Zydeco Crossroads contributor Nick Spitzer looks at the lifestyle of Creole cowboys on this segment from American Routes. Read more.
Category: artists
On latest CD, Leon Chavis proclaims ‘The Champ is Here’
In 1999, Sports Illustrated crowned Muhammad Ali as Sportsman of the Century. Once vilified as a trash-talking troublemaker, Ali is now universally praised as an all-time great athlete with a principled punch that shook up boxing, religion, international politics, civil rights and more.
Ali retired the same year Leon Chavis was born. But that hasn’t stopped Chavis from being enthralled with “The Greatest.” Read more.
Artist Spotlight: Miss Ann Goodly and the Zydeco Brothers
Women are few and far between as zydeco performers. The most famous woman band leader in zydeco is Louisiana-born, California-based Queen Ida Guillory, but there’s also Rosie Ledet, Donna Angelle, and Jennifer Frank (who plays bass in brother Keith’s band) and Lake Charles native Ann Goodly. Read more.
A look back at zydeco at the Grammys
From 2008 to 2011 Louisiana artists were given special attention at the GRAMMY Awards with their own Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album category. A dozen bands were nominated during that time, including Lost Bayou Ramblers for Live: Á La Blue Moon in 2008, Cedric Watson for his self-titled record in 2009 and Pine Leaf Boys a record four times. Read more.
The crossroads of Creole and Cajun musicians
By now we know the difference between Cajun and zydeco music. As Michael Tisserand put it in our interview with him, “The difference between Cajun and zydeco music is zydeco music reflects the Creole origins of its performers, heavily influeced by African Carribean and African music. Cajun music reflects the Acadian white Cajuns coming down from current day Nova Scotia.” Read more.
Watch a rare video of Clifton Chenier performing “Bon Ton Roulet”
Outstanding! Here’s a rare video of Clifton Chenier With CJ Chenier on saxophone, Cleveland Chenier on rubboard, and the late Harry Hypolite on guitar.
Watch Soul Creole perform “Madeleine” at Blue Moon Saloon
Soul Creole performs “Madeleine” at Blue Moon Saloon in Lafayette, LA on October 30, 2014, a clip from the forthcoming Zydeco Crossroads documentary film by Robert Mugge.
Chubby Carrier talks about the history of Zydeco music
Chubby Carrier talks about the difference between Cajun and Zydeco music, its origins and how he interprets the tradition of the music he grew up with. It’s “music of the people, music to make you happy.”
Amédé Ardoin: ‘Our Van Gogh, our Camille Claudel’
Last summer, the search for Amédé Ardoin seemed to have hit its final dead end. Lawrence Ardoin, a descendant of the legendary Creole accordionist, was working with officials at the state mental institution in Pineville, La. to erect a statue for Amédé, considered by many to be the godfather of zydeco and Cajun music.
But Ardoin is one of 2,469 patients buried in unmarked graves on the hospital grounds. With no way to know which grave holds Amédé, Lawrence Ardoin was giving up. Read more
