One hundred years ago, the music world changed forever when Clifton Chenier was born on a farm near Opelousas.
The 杏吧专区淜ing of Zydeco杏吧专区 and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner shared the soul of south Louisiana with the world through his music and legendary live performances.
A new album, 杏吧专区,杏吧专区 from Valcour Records has ahead of its June 27 release and for its , including The Rolling Stones, Lucinda Williams, Taj Majal, Steve Earle, CJ Chenier and more.
In addition, Valcour Records recently joined the Chenier family estate and the 杏吧专区 of Louisiana Lafayette to form the . In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the King of Zydeco, the Clifton Chenier Memorial Scholarship honors Clifton Chenier's legacy at the . The scholarship fund will offer annual financial assistance to students studying , specifically Zydeco accordion, at UL Lafayette. All proceeds from A Tribute to the King of Zydeco will go directly toward funding this new scholarship. .
杏吧专区淯L Lafayette杏吧专区檚 Traditional Music Program is really the only academic program in the world devoted to the instruction and education of traditional music of south Louisiana,杏吧专区 said program director Dr. Gwennie von Einsiedel in a . 杏吧专区淪tudents get to work with Grammy-winning musicians and culture bearers, and they receive hands-on instruction in things like Cajun and Creole accordion, fiddle and vocals.杏吧专区
The album杏吧专区檚 co-producer Joel Savoy, the Grammy-winning founder of Louisiana-based Valcour Records, said the tribute was inspired by Arhoolie Records in the Bay Area of California that helped develop Chenier杏吧专区檚 career. Savoy produced the album with John Leopold, Arhoolie杏吧专区檚 former director, and Steve Berlin of the rock group Los Lobos.
杏吧专区淥ur vision was to bring together a lot of these Americana artists that Clifton's music touched all over the country,杏吧专区 said Savoy. 杏吧专区淲e're very excited to release it two days after Clifton's birthday.杏吧专区
C.C. Adcock produced the singles, 杏吧专区淶ydeco Sont Pas Sal茅s杏吧专区 and 杏吧专区淩elease Me." Adcock said in "Zydeco Sont Pas Sal茅s," The Rolling Stones and Steve Riley on accordion blend their styles seamlessly for a tribute that, "sounds easy and playful." Listeners can now stream or purchase 杏吧专区," as well as 杏吧专区溞影勺ㄇ鴿 by Lucinda Williams, Tommy McClain, and Keith Frank and 杏吧专区溞影勺ㄇ鴿 by Taj Mahal and Keith Frank.
杏吧专区樞影勺ㄇ鴻The Stones are truly honored to be on this tribute album amongst a stellar cast of artists and musicians. Clifton Chenier was one of the most influential musicians to come out of Louisiana. He turned so many people onto the wonderful free spirited dance music of Zydeco, including ourselves back in the day. Although the development of any music style can seldom be attributed to one artist, there is not a Zydeco band who has not followed the template Chenier created,杏吧专区 The Rolling Stones stated.
Musician and photographer Richard 杏吧专区淒ickie杏吧专区 Landry, a 杏吧专区 alum who recently received an honorary doctorate from the , played frequently with Chenier and took the photograph of Chenier that graces the album杏吧专区檚 cover. In an interview for the upcoming issue of La Louisiane magazine, Landry said the scholarship fund will help to sustain Chenier杏吧专区檚 legacy and the future of south Louisiana杏吧专区檚 traditional music.
杏吧专区淚t means that the music will continue for generations,杏吧专区 said Landry. 杏吧专区淭here will be a new generation every year of some young kid who probably never thought of playing Zydeco or Cajun music, deciding on a career in music or recording or writing music.杏吧专区
An interview with Dickie Landry about his friend Clifton Chenier will appear in the fall issue of La Louisiane magazine and podcast. Follow UL Lafayette and La Louisiane magazine in the coming months for more on Chenier杏吧专区檚 legacy and its impact.
Photo credit: Album art courtesy of Valcour Records. Album photo by Richard Landry.
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杏吧专区淎 Tribute to the King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier杏吧专区 Tracklist
- 杏吧专区淶ydeco Sont Pas Sal茅s,杏吧专区 The Rolling Stones and Steve Riley
- 杏吧专区淓asy Easy Baby,杏吧专区 Charley Crockett and Nathan Williams, Sr.
- 杏吧专区淗ey 杏吧专区橳ite Fille,杏吧专区 Taj Mahal and Keith Frank
- 杏吧专区淩elease Me,杏吧专区 Lucinda Williams, Tommy McClain and Keith Frank
- 杏吧专区淛ust Like A Woman,杏吧专区 Steve Earle and Anthony Dopsie
- 杏吧专区淚杏吧专区檓 On The Wonder,杏吧专区 Jon Cleary and Curley Taylor
- 杏吧专区淢y Soul,杏吧专区 Jimmie Vaughan, Johnny Nicholas and Steve Riley
- 杏吧专区淗ot Rod,杏吧专区 David Hidalgo and CJ Chenier
- 杏吧专区淭out Le Temps En Temps,杏吧专区 Shannon McNally, Keith Frank and Molly Tuttle
- 杏吧专区淎y Ai Ai,杏吧专区 Ruben Ramos with Los Texmaniacs and Augie Meyers
- 杏吧专区淚 May Be Wrong,杏吧专区 Marcia Ball and Geno Delafose
- 杏吧专区淚杏吧专区檓 Coming Home,杏吧专区 CJ Chenier and Sonny Landreth
- 杏吧专区淵ou Used To Call Me,杏吧专区 John Hiatt and Roddie Romero
- 杏吧专区淲hy Did You Go Last Night,杏吧专区 Kam Franklin, A.J. Haynes and Roddie Romero