Bards avec Kristi Guillory

An exciting and immersive French songwriting workshop in partnership with the the Center for Louisiana Studies. Led by the talented Kristi Guillory.

November 2nd, 16th, 30th, & December 7th, 2026

6:00 - 7:30PM

Register Here

A Louisiana French Songwriting Workshop Series, hosted by Louisiana French Poéte Lauréate, Kristi Guillory will highlight the rich musical heritage of South Louisiana’s French song composers. Kristi has invited other successful and talented songwriters to help guide each session: Blake Miller, Kelli Jones, and Sam Broussard.  The workshop will be in part a survey of and appreciation for Louisiana Cajun and Creole songwriters and an intensive workshop on the craft of making new music with. 

Come to each session with song ideas, original composed melodies that need lyrics, or  lyrics looking for melody. Together the workshop will unpack and discover what makes Louisiana’s traditional music so special. A grasp of or at least familiarity with the French language is encouraged, but all levels are welcome.

What to Expect:

  • Location: All workshops will be held at Center for Louisiana Studies (Roy House), located at 1204 Johnston St. 

  • Learn about the art of writing Louisiana French music: Each week, you’ll dive into a world of Louisiana’s traditional music, gaining a deeper understanding of the music and the craft.

  • No cost, everyone is welcome: Sign up for as many classes as you like at no charge! Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a complete beginner, everyone is welcome. You can register for one, two, three, or ALL!

  • Bring Your Instrument: If you are a musician, bring your insturments to create and explore melodies by yourself and with others.

  • Collaboration: We will work together and individually while we unpack the art of songwriting. Come with unfinished ideas that can be shared to create a whole song.

  • Preparation: Come to each session with song ideas, original composed melodies that need lyrics, or  lyrics looking for melody. Or just bring an open mind and a willingness to participate!

  • Have fun! We want to create a nurturing, safe learning environment for our community to come together. CSMF workshops are a judgment-free zone. Let’s all have a blast and embrace our creative side! 

We hope to see you soon for a series of inspirational, fun evenings celebrating Louisiana’s music & language.

Come ready to create & connect!

Kristi Guillory

workshop curator and lead instructor

Kristi Guillory has been named the most recent, and first female Poète Laureate of French Louisiana, a two year appointment. An acclaimed Cajun musician, songwriter, and cultural advocate from Lafayette, Louisiana, she is known for her powerful accordion playing, evocative vocals, and authentic storytelling through song. As a Cajun French songwriter,  Guillory has become a respected voice in the preservation and evolution of Cajun music.

A founding member of the GRAMMY-nominated ensemble Bonsoir, Catin, Guillory has performed on stages across the United States and abroad, earning recognition for her artistry and her commitment to the musical traditions of Acadiana. Her original compositions reflect both the vitality of modern Louisiana life and a deep reverence for the region’s French heritage.

In addition to her performance career, Guillory is a dedicated educator and folklorist, working to promote and sustain Cajun language, culture, and history through music and education.

Blending tradition with innovation, Kristi Guillory continues to honor the legacy of Cajun music while inspiring new generations to embrace and carry it forward.

Guest Instructors

Sam Broussard

Sam Broussard is a musician, songwriter, teacher, and editor from Lafayette, Louisiana, and a four-time nominee for the Grammy award. He has toured the world in support of many artists, such as the late Jimmy Buffett, Franco-Swiss artist Stephan EichEicher, Country artists Sweethearts of the Rodeo, California artist Nicolette Larson, and then with his current groups, Chere Elise and Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. He did orchestrations for Sonny Landreth’s instrumental album, Elemental Journey. Way back in the seventies when he was just learning, he played the iconic guitar introduction to the worldwide hit song “Wildfire,” by Michael Martin Murpheys. His fourth Grammy nomination was in 2017 for Broken Promised Land, a Cajun French project with lyricist and folklorist Barry Jean Ancelet, for which he produced, recorded, and played almost all the instruments. Their new 2024 album, Le Grand Silence, is an exploration of Cajun French roots based in blues, gospel, and jazz musics. Also in ‘24 was a tour with fingerstyle guitar master Mary Flower. 

