Background
He was the son of Arsen and Emma Granger Conner.
He was the son of Arsen and Emma Granger Conner.
His ancestry can be traced to Ireland, when William Conner immigrated to Louisiana in the mid 18th century and to the French Acadians who arrived in Louisiana in the 1750s from what is now Nova Scotia. He started to play the fiddle at the age of 9. His father bought him a copy of a 1713 Stradivarius violin.
Soon after forming a family string band known as The Conner Boys, they were playing local dance halls.
Conner is known for the Lake Arthur Stomp, which was originally called Lake Arthur Two-Step. lieutenant was renamed, because so many people would stomp their feet.
In 1935, Conner quit playing in the dance halls for a share in the gate proceeds. Because of the Depression, few could pay to go into the dance halls and he wouldn"t play for free.
Soon, he was playing at local festivals and concerts although he most often played at his home or at the homes of friends and fellow musicians.
Conner has inspired artists such as Michael Doucet and Ken Smith. He was noted for his smooth and light tone on the violin. Conner has been featured at the Tribute to Cajun Music Festival in Lafayette.
Also, a series of recordings from University of Louisiana at Lafayette has been released on Louisiana Crossroad Records.
