On May 2nd, Chris Stafford, founder of Feufollet and a pillar of the Lafayette music scene, tragically passed away at the age of 36. It is now on us to celebrate, preserve and pass on his talent, his generosity and his insatiable passion for French-speaking Louisiana.

A month after the death of Chris Stafford, Louisiana is still in shock. The singer, musician and creator of theband Feufollet lost his life at just 36 years old, a victim of a car accident in Lafayette, leaving behind a mourning community. Since then, tributes and gestures of support – as numerous as they are moving – have continued to flow in, testifying to the special relationship that Stafford had established with his audience, not only through his music but also his commitment to the musical scene. His career symbolizes the cooperative nature of the Lafayette community, not only artistically and culturally, but also on a human level.

People from the restaurant industry, media personalities, collaborators, members of the educational community  and elected officials, in Lafayette and statewide honored Stafford’s memory. A product of Lafayette’s French immersion schools, Stafford represents one of the program’s greatest successes in Louisiana. Interested in Cajun music at an early age, he began playing music when he was 8 years old under the tutelage of Steve Riley (himself a student of Dewey Balfa), and founded the group Feufollet in 1998 when he was only 11.

Stafford never gave up on the adventure he started almost 30 years ago, and in 2024, he was the only original member of his ever-evolving group, which he described as “a bunch of country songwriters” with Cajun influences. Their sound is arguably as rich and difficult to explain as their roots, like so much music born in Louisiana, but Feufollet has always kept its local character. A bilingual group, most of their lyrics are sung in French.

From the beginning, Feufollet has been a spokesperson for young French-speaking Louisianans, long before recent efforts to revitalize French. In offering their condolences, Sweet Crude was unequivocal that “without Chris Stafford and Feufollet, Sweet Crude would not exist.” The group Sweet Cécilia added a few words, echoing a sad feeling shared by so many people: “ Acadiana has truly lost a legend.”

Stafford and Feufollet have played on the most prestigious stages in Louisiana, including at Jazz Fest and Festival International, and have performed in France, Acadia, and the United Kingdom.

His accomplishments are far from being limited to his work with Feufollet and the Viatones, another group of which he was a part. Chris was involved in a wide range of  projects and participated in so many important moments in the music scene that it would be difficult to make a complete list. Among his collaborations, his work with Cedric Watson is immortalized in the archives of the Library of Congress. Stafford was lead guitarist for Cedric Watson et Bijou Créole, and he played violin for the Cedric Watson Trio. Watson honored Stafford for his passion for music and the drive and energy he communicated to other musicians. For over a decade, Chris also opened the doors of his recording studio, Staffland Studio, to Lafayette’s young artists, providing them with a space for creativity, inspiration and a springboard for their careers.

Stafford has the distinction of having been nominated for a Grammy four times with three different groups: twice with Cedric Watson and Bijou Créole, once with Racines (a group led by his former musical tutor Steve Riley), and most recently in 2011, with Feufollet for their album En Couleurs.

Always ready to defend, represent and share the French language in Louisiana, Stafford had recently performed and recorded the music for season 2 of the cartoon Les Aventures de Boudini et Ses Amis, an educational program created and broadcast by Télé-Louisiane with Marshall Woodworth and Philippe Billeaudeaux, with the aim of promoting access to Louisiana French and facilitating its learning among young people. Stafford also provided his voice for a character in two episodes of the show.

Without a doubt, Chris Stafford will leave an indelible mark on Louisiana and continue to influence many of us. His contributions will endure not only through his music and the numerous titles recorded with Feufollet and other artists, but also through his collaborators, the younger generations he inspired, and his generous contribution to the maintenance and development of the musical landscape of Lafayette.

To date, the Gofundme fundraiser started by musician Wilson Savoy to help Chris Stafford’s family cover the cost of the funeral and burial has raised more than $70,000. The remaining funds will be used to establish the Christopher Stafford Memorial Foundation, a Louisiana non-profit corporation, ensuring that Christopher’s legacy endures, continuing to inspire future generations.

On May 28, the Louisiana House of Representatives unanimously approved a resolution proposed by Brach Myers of Lafayette, to formally express condolences and celebrate Chris as one of the brightest stars in Louisiana music.