The Playboys zydeco, from the Bayou to Benzie
By Ross Boissoneau
Sun contributor
Kirk Jones and Mark Stoltz shared a similar upbringing, growing up just a few miles apart in Louisiana. But it wasn’t until both had migrated to Benzie County that they met, eventually teaming up to give voice to the music they grew up with.
Today, K Jones and the Benzie Playboys is one of the state’s top Cajun/zydeco bands, playing the unique blend of blues, R&B, rock and folk music of the Louisiana Bayou country. Of French and African origin, it’s heavy on rhythm, and typically features instruments such as button accordion, fiddle and washboard (“frottoir” in French) alongside the likes of electric guitar, bass and drums.
The band came about as a request for some dance music at a local Cajun dance party. “A friend from Lake Ann had a party and wanted to call it a fais do-do,” says Jones. “That’s a dance expression in Cajun French. A buddy of mine played guitar and I was playing accordion. Mark Stoltz played triangle, the ‘Tit Fer’.”
Despite it being their very first effort, Jones says the reception was positive, and best of all, they enjoyed it too. “It was so much fun. It was pretty rough, but we had a lot of fun,” he says.
Jones and Stoltz were familiar with the music from their childhoods. “Mark and I grew up within a mile of each other in the New Orleans area. We didn’t know each other, but our dads both worked for NASA. But we never met,” Jones says. As kids, they heard the Cajun music of the bayou on local AM radio. “By the time we got together, we just tapped into that.”
Turned out they had hit on something. “We got a taste of playing and thought we could step it up,” Jones says. They began taking it seriously, researching the music and practicing, eventually landing some gigs. The band grew and, as Jones puts it, “It took on a life of its own.” K Jones and the Benzie Playboys made its first recording at a performance at the Lake Ann Township Hall.
That was about a quarter century ago. Today, the band still plays gigs throughout the region. It has graced stages and dances elsewhere across the state, even venturing to the music’s home in Louisiana. “Mark and I went to Cajun summer camp. We’d study music from Cajun and Creole masters. The best part is playing with the guys, playing high-energy dance music.”
Today the band plays on, despite a couple near-misses. First was the pandemic, which wiped out a long-planned recording session for the group’s second studio effort, and resulted in the band’s drummer moving on. Then Stoltz had some serious health issues, landing in the hospital, where he underwent heart surgery. He was there for six months, eventually emerging with a new part for his heart: an LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device), which helps pump blood to his body.
The current version of the band features Jones on accordion and fiddle and Stoltz on scrubboard and triangle, with Jonah Powell on fiddle and slide guitar, Doug Albright on bass, a returning Scott Scholten on drums (the group’s original drummer) and Sean Dye on guitar. Everybody sings, according to Jones, though he provides most of the leads.
K Jones and the Benzie Playboys recently played at Blissfest and in Onekama, and has several other performances scheduled yet this year. That includes a date in September at St. Ambrose Cellars, Jones’s meadery/winery/brewpub, next door to Sleeping Bear Farms, where he produces a variety of products from honey. His wife Sharon’s Bee Dazzled retail shop is onsite there as well, featuring numerous other products incorporating the work of nature’s buzzing pollinators, such as candles, lotions and soaps.
“A lot of us have jobs. This is a good balance for us,” Jones says. “Music is a big thing to us. It’s a thing we do together to enjoy life.” Laissez le bon temps rouler!
Upcoming Shows
Aug. 9, 7 p.m. Northport Music in the Park
Aug. 15, 7 p.m. Grand Traverse Pavilions
Aug. 24, 4-11 p.m. Lake Ann Music in the Park
Sept. 1, 7 p.m. Leland
Sept. 7, 10 p.m. Wheatland Music Festival
Sept. 21, 6:30 p.m. St. Ambrose Cellars Barn Dance
Sept. 28 Leelanau Uncaged
