Song:Hey Rosa Lee
Album:C.T. Gator Presents A Zydeco Dance Party
Though I'm sure most music fans haven't heard of him, Clifton Chenier is one of the all time great innovators of black music. He was known as the King Of Zydeco and usually wore a crown and a cape on stage. He's the guy to begin with if you're going to listen to the wonderful music of the rural blacks of Louisiana known as Zydeco. He was born June 25, 1925 on Opelousas, LA. His father taught him to play accordion and Clifton and his brother Cleveland (playing washboard) were performing in dance halls by the mid 40s. Chenier was driving a truck and playing music part time until he signed with Elko Records in 1954. He became a full time musician in 1956 and recorded some singles for Specialty and Chess and though he toured extensively, his music didn't chart. Chenier's big break came in 1960 when Lightnin' Hopkins' wife introduced him to Arhoolie Records owner Chris Strachwitz. He recorded for Arhoolie for many years and I recommend the 2CD Rhino comp Zydeco Dynamite for his Arhoolie recordings. Though this GNP-Crescendo various artists comp Zydeco Dance Party looks cheesy, for five bucks it's a very good intro to Zydeco for beginners. Hey Rosa Lee is from the 1979 album Clifton Chenier & His Red Hot Louisiana Band In New Orleans and features Cleveland Chenier on washboard, John Hart on sax and Paul Senegal on guitar. Chenier won a Grammy for his 1983 album I'm Here! and then performed at the White House. But he had his foot amputated due to diabetes and started having kidney problems. Clifton Chenier died on Dec. 12, 1987 at age 62. Clifton Chenier was one of the great innovators of black music and his son CJ Chenier continues that tradition today. Here's Clifton Chenier performing I'm A Hog For You at the 1977 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
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