Soileau signs off for final time

KVPI broadcast legend and former editor of the Ville Platte Gazette Jim Soileau passed away Monday, March 8. On the Tuesday edition of La Tasse de Café’, the program Jim helped to start in 1967, listeners called in to express condolences and offer prayers to his family and everyone at the radio station. Those who called in -- listeners and clients alike -- conveyed their respect and admiration for the long-time “Voice of KVPI.”
Raised on a farm in the Faubourg area on the outskirts of Ville Platte, Jim’s voice was a God-given talent at a young age. In 1954, when Jim gave a speech in front of the Ville Platte Rotary Club, KVPI general manager Chris Duplechain recognized Jim’s talent and asked him to work as the weekend announcer at the newly-established radio station. Jim, who spoke Cajun French, introduced live Cajun music acts in the KVPI studio. Over his long career, Jim worked at KLFY TV 10 in Lafayette, and in Natchitoches at KNOC where he got to interview a young Johnny Cash. Eventually Jim came back to his home town in the early ‘60s and became the second general manager at KVPI. At the time, he was one of the youngest general managers in the state.
In 1967, Jim’s friend Floyd Soileau suggested the idea of La Tasse de Café’. Co-hosting with Dan Andrus, Jim introduced the listening area to the bilingual, call-in radio show. For a time, Jim left radio and worked with his old friend Floyd as the editor of the Ville Platte Gazette. Even though Jim excelled at being editor, Jim longed to be back in broadcasting. When an opportunity came for him to get back to radio, he took it with Floyd’s blessing. Floyd said Jim was a good editor, “But I think once a broadcaster, you’ve got it in your heart.” He added, “My heart dropped when I was told he passed away. The whole community, the whole industry, and French language movement lost a great guy. He was really strong helping KVPI keep that French language, heritage, and music alive. He was something else. There’s no way to replace him.”
Jim went back to KVPI in 1976, and there he stayed until he retired as manager in 1998. After a few years, he missed working in radio, so he went back to work part-time, announcing the French News and co-hosting La Tasse de Café’. Jim was honored by the Cajun French Music Association for his years as a Cajun French announcer. He was also the first broadcaster inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame for his long-time support of Louisiana music. Later this month, the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters (LAB) will add Jim’s name to its Hall of Fame. He also served on the LAB’s board of directors.
On Tuesday’s episode of La Tasse, an emotional Winky Aucoin phoned in to talk about Jim helping to keep the Louisiana French language alive, “I listened to Jim all my life. My parents and children did, too. Just by being exposed to him and his voice and his intellect and feeling for the culture, it inspired us, even if we didn’t realize it at the time.”
Acadiana broadcast legend Tom Voinche called into the show and said of Jim, “What a fine gentleman. He was just a great competitor, a wonderful man. I never knew anybody who just didn’t like the man. They loved the man. He was respected in broadcasting throughout the state. He was always very kind and encouraging with my career. He took pains to help me whenever he could. I will never forget that. It’s just a sad day. What a legendary man Jim Soileau was.”
Louis Coco, owner of two radio stations in Avoyelles Parish, including KLIL, said of his old friend, “Jim Soileau was a true legend in every sense of the word. He was a real gentleman broadcaster. I’m saddened to learn of his passing. He was one of those guys you thought would always be here. He was the voice of KVPI. His voice was tremendous. He will live on for a long, long time. I’m going to certainly miss him a lot.”
David Begnaud, Lead National Correspondent, CBS This Morning - CBS News, posted to his Facebook page: “In my beloved south Louisiana, in the heart of Cajun country, a man who spent his life on the radio speaking in Cajun, and thereby helping to preserve the Cajun French language, has died. His morning program La Tasse de Café’ was the daily jolt of what you needed in Evangeline parish. He also shared a Cajun word of the day, and that tradition continues today. Countless people learned to speak Cajun French thanks to Jim. My sincerest condolences to his family and colleagues. Jim was a legend.”
La Tasse co-host Charlie Manuel, who started working at the radio station around the same time as Jim, said, “We go way back. We’re both country boys. We come from the cotton fields. We picked ourselves up by the seat of our pants.” He recalled the first day Jim was manager of the station. That particular day, he and Jim operated the whole day on-air by themselves. The engineer, J.L. Sylvester, was out sick, leaving just the two of them to run things. “Jim would operate a couple of hours, and I’d take his place and operate a couple of hours. We flip-flopped the whole day by ourselves, with nobody there,” said Manuel. “It was a memorable day. Our friendship grew from there.”
Current KVPI general manger Mark Layne said, “I first met Jim Soileau around 1974. It was Jim who encouraged me to start selling advertising in 1976. He also encouraged me to work at speaking French again to do La Tasse, the French News, and the Fred’s Lounge broadcast. He was very patient with me and was a master at speaking the language. He loved speaking in French and was a true broadcaster in every sense of the word. Jim was a humble man and never liked receiving the public attention that he really deserved.”
Former station manager Chris Lamke said, “Despite his larger-than-life presence on the air, one of the things I will always remember about him occurred off the air. His humility and gentle spirit was a hallmark that was as important as his voice. I had the pleasure of being with him on many occasions. I watched as people approached him and, inevitably, someone would comment positively on something he spoke about on the radio or they would simply mention the ‘golden voice.’ Mr. Jim would say a quick, but sincere ‘thank you’ and then, like a true journalist, would turn the conversation toward them. Humble, genuine, and caring are the words I use to describe Mr. Jim. We should strive to be like that with each other. The familiar, deep voice is silenced, but his memory and his example live on in those who knew him. That’s his tremendous legacy.”
Traffic manager Cheryl DeBaillon, who started working at KVPI in the early ‘60s, said, “Jim was the perfect boss, the perfect Christian gentleman, through and through. His family and faith were very important to him. He was a friend, a boss, a father-figure. He knew his business, and people respected him. He had a beautiful voice, a gift from God, and he used it well.” Bonnie Fontenot, who worked with Jim most of her life, said, “I’ll miss him, dearly. He was one good guy. He was a dear friend who always had my love and respect.”
Long-time KVPI employee Becky Vidrine said, “He’s the one who gave me my first break. I went in and applied, and he hired me on the spot. He was a great man, a great boss and friend. He was the best, and he raised a great bunch of kids.”
Jamie Vidrine, Jim’s daughter, said, “He loved KVPI and thought of his coworkers and listeners and good friends.” She and her family thanked all of the listeners and the staff at the radio station. “As a husband, father, and grandpa, he was the best. Dad had a very deep faith in God. He taught us to be strong in faith and trust in the Lord. He also taught us to respect others. We are so proud to call Jim Soileau our dad.”
The obituary for James “Jim” Soileau can be found on Page 3.