Guest instructor on 11/16

Kelli Jones

Kelli Jones moves so effortlessly between genres, traditions, and musical concepts that it’s clear she was born with an insatiable artistic curiosity. As a teenager, she emerged from a deeply musical Appalachian family to become an amazingly apt singer, guitarist, and dancer in old-time music. Moving to Southwest Louisiana, she quickly learned Cajun French and began writing preternaturally gifted original songs in dual languages with progressive Cajun bands like GRAMMY-nominated Feufollet, T’Monde, and as a duo with Joel Savoy. Both of these jumping off points, what she casually refers to as “obsessions,” have fueled the music on her debut solo record, Queen of the In Between, recently released on June 18, 2021, but she also seamlessly references so much more, everything from classic country to psychedelic rock to contemporary indie roots singer-songwriters. Jones is a fearless bandleader, weaving together an opus that sounds remarkably cohesive. She’s roaming the halls of 20th century Americana synthesizing a century’s worth of music with ease. It’s not simply a meld of seemingly disparate influences; every one of her projects dazzle in their ability to speak to the universality of human emotion.

Guest Instructor on 11/30
Guest Instructor on 12/7

Blake Miller

Blake Miller, grandson of musician and accordion builder Larry Miller, grew up in Iota, Louisiana. He's been surrounded by Cajun culture and music his whole life. A fluent French speaker and songwriter, he earned a degree in Francophone Studies from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Blake founded the popular band The Pine Leaf Boys and has played with many notable groups, such as The Red Stick Ramblers, Balfa Toujours, and Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole. He is a professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he leads the traditional music program's Cajun ensemble, sharing his deep cultural knowledge and musicianship with students.

Workshop Assistants

  • CHRIS SEGURA

    Chris Segura started at the Center for Louisiana Studies as an undergraduate intern in 2004 and became Archivist in 2011. He graduated from UL Lafayette with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in 2008. He co-founded the Grammy-nominated band Feufollet and is a member of the Lafayette Rhythm Devils and the Grammy-nominated Pine Leaf Boys. Chris has an extensive knowledge of the local music repertoire and musicians from years past. He has digitized thousands of hours of reel-to-reel, VHS, audio cassettes, U-matic and Beta video tapes, records, and DATs, according to IASA standards. He oversees all audio digitization projects taking place at the CLS.  He has produced five albums composed of archive material for Festivals Acadiens et Creoles, a world famous festival held in Lafayette, Louisiana.  Segura also builds and restores violins in his spare time.

  • ELISE RILEY

    Elise Riley is a Cajun musician from Lafayette, Louisiana. The daughter of Grammy-winning accordionist Steve Riley (of Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys) and sister of the late Chris Stafford (of Feufollet), Elise grew up immersed in the traditions of southwest Louisiana. She is proudly carrying on the rich musical legacy of her family. A self-taught drummer with a powerful voice, she also plays guitar and accordion, blending deep-rooted Cajun rhythms with her own fresh energy and style. 

    Elise learned music the old way—passed down from family, felt rather than taught. Her performances reflect generations of heritage while pushing Cajun music forward into a new era. You can find her performing with supergroups Chère Élise and Prends Courage. Elise is fast becoming a vital force in Louisiana’s music scene and a proud torchbearer for the next generation.

More to Know:

  • All participants 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult and included in their registration form.

  • Please be aware that this is a learning environment. We would appreciate it if everyone remained respectful and mindful of this. 

  • Drop-ins will be welcomed.

  • There is no alcohol allowed at workshops. 

  • For participants needing disability accommodations, please reach out to Elise at the email below

For any questions, comments, suggestions, etc., reach out to Elise Riley at elise@staffordfoundation.org