January 4

Ernest Joseph Thomas, known to the world as “Tabby Thomas”; also known as “Rockin’ Tabby Thomas,” was born on January 5, 1929 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Tabby Thomas is one of the best known blues mus...

Albert “Little Smokey” Smothers was born on January 2, 1939, in Tchula, Mississippi, and began playing guitar at 15. Two years later, Smothers moved to Chicago and shortly after landed gigs with Arthu...

Earl Rodney Jones, legendary radio personality, DJ, and Bluseologist, died on Friday, January 2, 2004 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana of lung cancer at the age of 75. E. Rodney Jones was born on August 8, 1...

Bo Diddley’s “Pretty Thing” becomes a Top Forty hit in January 1956. One of Bo Diddley’s best-known songs, “Pretty Thing,” inspired a British band to name itself the Pretty Things.

Odetta Holmes, "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement" and "The queen of American folk music", most affectionately known as Odetta was born in Birmingham, Alabama on December 31, 1930 and grew up in...

On this date, January 8, 1811, Black African slaves rebelled against their white masters in Louisiana. Known as the Point Coupee Revolt of 1811, the slave revolt took place in the area known as the Lo...

Zydeco Musician and lead accordionist of Rosie Ledet & the Zydeco Playboys, Rosie Ledet, formerly, Mary Roszela Bellard, aka known as "The Zydeco Sweetheart" was born on October 25, 1971 in Church Poi...

Willis Prudhomme, lead accordionist of Willis Prudhomme & the Zydeco Express died on Monday, August 31, 2020 from complications of COVID-19. Willis Prudhomme was one of twelve children and grew up as...

Henry Lee Williams, known to the Southern Soul and Blues Nation as Lee "Shot" Williams was born on May 21, 1938 in the small country town of Lexington, Mississippi.He grew up singing in local gospel g...

Carlton Frank, one of the last of the old-time Creole fiddlers, died February 5, 2005, at the age of 74 at a hospital in Jennings, Louisiana. His music lives on through his recordings. In 2001, Keith...

Charles Chavis, son of famed zydeco accordionist Boozoo Chavis and rubboard player in Boozoo’s Magic Sound, died on December 23, 2001 at the age of 45.

Democratic Senator Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States on Tuesday, November 4, 2008, becoming the first African American to be elected to the Nation's highest office.