Rufus Thibodeaux

Best known for his long collaboration with Grand Ole Opry legend Jimmy C. Newman, Cajun fiddler Rufus Thibodeaux was a renowned Nashville session musician for over half a century, assembling a vast body of work that spanned across generations and across genres. Born January 5, 1934, in Ridge, LA, Thibodeaux began playing guitar at age six before moving to the fiddle at 12. Within a year, he was a fixture at local dances, and joined Cajun swing steel guitarist Julius "Papa Cairo" Lamperez in 1949. Thibodeaux spent much of the following decade on the payroll at producer Jay Mill...