Denise Labrie was born in Houston, Texas and attended the University of Houston. She is a freelance writer, composer, lyricist, and narrator known worldwide as “The Creole Poet” and “La Poetess Texane” in France.
Her mother Inez and grandparents Agnes and Victorien Prejean migrated to Texas from Louisiana in 1927 following the Great Mississippi Flood. She is married to Glen Labrie and together they have two children: Michelle and Glen Jr., who is married to Celeste, and three grandchildren: Braden, Glen III (A.C.) and Cameron.
Denise Labrie and CJ Chenier co-authored three songs featured on “The Desperate Kingdom Of Love” CD World Village Records Harmonia Mundi label. The CD received a major French award, equivalent to a Grammy, Coups de Coeur Blues Category from l'Académie Charles Cros. The CD has been at the top of music and bestseller charts; the songs have received positive newspaper, magazine and radio station music reviews and airplay worldwide.
She also co-authored with CJ Chenier the song, "Ridin' With Uncle Cleveland", on the CD "Can't Sit Down" World Village Records Harmonia Mundi label. The CD received a 2011 Grammy nomination in the Best Regional Roots Music Album category. Denise received a Grammy participation certificate as a songwriter on the CD. Also, the CD won the Best of the Beat Awards (Offbeat) for Best Zydeco Album.
Together with Joe Sample, she co-authored three songs for PRA Records: “Zydeco Train” featured in New Line Cinema’s “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay”; “Zydeco Zoo” selected for a Starz TV’s Hollywood reality show and “Tailgatin’” spotlighted in a national product promotion.
She, Joe Sample and Marita Phillips also co-wrote the song, "Until The End", on Ida Sand's CD 'The Gospel Truth" for ACT Music label. The CD entered the Sweden Top 60 in position 23.
Denise co-wrote the song, "Party Down In Redneck Town", with Vic Holdroyd (a British Country Music Award nominee) featured as the title song on a CD along with a video by country artist, Michael J. Cloke. The video appeared on "The Phil Mack Country TV Show".
Her published books include: The Creole Chronicles, Volume 4, Houston Frenchtown, Reflections: A Poetry Collection, Parle Creole French: Southern Louisiana Dialect (formerly Parle Creole French I and Parle Creole French II). Denise is the scriptwriter/producer of “The Creole Diaries” oral history CD and she has spoken word credits on the audio CD(s) that accompany the book in print, Parle Creole French: Southern Louisiana Dialect (formerly Parle Creole French I and Parle Creole French II).
Denise’s published articles/poetry credits include: The Josephite Harvest, Eh Toi Zydeco & Blues Magazine (Associate Editor), Zydecoach Newsletter, The Ebbing Tide, The Poet’s Pen, Night Roses, and excerpts from her writings were featured in The Port Arthur News (front page) and the Houston Chronicle newspapers.
She is a 2008 Creole People’s Award recipient, a BMI registered songwriter and member of The Creole Heritage Center. She assisted the Frenchtown Community with acquiring two historical markers: The Frenchtown Community and Zydeco Music In Frenchtown.
Denise has been a guest on several radio stations, featured in a KTRK Channel 13 TV program, Crossroads, and the Defender Newspaper, Chag’s Place column; and read her poetry before thousands at various venues including the Ensemble Theater in Houston, Texas.
She was invited by The Heritage Society (Houston, Texas) to present a lecture on Houston Frenchtown. The lecture included a historical view of the community comprised of Creoles who migrated from Louisiana to Houston and settled in an area of Houston known as Frenchtown. It detailed their contributions to the community, preservation of their unique language, music, culture, and heritage, and founding of Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church.
Denise loves to write, travel, and celebrate her Creole culture and heritage. She enjoys working to preserve the historical significance of her unique ancestry.
She is also a Travel Agent with over 14 years experience and more than 1,500 clients served. Denise coordinates worldwide group and individual travel. She uses her personal travel experience to many states within the continental USA and Hawaii and to over 15 countries throughout the world: Asia (Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka), Europe (Spain, France (including Cannes, Villefrance and Nice), Italy (including Venice, Pisa, Florence, Rome, Sorrento/Amalfi Coast and Sicily (Tindari), Monaco, Croatia, Greece (Athens, Santorini), the Caribbean (Bahamas, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, USVI: St. Thomas, St. John's, Punta Cana, Dominician Republic) South America (Brazil - Porto Alegre, Gramado, Rio De Janeiro), and Central America (Costa Rica), Mexico (Cozumel, Cancun, Progreso, Ensenada, Puerto Vallarta) to assist her clients with planning their business and pleasure travel arrangements.
