Music critic Alex V. Cook uncovers south Louisiana's wellspring of musical tradition, showing us that indigenous music is not an artifact to be salvaged by preservationists, but a living, breathing, singing, laughing, and crying part of Louisiana culture. Louisiana Saturday Nights takes the reader to both offbeat and traditional venues in and around Baton Rouge, Cajun country, and New Orleans, where we hear the distinctive voices of musicians, patrons, and owners -- like Teddy Johnson, born in the house that now serves as Teddy's Juke Joint. Along the way, Cook ruminates on the cultural importance of the people and places he encounters, and shows their critical role in keeping Louisiana's unique music alive.