hɪz pˈɛɹənts wɜː fɹˈɛntʃspˈiːkɪŋ kˈeɪdʒənz fɹʌm wˈɜːkɪŋklˈæs bˈækɡɹaʊndz ænd, æz ɐ tʃˈaɪld, hiː ɪmbˈaɪbd ðə tɹɐdˈɪʃənəl kˈeɪdʒən fɹˈɛntʃ mjˈuːzɪk pɚfˈɔːɹmd ɪn hɪz ɡɹˈændfɑːðɚz dˈænsɪhˌɔːl, ðə kˈoːɹɾɐblˌoʊ ˈɪn, loʊkˈeɪɾᵻd ɪn nˈɪɹbaɪ pˈoːɹt bˈɑːɹ.
His parents were French-speaking Cajuns from working-class backgrounds and, as a child, he imbibed the traditional Cajun French music performed in his grandfather's dancehall, the Courtableau Inn, located in nearby Port Barre.