His playing bounced and leaped, sometimes galloping at a breakneck speed or meandering at a walk. Read more
Horseman and musician John Delafose became well known following the 1981 release of his first album, Zydeco Man, with liner notes by the young folklorist Nick Spitzer. Delafose’s singing didn’t have a wide range, but it was warm and full of feeling, and his accordion style crackled with bundles of fast notes separated by long, mournful ones.
Leroy Thomas is enjoying his newfound fame. A zydeco musician for 31 years, Thomas estimates he’s traveled a million miles in the last 12 years with countless trips to Texas, California and beyond.
Now Thomas is performing at least 17 gigs a month in his home state of Louisiana. In recent weeks, he’s done photo shoots and interviews for magazines and newspapers, stretching from Lake Charles to New Orleans. Read more
Creole United performed at Washington, DC’s Kennedy Center back in July, bringing their Louisiana movement to the historic venue for its free, daily concert series. The line-up of Andre Thierry, Sean Ardoin, Rusty Metoyer, Lawrence Ardoin and Ed Poullard played to an enthusiastic crowd, pulling tracks from their debut Non Jamais Fait CD. Read more
Cedryl Ballou couldn’t help but play zydeco. The music and his family share deep roots. In 1954, Cedryl’s grandfather, Classie Ballou, played with Boozoo Chavis on zydeco’s first commercial hit, “Paper in My Shoe. The late Rockin’ Sidney, Grammy winner and composer of zydeco’s lone million seller, “My Toot Toot,” was Cedryl’s maternal grandmother’s husband. When Cedryl plays his white, triple-row accordion, he’s carrying some of Rockin’ Sidney with him. Read more
Willis Prudhomme was born in 1931 in Kinder, LA, one of twelve children. A farmer, Prudhomme played harmonica while riding his tractor in the fields. Read more
