Yes, Tony Joe is a big loss for the music industry and for us "cajuns". I'm not really a Cajun, but neither was he. He was from North Louisiana.
Our friend Bill Pittman (semilivemusic) wrote a song a few years ago entitled "Tony Joe White is Black". It is pretty good too. I'll try to find a recording of it. Despite the title, it is anything but racist.
R.I.P. Tony Joe.