NAMES IN THE NEWS : Cajun Band in Grammy Tuneup

MAMOU, La. — Jamie Berzas, a Grammy nominee for best traditional folk recording, also is a full-time mechanic in the heart of central Louisiana’s Cajun prairie land.

Jamie Berzas and Cajun Tradition, a band formed 11 years ago, were nominated for their 1988 release, A La Veille Facon (In the Old Fashioned Way).

Berzas said the nomination holds special significance for part-time musicians.

“It probably means a once-in-a-lifetime shot at it. It will probably be one of the biggest events in our lives,” said Berzas, the lead singer and accordion player.

Berzas works 10-hour days at Berzas’ Auto Service in the shadow of the water tower in Mamou, a town of 3,000.

Madeline Berzas, Jamie’s wife and the band’s drummer, and Mark Young, the lead guitarist and the band’s co-founder, also work at the repair shop.

The community of Mamou has rallied with bake sales and benefits for its honorees to help them pay for the trip to Los Angeles today. The Grammys will be awarded Wednesday.