Louis Irigaray Papers

Louis Michel Irigaray is a unique figure in Basque-American music as he was the only sheepherder who became a professional musician, recorded albums and became an icon of his time.

Louis Michel Irigaray is the son of Michel Irigaray and Marie Etcheverria, Basque immigrants in the United States. Both of his parents were from Esterenzubi, Nafarroa Beherea. He spent his boyhood in a sheep camp in Central California, where he sang to the animals. Louis was expected to follow in the footsteps of his father and become a sheepherder. As such, he learned how to herd the sheep in California's San Joaquin Valley. In 1951, he married Carolyn Jones.

He began to perform as a musician in amateur appearances around Lemoore, California. Louis performed on the Gary Moore TV show in New York. In 1971, his career as a professional musician was launched. He sang about the way of life in the mountains in both Basque and English. He went on to record several albums titled: The Basque Balladeer (1973) and A Shepherd Sings (1979).

In 1977, he published the book, A Shepherd Watches, a Shepherd Sings, co-authored with Theodore Taylor. The book illustrates the way of life of the Basque shepherds.

MISSING YEAR HE WAS BORN

Source:

BASQUE MUSEUM. Louis Michel Irigaray. [Online] http://www.basquemuseum.com/content/louis-michel-irigaray [No longer available]

Source: IRIGARAY, Louis; TAYLOR, Theodore (1977). A shepherd watches, a shepherd sings. New York: Doubleday & Company.