Legendary Cajun musician Abraham "Abe" Manuel, Sr. died at 76
L. J. Cormier
The leader and founder of a legendary Cajun music family died at age 76.
Legendary Cajun and Country musician Abraham "Abe" Manuel, Sr. died
Monday, June 9, 2003, in his residence in Milton, Tennessee just
southeast
of Nashville.. He was a native of Basile. Louisiana.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy "Dottie" Vincent- Manuel of Milton;
three sons, and four daughters.
His funeral was June 13, from Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Creole,
Louisiana.
and was buried at Our Lady of the Marsh Cemetery at Little Chenier,
Louisiana.
The Manuel family is a rich piece of Americana. Abraham "Abe" Manuel
Sr.,
with his lovely wife, Dottie Vincent-Manuel and sons Joe and Abe Jr.
have
performed Country and Cajun/Americana style of music that traces back
over
the past centuries.
No strangers in the music business, Abe Manuel Sr. toured and appeared
at the
Louisiana Hayride and the Grand Ole Opry with Hank Williams and Lefty
Frizzell.
Joe and Abe Jr. are currently rated as two of the most accomplished song
stylists
and their talents on the guitar, squeezebox and violin are second to
none in Nashville.
Abe Jr. and Joe are members of the Merle Haggard Band. Joe Manuel was
Conway Twitty's son in law.
Abe was a musician and businessman in Lake Charles, Louisiana before
moving
his family to the Nashville area twenty-five or so year ago. he ends up
in Milton
and opens a country store. Abe and Dottie were owners of Manuel's Cajun
Store
in Milton, Tennessee for years.
That store became a restaurant, and Abe Manuel Sr. found his calling.
The frog legs, shrimp and okra gumbo, catfish and "Shrimp A2Faye"
at Manuel's were as spicy and filling. And on the front porch became
a stage and is where Abe and Dottie Manuel's family entertaining folks.