Every memory in the archive
Browse the full archive of Zydeco music and Louisiana & Texas Creole culture, filtered by category.
Andrus Espreé, known to the Zydeco Nation as Beau Jocque (which means Big Guy), died of a heart attack in Kinder, Louisiana on September 10, 1999, at the age of 47. Lead singer of the Zydeco group Bea...
Blues pianist Albert "Sunnyland Slim" Luandrew died on March 17, 1995 in Chicago, Illinois at the age of 87. He was coming home from a winter show, he slipped and fell on some ice which led to medical...
Highly respected creole fiddler Creole fiddler Canray Fontenot died on July 29, 1995 after a lengthy battle with lung cancer and diabetes. His family was originally from the Duralde area, where his fa...
Thomas Andrew Dorsey, the father of gospel music, died on January 23, 1993 in Chicago, Illinois at the age of 93. He is interred there in the Oak Woods Cemetery. Earlier in his life he was a leading b...
Alton Rubin, known to the Zydeco Nation as Rockin' Dopsie "the Prince of Zydeco", died on August 26, 1993 in Opelousas, Louisiana of heart failure at the age of 64. He was married Alvina LeBlanc and h...
William Thomas Dupree, known to the world as “Champion” Jack Dupree died on January 21, 1992 of complications from cancer at his home in Hanover, Germany at the age of 82. Considered one of the most p...
Cleveland Chenier, rubboard innovator, band member and brother of Clifton Chenier, died Tuesday May 7, 1991 at 11:10 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Lafayette, Louisiana at the age of 70. He i...
Elias “Bo Diddley” Bates-McDaniel is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the second annual induction dinner. The members of ZZ Top are his presenters.
Clifton Chenier, “the King of Zydeco” and Creole French speaking native of Notelyville, a small community outside of Opelousas, Louisiana died on December 12, 1987 at the age of 62 after a long strugg...
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.”
Derrick J. Guidry, scrubboard player for the Zydeco Boneshakers, was born June 20, 1986 in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Trey Ardoin, lead guitar player for Chris Ardoin and NuStep and Sean Ardoin & Zydekool, was born on July 12, 1985 in Lake Charles, Louisiana.