{{short description|American musician}} {{distinguish|Richard Belton}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Belton Richard | image = Belton Richard At the Liberty Theater August 25 2007.jpg | alt = | caption = | image_size = | birth_date = {{birth date|1939|10|05}}<ref name="flattown">{{cite web|url=http://www.flattownmusic.com/Belton-Richard-W21.aspx|title=Belton Richard - A brief history|access-date=2011-03-18|publisher=Flat Town Music Company|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231030045/http://www.flattownmusic.com/Belton-Richard-W21.aspx|archive-date=2010-12-31|url-status=dead}}</ref> | death_date = {{death date and age|2017|06|21|1939|10|05}} | birth_place = Rayne, Louisiana, U.S. | instrument = Cajun accordion | genre = Cajun, swamp pop | label = Swallow Records | associated_acts = The Musical Aces }}
'''Belton Richard''' (October 5, 1939 – June 21, 2017) was an American Cajun accordionist and vocalist known for his baritone vocal range.<ref name="LSUE">{{cite web|last=Simpson|first=David|url=http://web.lsue.edu/acadgate/music/brichard.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091201101811/http://web.lsue.edu/acadgate/music/brichard.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-12-01|title=Belton Richard|access-date=2011-03-18}}</ref>
==Biography== Richard was born in Rayne, Louisiana, in 1939. He began to play the accordion when he was seven, and at 12 he started playing with Neg Halloway and the Rayne Playboys.<ref name="LSUE" /><ref name="acadianmuseum">{{cite web|title=Living Legends – Belton Richard|url=http://www.acadianmuseum.com/legends.php?viewID=129|access-date=2011-03-18}}</ref> He founded The Musical Aces in 1959 after a stint playing rock and roll and swamp pop.<ref name="LSUE" /> During his career he released many popular songs, including "Un Autre Soir Ennuyant", "Pardon Waltz", and "Waltz of No Return". Another notable song is "Cajun Streak", a translation of Ray Stevens' novelty hit "The Streak".<ref name="flattown" /> He died on June 21, 2017, at the age of 77, after being hospitalized with pneumonia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/2017/06/22/cajun-music-legend-belton-richard-dies/418555001/|title=Cajun music legend Belton Richard dies|access-date=2017-06-22|last=Fuselier|first=Herman|date=2017-06-21|website=The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette)}}</ref>
==Legacy== The 1995 Festivals Acadiens et Créoles was dedicated to Richard.<ref name="LSUE" /> Richard was inducted into the Cajun French Music Association's Hall of Fame in 1997, its inaugural year.<ref name="cfma">{{cite web|url=http://www.cajunfrenchmusic.org/halloffame.html|title=Cajun French Music Association - Hall of Fame|access-date=2011-03-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528151747/http://www.cajunfrenchmusic.org/halloffame.html|archive-date=2010-05-28|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2003, he was inducted into the Acadian museum's 'Living Legends' list.<ref name="acadianmuseum" /> He also won the Cajun French Music Association's 'Male Vocalist of the Year' in 2004.<ref name="flattown" />
==Discography== *I'm back (1995) *The Older The Wine, The Finer The Taste (2003)
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Richard, Belton}} Category:1939 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Cajun accordionists Category:People from Rayne, Louisiana Category:Musicians from Louisiana Category:Deaths from pneumonia in Louisiana