At a recent GTO Party Band practice, members shared their fond memories of the Teche Area and how the band got started nearly two decades ago in the Teche Area.

Everyone’s invited to the party celebrating Best of the Teche

The Best of the Teche is not just a competition — it’s a celebration of the people who live and work in the Teche Area and the companies, attractions, services and leadership that make staying at home right for all ages.

Creating an awards event to bring out the Best of the Teche is not just an awards program, though with Christina Pierce at the helm, the official business will be brief and to the point. The winners are the people who voted and the chosen experts in their fields.

It’s not just a fund raising event and yet the beneficiaries are the teachers and students who will be learning in fun news ways with newspapers in the classrooms. Sponsorship is not always easy to find but with increased awareness of the program, more and more businesses and individuals will want to jump in to insure future generations are informed. They’ll know the civic operations in their communities, business opportunities and cultural enjoyment because the most comprehensive news is something they regularly enjoy reading.

So what more can you ask for? With a theme reminiscent of the best years of classic rock music, pop culture foods, fun fashions and lots of dancing — we can definitely say it will be a night to P-A-R-T-Y! A Cajun good time is bound to be had — and at the same time a mingling of old and new memories.

Speaking of memories, thanks go to our presenting sponsor, Arceneaux Ford, along with gold sponsor Iberia Medical Center and silver sponsors Suzanne deMahy, Jane’s Seafood & Chinese and Wendy Lacour’s Allstate Agency. Their support has provided for this community celebration.

The Boys In The Band

Any number of fine bands could have played for the Best of the Teche Sock Hop but after learning that most of the original group was from New Iberia or St. Martinville, it seemed GTO Party Band was perfect to kick off the new tradition of a community party.

The group of part time musicians, lovers of rock-n-roll had families to raise. They played together in college and decided in March 1999 to start playing again. Horn players Ray Blanchard, Ken Quebedeaux and Darryl Ransonet formed the group. Blanchard is the surviving member of the original founders and acts as its manager.

“We said, ‘lets throw a big reunion party,’ and that’s how we got started. We threw a big reunion party,” Blanchard said. “The party was at The Bandstand in St. Martinville. It use to be the Signorellis Club.”

Blanchard described that first party, it sounded just like the Best of the Teche. Back then they had to rent the equipment but now they own it all, thanks to Ransonet who funded the band.

“We hung out in New Iberia, we didn’t come to Lafayette. The place to go was New Iberia,” Blanchard said.

The lone lady in the group, Amy Arceneaux from Thibodaux now Lafayette, is no stranger to New Iberia. A counselor for Lafayette Parish Schools by day, the vocalist has performed with a number of bands throughout Acadiana including gigs at Carabella’s Bar, Clementine’s and the Sugarena.

“This is the first time in a band with horns,” said Arceneaux. “To be that close to them really adds an element I just love.”

Lead guitarist Bobby Babineaux has many fond memories of New Iberia. His aunt may be remembered as the owner- hairstylist at Rose’s Beauty Salon in the Chicago brick house near Menard’s, behind the Old School Days Apartments — the former New Iberia Freshman High School, he said.

Babineaux and his brother, Billy, may be remembered for their contributions to the music scene locally. Billy John and the Continentals wrote for B.J. Thomas and others. They were inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame for the dance craze, the Alligator. Billy Babineaux was responsible for the song that gave the dance its popularity.

The Babineaux brothers most recent connection to the big music scene came when their song, “Can’t Buy My Love,” was chosen as the cover song for the 2010 Robert Plant album, “Band of Joy.” Fans will remember him as lead vocalist and lyricist of Led Zeppelin. As anticipated, the album went platinum and the royalties were gratefully received by Bobby and his deceased brother’s family.

Their father in 1956 was the third best Ford salesman in the nation — thanks to all the Cajun folks in the Teche Area, he said. Music, dairy farming and educators provide endless stories including one of the finalist restaurants.

