Song:Hot Tamale Baby
Album:Ultimate Collection
After the death of Zydeco legend Clifton Chenier, someone had to step up and lead Zydeco into the new millennium. That someone turned out to be Stanley Dural Jr. known professionally as Buckwheat Zydeco. Because of his 80s recordings with Rounder and Island, Dural is probably the best known Zydeco musician today. He was born Nov. 14, 1947 in Lafayette, LA. His hair made him look like Buckwheat of The Little Rascals hence the nickname. His dad was a farmer who played accordion. Buckwheat started out in the early 70s playing organ for Joe Tex and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. And he also led the funk band Buckwheat and the Hitchhikers. But then in 1976 he joined Clifton Chenier's band as an organist. He got hooked on Zydeco music. Then Dural took up the accordion in 1978. And he started recording as a leader in 1979. The turning point for Dural came when he signed with Rounder Records and released the 1985 album Waitin' For My Ya Ya. His recording of the Chenier classic Hot Tamale Baby is from that album. The album did so well that it got Dural a deal with Island Records for the 1988 album On A Night Like This. It was nominated for a Grammy and Buckwheat Zydeco appeared in the film The Big Easy. Then he opened for Eric Clapton's 1988 tour including a twelve night stand at London's Royal Albert Hall. Other musicians have had Buckwheat Zydeco open for them. He also won an Emmy for his music for the CBS movie Pistol Pete: The Life and Times of Pete Maravich. Buckwheat Zydeco remained with Island until 1997. This comp covers the Rounder and Island recordings. These days Buckwheat Zydeco usually records for his own label Tomorrow Records. But he also recorded the 2009 CD Lay Your Burden Down on Alligator produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos and with guest shots by Trombone Shorty, JJ Grey, Sonny Landreth and Warren Haynes. Buckwheat Zydeco is currently on tour and you should check them out if they're coming your way. The show is always a party. Here's Buckwheat Zydeco performing Hot Tamale Baby on the 2012 Rhythm and Blues Cruise.
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