CMCreole MemoriesZydeco Archive
On This Day

June 27

Quiet day in the archive

Nothing is filed for June 27 — yet.

Here's what happened in the days around it. Know something that happened on June 27? 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 June 27

Close to this day

Uncategorized
JUN · 26, 1936
Al Rapone Born

Albert John Lewis, lead accordionist for Al Rapone & The Zydeco Express was born on Friday, June 26, 1936 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He partnered with his sister Ida Guillory and brother Willie Lewis...

Clifton Chenier
Zydeco Music
JUN · 25, 1925
Clifton Chenier Born

Clifton Chenier, “the King of Zydeco” was born on June 25, 1925 in the rural community of Notleyville, just east of Opelousas, Louisiana. Clifton Chenier was the first Creole artist to win a Grammy aw...

Uncategorized
JUL · 01, 1899
Thomas Andrew Dorsey Born

Thomas Andrew Dorsey, the father of gospel music, was born on July 1, 1899 in the small town of Villa Rica, Georgia. Earlier in his life he was a leading blues pianist known as Georgia Tom. As Georgia...

Blues Music
JUN · 22, 2005
Harry 'Big Daddy' Hypolite Dies

Harry 'Big Daddy' Hypolite, talented guitarist and sideman for more than 40 years, most notably in the bands of the Zydeco great Clifton Chenier, later Chenier's son C.J. Chenier and Nathan & the Zyde...

Zydeco Music
JUN · 20, 1986
Derrick J. Guidry Born

Derrick J. Guidry, scrubboard player for the Zydeco Boneshakers, was born June 20, 1986 in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Blues Music
JUL · 04, 1910
“Champion” Jack Dupree Born

William Thomas Dupree, known to the Blues, Nation, Southern Soul Nation, Zydeco Nation and the world as “Champion” Jack Dupree, considered one of the most prolific recording Bluesmen of all time, was...

From the archive

More to discover

Zydeco Music
MAY · 16, 1921
Cleveland Chenier Born

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...

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...

Uncategorized
NOV · 04, 2019
Louis "Big Lou" Washington Sr. Dies

Soul singer Louis "Big Lou" Washington Sr passed away on Monday, November 4, 2019 in St Martinville, Louisiana. He was the fourth child of Nathan Washington and Stella Moore-Washington. "Big Lou" Wash...

African American History
JAN · 01, 1956
Bo Diddley' "Pretty Thing" Becomes A Top Forty Hit

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.

Blues Music
DEC · 30, 1928
Bo Diddley Born

Ellas “Bo Diddley” Bates, known to the world as “Bo Diddley” was born on Sunday, December 30, 1928, on a small farm near the town of McComb, Mississippi, in rural Pike County, close to the Louisiana b...

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...

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→