“I still bring the grandkids to Duffy’s,” Babineaux said. “I see people I haven’t seen for ages like Johnny Romero and the cooks that live around the area. We played (in clubs) til 2 o’clock in the morning every Saturday night. Weekend warriors. We all had full time jobs.”

Bill LeBlanc from Lafayette, with relatives in the Abbeville, enjoyed many holiday meals with Buford relatives in New Iberia, also educators. Dudley J. LeBlanc, the Hadacol Man, was his grandfather’s brother. His most recent contribution in da Berry was during the spring as the sound man for Dave Robicheaux’s Hometown Literary Festival. Music is never far away. He often plays with T.K. Hulin and other well known musicians or bands in the area.

“I enjoy working with the big horn section. I joined at the same time the drummer Steve Adams joined, and then introduced them to Amy. It’s a big band with a great comradery that works out for everybody,” he said.

Clark Alderman will enjoy the Best of the Teche Sock Hop food because he’s still talking about hot dogs from Viator’s Drive In on Hopkins Street, another finalist for the Best of the Teche.

“My wife is from New Iberia. Every Sunday we’d go to her grandmother’s, Nomie Bourque Prejean, who lived off of Hopkins,” Alderman said. “We’d go get a hot dog at Viator’s and bring it to her.”

Eric Leblanc has family memories with the Hollomans. He is a band director at Paul Breaux Middle School and has been guest director in Iberia Parish schools.

“I’ve worked with the whole parish with the Honor Band and last year I worked with all their fifth-grade students, and I judged at Belle Place,” Leblanc said. “Some great little musicians coming out.”

Needless to say, even the band playing at the Best of the Teche will be celebrating community.

The Place To Be

End of summer before school starts might catch some area residents away from the Bayou. Never the less, friends and family members from various nominees were the first to buy their tickets. Anticipating the fun of a sock hop, too many wanted to decorate their own tables so The Daily Iberia will only be decorating the single ticket holder tables. Table patrons that are interested can compete to see whose decorations are the best. And the best judges for decorating are none other than the best dressed gals in town — the Berry Queens.

Attending in their finest sash-draped garb, the Queens not entering the competition will form their opinions before announcing to the audience who has the most creativity at the tables.

Another group may be dressed alike, but more than one table will seem empty when the occupiers repeatedly hit the dance floor. The Bon Temps dancers will be out in force July 28 and are really looking forward to it, said Etta Fair, one of the two coordinator-instructors. In the short time they’ve managed the three-times-a-week dance classes, the leaders have choreographed more than 70 line dance routines. You don’t have to know how to join in, but if you’re not a dancer, there will be more to see than costumes.

When was the last time you have authentic diner foods in a 1950s atmosphere with live music? Vern’s Bar-B-Que and Catering has already been prepping with mini hamburgers and cheese burger sliders, chopped brisket sliders, mini hot dogs with black Angus chili, French fries and onion rings — mini packs so they won’t go cold while you’re dancing — banana split bites, apple pie bites, popcorn, mini root beer and coke floats, malts and shakes, cherry-cola cupcakes and Chef Vern-ar-dee’s mini spaghetti and meat sauce cups. Are you hungry yet? We can’t wait.

Doyle Copell will be there with specialty drinks and a full bar for cash purchases and was the first to commit a portion of the proceeds to benefit Newspapers In Education. An NIE table will be provided for more information.

Quick Start for NIE

Veteran NIE coordinator and retired Lafayette Parish teacher Judy Broussard is so excited to share her experience and programs with teachers. The first free workshop is scheduled for Thursday at 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Parkview Library. Registration is limited to seating. Call 280-5690 to reserve your space and training packet.

Broussard also will be on hand July 28 to answer questions about the program and signup attending teachers for workshops plus subscriptions for newspapers to be delivered weekly into the classrooms. Anyone interested in sponsoring a school, classroom or teacher can find out about sponsorship levels on the spot or by calling Broussard at the number above or The Daily Iberian. See you at the hop.