May 17

Cleveland Chenier, rubboard innovator, band member and brother of Clifton Chenier, was born on May 16, 1921 in the rural community of Notleyville, just east of Opelousas, Louisiana. Cleveland was also...

Mr. Alphonse “Bois Sec” Ardoin, internationally known Creole accordionist, singer, and one of the Zydeco Nation’s last living link to the old Creole musical tradition called “la la music” or “la musiq...

Isaac "Ike" Willis died on Saturday, May 16, 2026 of prostate cancer at the age of 70. A guitar protege since the age of 8, Ike Willis was a mainstay in progressive rock, alternative rock and R&B and...

Malcolm X born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska to Earl and Louise Little (Louisa Norton). His father was an outspoken Baptist lay...

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...

On Wednesday, May 21, 2014, Creole musician, Goldman Thibodeaux was presented the Louisiana Folk Life Heritage Award as part of the Louisiana Culture Awards by Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne.

Rockin’ Sidney won a Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording for his 1986 single "My Toot Toot." from his third album “My Zydeco Shoes Got The Blues.”

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...

James Joseph Brown, commonly referred to as "The Godfather of Soul" and "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business", was born on May 3, 1933 during the depression era in the small town of Barnwell, Sou...

Albert “Little Smokey” Smothers died on November 20, 2010 at the age of 71 at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Chicago, Illinois of natural causes. He began playing guitar at 15. Two years later, Sm...

Joseph Melvin Walker was born on Thursday, December 14, 1944 in Lafayette, Louisiana. An accomplished accordionist, guitarist and keyboardist with a powerful and unique gospel influenced voice, Joe Wa...

Southern Soul & Blues singer Jacqueline "Jazzy Jackie" Neal was born on July 7, 1967 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was the daughter of internationally known Baton Rouge blues man Raful Neal. Eight of...