The Hebert Family

A Tradition of Music

    Our family has had a very long tradition of music with our history going back far, into the past.  Two young Hebert brothers, Antoine and Jean-Baptiste left Grand-Pre Canada in 1755, moving first to Maryland, then to Louisiana where they helped establish a culture and home uniquely French.

    Among their descendants was Gilbert Hebert, born in 1804, who was a musician and played violin.  Gilbert eventually passing his love of music and his violin to his oldest son Emile who passed it to his son Delma.   Delma Hebert had 12 children (three died between 1900 and 1905) of which four went on to become professional musicians in the Louisiana Six Orchestra.  

    The Louisiana Six Orchestra was organized in 1923 and featured Cap Hebert (trumpet), Noah Hebert (piano and bass), Viola Hebert (banjo and guitar), Wilton Hebert (clarinet & saxophone), Coosoon Girouard (trombone) and Leo Girouaurd (drum).   The band played throughout the deep south in the 20's and 30's, eventually growing to nine members.  The band dissolved in 1941 when members began to be drafted into the military.

    After the war the members went into other professions.  In the Hebert family Cap Hebert learned to repair TVs and electronics, and Wilton studied piano technology, passing this on to his brother Noah and his sons.

    The Hebert music tradition has continued.  Wilton's two sons both played music, Preston played guitar and bass in military bands in Europe in the 60's and today plays tuba in community bands in Lafayette and New Iberia, Lloyd studied trombone and piano, getting a degree in music at USL and going on to teach in Louisiana's high schools, then at USC and Pasadena City College in California.  He still is involved with music education today.

    Two of Lloyd's sons studied music, Blaine Hebert played trombone through college and Wardell Hebert plays keyboard, guitar, trumpet and piano.

    Other members of the Hebert family have gone on into the music and entertainment industry.   Kent Gonsoulin is a local Cajun humorist.  Jacque Louvierre is a music publisher and recording engineer.  More recently Robin and Aijia Guttman, great grand children of Wilton Hebert have begun professional music careers in Southern California.

This information was excerpted from The Hebert Family and the Music Of Louisiana, by Denise Hebert