Every memory in the archive
Browse the full archive of Zydeco music and Louisiana & Texas Creole culture, filtered by category.
Edward Gay Robinson known to the world as "Eddie Robinson" was born on February 13, 1919 in Jackson, Louisiana to the son of a sharecropper and a domestic worker. Eddie Robinson spent fifty-six years...
Highly respected creole fiddler Canray Fontenot was born October 23, 1918, in d l'Anse des Rougeaux, Louisiana (an unincorporated community outside Eunice, Louisiana). His family was originally from t...
Henry Roeland Byrd, known to the world, as Professor Longhair, one of New Orleans’ greatest pianist, was born December 19, 1918 in the small rural town of Bogalusa, Louisiana, the only son of Ella Mae...
Alphonse “Bois Sec” Ardoin was born on November 16, 1915, at l'Anse de Prien Noir (Black Cyprian's Cove) near Bayou Duralde, Louisiana. He began playing music (on the triangle) with Amédé when he was...
Eddie Shuler, renowned pioneering Southwest Louisiana recording engineer and founder of Goldband Records, the nation's longest running independent record label, was born on March 27, 1913 in Wrightsbo...
Robert Leroy Johnson, one of the greatest blues musicians of all time, was born on May 8, 1911 in Hazlehurst, Mississippi to Julia Major Dodds and Noah Johnson. Although his records sold poorly during...
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...
Blues pianist Albert "Sunnyland Slim" Luandrew was born on September 5, 1907 in the Mississippi Delta on a farm near Vance, Mississippi. The son of a preacher and the grandson of a slave, Albert "Sunn...
Creole Accordionist Clement “King Ned" Norman was born on Saturday, July 14, 1906 in L’Anse Meg, Louisiana ( a rural unincorporated community between Mamou and Eunice) to Jean Batiste Ned and Oceole F...
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...
Mark Matthews, the oldest surviving Buffalo Soldier in the United States Army when he died at the age of 111, was born on August 7, 1894 in Greenville, Alabama. He was raise in Mansfield, Ohio where a...
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....