This Friday, April 24th, Louisiana-born singer-songwriter and master of the Bayou Soul sound, Marc Broussard, will be performing at The Walker Theatre in Downtown Chattanooga.
Broussard is known for his uncanny ability to mix Cajun influences with rock, soul, and R&B, creating a genre-bending, bayou soul soundscape that is gritty, raw, and emotional at times, all steeped in deeply rooted southern music traditions.
He first gained attention and broke through in 2004, with his debut studio album, Carencro, which is named after his hometown, and featured the single “Home,” a signature track that is still likely his most recognized song. Since then, he has garnered a loyal following and gone on to release several studio albums, as well as multiple EPs and his S.O.S. series.
S.O.S. stands for Save Our Soul and is Broussard’s series of cover albums that see him doing soul, R&B, and gospel-inspired covers for charity. A portion of the proceeds from the albums go to benefit humanitarian and community charities.
For example, the most recent album, S.O.S. V: Songs of the '50s, which is a collection of hit rock, blues, and soul songs from that decade, has a portion of proceeds going to Love of People, a non-profit organization based in Lafayette, Louisiana.
On April 17th of this year, Broussard released his first-ever all-original blues and soul recording entitled, Chance Worth Taking, which sees Broussard reuniting with longtime collaborator and producer Joe Bonamassa and diving headfirst into a sea of original blues and soul tracks.
Songs like “Trying to Do Right,” with Bonamassa on guitar, and the emotionally resonant blues track "No More” showcase Broussard's evolution, and the album feels like new ground for him while still staying rooted in the southern sensibilities of his bayou soul sound that’s brought him to where he is today.
In addition to being an incredibly diverse singer-songwriter and musician, Broussard is also extremely sweet and genuine. I got the opportunity to speak with him about his most recent album, his partnership with Bonamassa, and how his songwriting has evolved over the years.
“I’m super jacked about this record. I think it's one of the finest of my career, and I cannot wait to get this music into the fans' hands. As far as my writing and what’s changed, I think I’m just a lot more intentional these days with what it is that I’m trying to say. These days, I’m really more intentional about what I’m trying to accomplish. I also do a lot more solo writing than I did in the past.”
Joe is a sweetheart of a dude, one of the most kind individuals I’ve ever met. He’s very giving, always going above and beyond. So to work with him on another project was a real joy. We had so much fun on the first one. It’s nice to get an original project under the belt.”
When asked about the earlier days and a specific moment that shapes how he performs today, Broussard mentioned that his sound has been shaped by watching other great performers.
“I wouldn’t say there’s a particular moment that shapes how I perform these days. It’s really from watching other great performers, like Prince. I saw Prince live years ago, and that was a transformational moment for me for sure. It was amazing. He knocked my socks off. It lit a fire in me and got me excited about performing more than anything else.”
When asked about returning to Chattanooga and any memories of the city, he mentioned the Yellow Deli, saying he had one of the best late-night sandwiches of his life there.
Marc Broussard’s genre-blending bayou soul sound is backed by his raspy, soulful voice, holding steadfast to the southern musical traditions of Louisiana while also becoming more intentional in his songwriting over the years. His remarkable evolution in sound is evident on his most recent original-only album, Chance Worth Taking, where he digs deeper into poignant lyricism, creating a world of his own and taking the audience right along with him.
Marc Broussard
- Friday, April 24. 8 p.m.
- $47-$101.
- The Walker Theatre. 399 McCallie Ave, Chattanooga
- tivolichattanooga.com