Every memory in the archive
Browse the full archive of Zydeco music and Louisiana & Texas Creole culture, filtered by category.
Baldemar Huerta, known to the world as Freddy Fender, was born on June 4, 1937 in San Benito, Texas. Freddy Fender was a Mexican-American, Tejano, country, and rock and roll musician, known for his wo...
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...
Freddie "Big Roger" Collins was born July 15, 1935 in Ville Platte, Louisiana.
David “Fathead" Newman was born in Corsicana, Texas on February 24, 1933. His family soon moved to Dallas, Texas where they settled and David stayed through graduating Lincoln High School. During his...
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...
Alton Rubin, known to the Zydeco Nation as Rockin' Dopsie "the Prince of Zydeco", was born on February 10, 1932 in Carencro, Louisiana. As a child he worked in the sugarcane and cotton fields. His fat...
Alvin Batiste, a widely respected jazz clarinetist, composer and educator who played across the musical spectrum, from traditional to avant-garde styles, and was a prolific figure on the jazz festival...
Willis Prudhomme, lead accordionist of Willis Prudhomme & the Zydeco Express was born on Tuesday, September 22, 1931 in Kinder, Louisiana. Willis Prudhomme was one of twelve children and grew up as a...
Highly respected and sultry jazz and blues singer, Ms. Dakota Staton, (pronounced STAY-Ton) was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 3, 1930. She began singing and dancing at the age of 7 She rece...
Wilson Anthony "Boozoo" Chavis, famed zydeco accordionist was born on October 23, 1930 in the small town of Church Point, Louisiana. Known as the "Creole Cowboy" for his signature C&W attire (complete...
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...
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...