Clifton Chenier
The undisputed "King of Zydeco," Clifton Chenier was the first Creole to be presented a Grammy award on national television. Blending the French and Cajun 2-steps and waltzes of southwest Louisiana with New Orleans R&B, Texas blues, and big-band jazz, Chenier created the modern, dance-inspiring, sounds of zydeco. A flamboyant personality, remembered for his gold tooth and the cape and crown that he wore during concerts, Chenier set the standard for all the zydeco players who have followed in his footsteps. In an interview from Ann Savoy's book, Cajun Music: Reflection of a People, Chenier explained, "Zydeco is rock and French mixed together, you know, like French music and rock with a beat to it. It's the same thing as rock and roll but it's different because I'm singing in French." The son of sharecropper and amateur accordion player, Joe Chenier, and the nephew of a guitarist, fiddler, and dance club owner, Maurice "Big" Chenier, Chenier found his earliest influences in the blues of Muddy Waters, Peetie Wheatstraw, and Lightnin' Hopkins, the New Orleans R&B of Fats Domino and Professor Longhair, the 1920s and '30s recordings by zydeco accordionist Amede Ardoin and the playing of childhood friends Claude Faulk and Jesse and Zozo Reynolds. Acquiring his first accordion from a neighbor, Isaie "Easy" Blasa in 1947, Chenier was taught the basics of the instruments by his father. By 1944, Chenier was performing, with his brother Cleveland on frottoir (rub-board) in the dance halls of Lake Charles.
Moving to New Iberia in the mid-'40s, Chenier worked in the sugar fields cutting sugar cane. After moving, to Port Arthur, TX, in 1947, he divided his time between driving a refinery truck and hauling pipe for Gulf and Texaco and playing with his brother. In 1954, Chenier signed with Elko Records. His first recording session, at Lake Charles radio station KAOK, yielded seven tunes including the regional hit single, "Cliston's Blues" and "Louisiana Stomp."
Chenier's first national attention came with his first single for the Specialty record label, "Ay Tete Fille (Hey, Little Girl)," a cover of a Professor Longhair tune, released in May 1955. The song was one of 12 that he recorded during two sessions produced by Bumps Blackwell, best known for his work with Little Richard. By 1956, Chenier had left his day job to devote his full-time attention to music, Touring with his band, the Zydeco Ramblers, which included blues guitarist Philip Walker. The following year, Chenier left Specialty and signed with the Chess label in Chicago. Although he toured, along with Etta James, throughout the United States, Chenier's career suffered when the popularity of ethnic and regional music styles began to decline. Although he recorded 13 songs for the Crowley, LA-based Zynn label, between 1958 and 1960, none charted.
The turning point in Chenier's career came when Lightnin' Hopkins' wife, who was a cousin, introduced Chris Strachwitz, owner of the roots music label, Arhoolie, to his early recordings. Strachwitz quickly signed Chenier to Arhoolie, producing his first single, "Ay Yi Yi"/"Why Did You Go Last Night?," in four years. Although they continued to work together until the early '70s, Chenier and Strachwitz differed artistically. While Chenier wanted to record commercial-minded R&B, Strachwitz encouraged him to focus on traditional zydeco. Chenier's first album for Arhoolie, Louisiana Blues and Zydeco, featured one side of blues and R&B and one side of French 2-steps and waltzes.
In 1976, Chenier recorded one of his best albums, Bogalusa Boogie, and formed a new group, the Red Hot Louisiana Band, featuring tenor saxophonist "Blind" John Hart and guitarist Paul Senegal.
Chenier reached the peak of his popularity in the '80s. In 1983, he received a Grammy award for his album, I'm Here!, recorded in eight hours in Bogalusa, LA. The following year, he performed at the White House. Although he suffered from kidney disease and a partially amputated foot and was required to undergo dialysis treatment every three days, Chenier continued to perform until one week before his death on December 12, 1987. Following his death, his son, C.J. Chenier, took over leadership of the Red Hot Louisiana Band.
A documentary video of Chenier's performances at the San Francisco Blues Festival, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and on Louisiana television was released by Arhoolie.
© Craig Harris /TiVo
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Bogalusa Boogie
R&B - Pubblicato da Arhoolie Records il 1 gen 1975
La discografia ideale di Qobuz16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
King of the Bayous: I'm Coming Home
R&B - Pubblicato da Arhoolie Records il 1 gen 1970
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The Best of Clifton Chenier: The King of Zydeco & Louisiana Blues
R&B - Pubblicato da Arhoolie Records il 1 gen 2003
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Louisiana Blues and Zydeco
R&B - Pubblicato da Arhoolie Records il 1 gen 1965
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Live! at the 1966 Berkeley Blues Festival
Clifton Chenier, Mance Lipscomb, Lightnin' Hopkins
Blues - Pubblicato da Arhoolie Records il 1 gen 2000
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Frenchin' The Boogie
Jazz - Pubblicato da Universal Music Division Decca Records France il 1 gen 1979
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Zodico Blues & Boogie
World music - Pubblicato da Specialty il 1 gen 1955
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Bayou Blues
World music - Pubblicato da Specialty il 31 ott 1970
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Bon Ton Roulet! and More
R&B - Pubblicato da Arhoolie Records il 1 gen 1981
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Sings the Blues
R&B - Pubblicato da Arhoolie Records il 1 gen 1992
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The King of Zydeco Live at Montreux
R&B - Pubblicato da Arhoolie Records il 1 gen 1984
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60 Minutes with the King of Zydeco
R&B - Pubblicato da Arhoolie Records il 1 gen 1986
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Live! at Grant Street (Live)
R&B - Pubblicato da Arhoolie Records il 1 gen 2000
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Clifton Chenier King of Zydeco (The Rhythm and Blues Years 1954-1960)
Blues - Pubblicato da Fremeaux Heritage il 25 ago 2017
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Zydeco Sont Pas Sale: King of the Real Creole French Zydeco
R&B - Pubblicato da Arhoolie Records il 1 gen 1997
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Live at St. Mark's (Live)
R&B - Pubblicato da Arhoolie Records il 1 nov 1971
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Live! at the Long Beach and San Francisco Blues Festivals (Live)
R&B - Pubblicato da Arhoolie Records il 1 gen 1985
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Louisiana Stomp: 1954-1960 Recordings
Blues - Pubblicato da Shake It Up! Records il 20 ott 2021
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Clifton Chenier's Rockin' Accordion
Pop - Pubblicato da Jasmine Records il 20 apr 2015
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Squeezebox Boogie
R&B - Pubblicato da Justin Time Records Inc. il 22 giu 1999
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo