Major Handy is a true “musician’s musician” in the world of zydeco. A 2010 article in Living Blues magazine spotlighted the Lafayette / St. Martinville, Louisiana native and the many contributions he’s made to music during his 40 year career, detailing the time Otis Redding asked a 15 year old Major to play in his band and the 12 years he spent with Rockin’ Dopsie. He also performed his song “Down On the Bayou” for WXPN late last month. Read more.
Keith Frank is one of the most prolific musicians to come out of zydeco, having released a dozen records over the course of his fifteen year career. Read more.
Part of the new generation restoring the heritage of Louisiana Creoles, Corey Ledet spent summers in Parks, Louisiana growing up though he was born in Houston, Texas. Ledet was influenced by Zydeco masters John Delafose, Beau Jocque, Buckwheat Zydeco, Clifton Chenier and Boozoo Chavis and today he plays classic, original and borrowed songs. Read more.
New Orleans’ annual Jazz & Heritage Festival always boasts one of the most eclectic line-ups in the festival world. This year’s installment alone ran the genre gamut from mainstream pop artists to alternative royalty and a healthy dose of locally-grown zydeco acts. Read more.
Photo: Sean Ardoin on the air with David Dye and Herman Fuselier for Zydeco Crossroads
If you listened to the inaugural broadcast of the Zydeco Crossroads Radio Hour last night, you probably heard the show open with a slightly different version of Pharrell’s hit “Happy.” That upbeat creole cover was recorded by Sean Ardoin & Zydekool, and they made a “Happy” music video to go along with it. Read more.
For Koray Broussard, Zydeco is a family affair. The Opelousas, LA native is a third generation Zydeco musician; his father John, uncle Jeffrey and grandfather Delton are all noted players in Southern Louisiana and beyond. And by tracing the youngest Broussard’s family lineage it’s easy to see the route Zydeco music has taken over the last several decades. Read more.
Louisiana supergroup Creole United stopped by the Swamp ‘n’ Roll studio last April to record an hour-long TV concert special. Read more.
Leon Chavis came out of nowhere. A former trumpet player in Southern University’s famous marching band, the Louisiana native and accordian player found a break-out hit with his 2008 song “Holla @ Me” and now has several records under his belt. Read more.
While many young Zydeco musicians are blending contemporary sounds like R&B and hip hop with the old school style of the genre, bandleader Lil Wayne Singleton stands proudly on the side of tradition. In addition to being the bandleader of busy Southwest Louisiana group Same Ol’ 2 Step, Singleton is an enthusiastic advocate for the culture’s heritage and importance. Read more.