Al Ferrier, Sr. (born August 19, 1935 in Olla, Louisiana; died January 6, 2015 in Natchitoches, Louisiana) was an American Rockabilly, country and gospel singer and guitarist, hailed as "King of Louisiana Rockabilly".
Born Alfous Glenn Ferrier in Montgomery, Louisiana into a large musical family (seven brothers, three sisters), Ferrier grew up listening to country music. Jimmie Rodgers and Grandpa Jones were among his favourites, and later especially Hank Williams, whose influence is audible in Al's very intense singing. At 13, he quit school to work in a logging camp with his brothers. By then, he had already been playing guitar for five years. Two older brothers, Brian and Warren, were both musicians. Brian was an exceptionally talented guitarist, who had played briefly with Hank Thompson's band.
As soon as Al was old enough, the three Ferriers formed a country trio, Al Ferrier & the Boppin' Billies, with Al on Vocals and rhythm guitar, Brian on electric lead guitar and Warren on fiddle and double bass. They played dances around South Louisiana. Local Cajun star Jimmy Newman introduced the Ferriers to Eddie Shuler, a TV repair man who had built a primitive recording studio to the rear of his repair shop in Lake Charles. It was here that Ferrier made his first recordings for the Goldband label, in March 1955. Shuler gave them Clarence Garlow's recently recorded "No No Baby" for their first record. The R&B song was transformed to raw swampy rockabilly with a wonderful chugging rhythm from Al and Brian's guitars. For reasons best known to himself, Eddie Shuler waited a full year before releasing "No No Baby", coupled with "I'll Never Do Any Wrong", a straight country song.
