CMCreole MemoriesZydeco Archive
On This Day

October 12

Quiet day in the archive

Nothing is filed for October 12 — yet.

Here's what happened in the days around it. Know something that happened on October 12? Help us fill the page.

Story Map · The Archive

Where the memories happened

60 places · 123 memories

Tip: use + / − or Ctrl (⌘ on Mac) + scroll to zoom the map.

Around October 12

Close to this day

World History
OCT · 14, 2006
Freddy Fender Dies

Baldemar Huerta, known to the world as Freddy Fender, transitioned at 12:14 PM on October 14, 2006 at the age of 69 of lung cancer at his home in Corpus Christi, Texas. Hi is buried in his hometown of...

Uncategorized
OCT · 16, 1954
Lee Allen Zeno Born

Lee Allen Zeno was born on Saturday, October 16, 1954 in Carencro, Louisiana. An accomplished, world-renowned, and two-time Grammy winning Louisiana zydeco and blues bassist started his career at age...

World History
OCT · 18, 2007
Lucky Dube Murdered

On October 18, 2007, South African reggae singer, Lucky Dube was killed in the Johannesburg, South Africa suburb of Rosettenville shortly after dropping two of his seven children off at their uncle’s...

Rod Sias Born
Zydeco Music
OCT · 20, 1968
Rod Sias Born

Rod Sias, founder of The Zydeco Historical & Preservation Society, Inc, ZydecoOnline.com, and creator and producer of the Zydeco Workout featuring Lola Love radio program was born on October 20, 1968...

Creole Music
OCT · 03, 1923
Joe Simien Born

Joe Simien, esteemed Creole Accordionist, was born on October 3, 1923, in Le Beau, Louisiana. He moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1950's where he pioneered and kept Louisiana Creole music alive...

Uncategorized
OCT · 02, 1929
Douglas Bellard and Kirby Riley Record First Creole Record

On Wednesday, October 2, 1929, Douglas Bellard and Kirby Riley became the first rural Afro-Creoles from Southwest Louisiana to commercially record Louisiana Creole music on Vocalion and Columbia Recor...

From the archive

More to discover

Uncategorized
AUG · 31, 2020
Willis Prudhomme Dies

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...

African American History
MAR · 02, 1955
Bo Diddley Releases His First Single

Bo Diddley releases his monumental first single, “Bo Diddley” b/w “I’m a Man,” on Checkers Records on March 2, 1955. “Bo Diddley” b/w “I’m a Man,” topped the R&B chart for two weeks.

Uncategorized
NOV · 12, 1955
Ike Willis Born

Isaac "Ike" Willis was born on Saturday, November 12, 1955 in St Louis, Missouri. A guitar protege since the age of 8, Ike Willis was a mainstay in progressive rock, alternative rock and R&B and blues...

Uncategorized
JAN · 21, 1999
Charles Brown Dies

Blues Legend Charles Mose Brown died of heart failure on January 21, 1999 at the age of 76 in Oakland, California. Mr. Charles Brown was a major musical figure in the pre-rock and roll era of the late...

Blues Music
JAN · 20, 1889
Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter Born

Huddie Ledbetter, better known to the music world as “Lead Belly” was born January 20, 1889, in Mooringsport, Louisiana (near Shreveport). Lead Belly was the only child of Wesley and Sally Ledbetter....

Uncategorized
APR · 04, 1968
Martin Luther King Jr. Assassinated

Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, at 6:01 PM, on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, while preparing to lead a local march in support of the heavily black...

Listen · Weekly podcast

Zydeco Workout featuring Lola Love

Red hot zydeco, Southern soul & blues — weekly episodes from the Zydeco Capital of the World.

Hosted by Lola Love, the Zydeco Lady

All episodes on Castbox
Share a memory

Add your piece of Zydeco history.

Help document and preserve Zydeco music and Creole heritage of Southwest Louisiana and Texas — photos, dance flyers, recordings, oral histories and family stories.

Contribute a memory→