Bruce was born in New Orleans on July 11, 1958. His parents were part of a post-World War II migration of Cajuns to New Orleans from the rural farming communities of Avoyelles Parish. Located in the uppermost corner of Louisiana's "Cajun triangle," Avoyelles Parish is the forgotten part of Cajun country. Nevertheless, the language and customs of the Cajun people are as deeply rooted here as anywhere in the state. And whenever you walk through the door of Bruce's family home, you return to Avoyelles Parish. His parents have never abandoned their beautiful Cajun French, and they've kept their gumbo and fricassee simmering on the stove.

The same, instinctive pride of culture and heritage that has guided his parents' lives, and his grandparents' lives, is now invested in Bruce's music. Music came to Bruce at an early age, and in the most traditional manner--handed down from father to son. When he was growing up, no family gathering was complete without a little playing and singing. His father picked the guitar, "Carter Family-style," while his Uncle Alton lent a remarkable voice to the traditional Cajun songs and old-time country ballads. When Bruce turned five, his father presented him with a guitar, and by the age of ten he was also bearing down on a five-string banjo. It was in 1978, after attending the annual Festival Acadiens in Lafayette, that Bruce was inspired to devote himself to the French accordion. By 1980 he had his own Cajun band, and was honing his skills at regular Thursday-night fais do do dances at the Maple Leaf Bar. Over the next six years, Bruce Daigrepont almost single-handedly popularized Cajun music and Cajun dancing in cosmopolitan New Orleans.

In 1986 Bruce moved the fais do do dance to the original Tipitina's, corner of Napoleon and Tchoupitoulas streets, where it continues to this day, every Sunday evening from five till nine. Bruce is one of New Orleans' and Louisiana's great musical institutions; and he has emerged as one of Cajun music's finest cultural ambassadors. In North America he has performed at such prestigious venues as New York's Lincoln Center, Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts, the Winnipeg Folk Festival and the National Folk Festival. Over the past ten years he has taken his music to France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. At the request of the American Embassies, Bruce and his band have performed even in the third-world countries of El Salvador and Venezuela. Most rewarding, though, are his annual "homecoming" pilgrimages to the French-speaking Canadian maritime provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, where the history of the Louisiana Cajuns had its harsh beginnings. It is here that the deeper meanings of Bruce's original song creations can be appreciated and celebrated to the fullest extent. Imagine 2,000 Acadians packed into a hockey rink in the little town of Buctouche, New Brunswick, raising their voices in unison to the chorus of Bruce's "Marksville Two-Step:" "On est tous cousins, cher, one est tous cousines" - "We're all cousins; we're all cousins!" It is the spirit of cultural reunion personified.

Music has been engrained into Shaw’s world for as long as she can remember. That exposure greatly paid off as the Louisiana-raised musician has carved out her place 
in Cajun culture, and has become one of the most recognizable brands in Louisiana music. From national appearances on the Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, the Today Show's Roker-thon and the Rosie O’Donnell Show, to a once in lifetime performances with Cyndi Lauper, Shaw's magnetic presence helped her to build an extraordinary following of fans and supporters. Younger fans look up to Shaw for her pristine fiddling skills and sassy sense of style, while order fans respect her strong work ethic and sincere sensibility, but audiences of all ages agree that Shaw’s musical talent and appealing personality give her a special flair and make her an incredible representative of Louisiana’s melting pot of music. 

Shaw works extremely hard to give her fans the best she has to offer, and her passion for her craft has been recognized with prestigious honors and awards throughout her career. The local artist has received dozens of honors including the Big Easy Award for Best Female Entertainer, Louisiana Music Hall of Fame Future Famer, Offbeat Magazine’s Best of the Beat Singer/Songwriter of the Year and many, many others. In the past, she has also collaborated with Grammy award-winning musicians, such as Chubby Carrier, and renowned songwriters, including Matthew Gerrard, to give her fans a superior way to experience Louisiana-rooted, world-class music. 

In addition to her impressive music accolades, which include five critically acclaimed EPs and albums, Louisiana’s Sweetheart has also graced the covers and pages of esteemed magazines including Where Y’At, Offbeat, BreakThru Media, New Orleans Living, Viva NOLA, Marie Claire and many others. 

“Growing up in the music industry, I have had the chance to tell my story to an international audience. I have traveled many places and experienced many cultures, but I never lose 
sight of my Louisiana roots. My intention with my music is to bring a little bit of Louisiana culture with me everywhere I go." 

Amanda Shaw, Louisiana singer, songwriter and musician