Skip to main content
SIGN IN

Lesson

Stylistic Developments in Zydeco Music

Cajun and Zydeco Music: Flavors of Southwest Louisiana (6-8) / Stylistic Developments in Zydeco Music

Zydeco music developed from the music made by African American Louisiana Creoles, and its origins date back to the 18th century. Early French Creole music was usually played on accordion, fiddle, and triangle/rubboard and was defined by syncopated rhythms and blues notes. By the 1950s, as radio and popular culture became more prevalent in rural Louisiana, zydeco music emerged as a fully formed genre. Artists like Clifton Chenier blended traditional Creole music with the electrified sounds of R&B, blues, and rock-’n’-roll to create a distinct zydeco style. In this lesson, you will learn through listening to the stylistic changes that fostered the evolution of zydeco music from Creole music.

Lesson Paths & Learning Objectives

  1. The Origins of Zydeco

    • Describe some of the early influences that led to the creation of an entirely new genre known as “zydeco.”
    • 20+ minutes

  2. Zydeco: The 1950s and Beyond

    • Identify and describe the musical developments beginning in the 1950s that influenced the zydeco sound.
    • 30+ minutes

  3. Arranging “Zydeco Sont Pas Salés”

    • Interpret and perform the zydeco standard, “Zydeco Sont Pas Salés.”
    • 45+ minutes

More +
Less -

Bibliography

Text

Dôle, Gérard. 1977. Liner Notes for Cajun Home Music. Folkways Records FW02620.

Chenier, Clifton. "Zydeco Sont Pas Sale,” sheet music. In Cajun Music: A Reflection of a People, Vol. I, by Ann Allen Savoy. St. Louis, MO: Bluebird Press, 1984. Music transcribed by Jeanie Mclene, lyrics transcribed by Ann Allen Savoy.

Delafose, John and The Eunice Playboys. "Joe Pitre a Deux Femmes," lyrics. In J'ai été au bal (I Went to the Dance), Vol. 2. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 1990. Lyrics worksheet prepared by Mollie Farr.

Farr, Mollie. "Student Listening Log," 2020, worksheet.

Garnier III, D’Jalma. 2015. “The Musical and Cultural Roots of Louisiana Creole and Zydeco Fiddle Tradition through Canray Fontenot.” Folklife in Louisiana.

"Les Haricots Sont Pas Salés," trad., lyrics. In J'ai été au bal (I Went to the Dance), Vol. 2, as performed by Jimmy Peters and the Ring Dance Singers. Arhoolie Records, 1990. Lyrics worksheet prepared by Mollie Farr.

Oliver, Rick, and Ben Sandmel. 1999. Zydeco! Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi.

Savoy, Ann. 1984. Cajun Music: A Reflection of the People, Vol. I. Eunice, LA: Bluebird Press.

Strachwitz, Chris. 1989. “Zydeco.” Liner Notes for Zydeco Volume 1: The Early Years 1949-62. Arhoolie Records ARH00307.

Tisserand, Michael. 1998. The Kingdom of Zydeco. New York, NY: Arcade Publishing.

Audio*

The Carrière Brothers. "Bébé's Stomp." On Music Creole, recorded 1974. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, ARH00512_119, 2004, streaming audio.

The Carrière Brothers. "Colinda." On Musique Creole, recorded 1974. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, ARH00512_115, 2004, streaming audio.

Fulson, Lowell. "Lowell Jumps One (Cash Box Boogie)." On My First Recordings, recorded ca. 1946-1951. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, ARH00443_126, 1997, streaming audio.

Chenier, Clifton. "Louisiana Stomp." On Zydeco, Vol. 1: The Early Years 1949–62, recorded 1954. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, ARH00307_118, 1989, streaming audio.

Fontenot, Canray. "Joe Pitre a Deux Femmes." On Louisiana Hot Sauce, Creole Style, recorded 1971/1973. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, ARH00381_104, 1992, streaming audio.

Delafose, John and The Eunice Playboys. "Joe Pitre a Deux Femmes." On J'ai été au bal (I Went to the Dance), Vol. 2, recorded 1990. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, ARH00332_115, 1990, streaming audio.

Peters, Jimmy and The Ring Dance Singers. "Zydeco Sont Pas Salés (the Beans Ain't Salty)." On J'ai été au bal (I Went to the Dance), Vol. 2, recorded 1961. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, ARH00332_102, 1990, streaming audio.

Chenier, Clifton. "Zydeco Sont Pas Salé." On Zydeco Sont Pas Salé. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, ARH09001_101, 1997, streaming audio.

Farr, Mollie. "Pronunciation Recordings: Lesson 8." recorded 2021. streaming audio.

Video*

Lomax, Alan. Canray Fontenot: Barres De La Prison. New York, NY: Alan Lomax Archive, Association for Cultural Equity, 1983. Video, 3:12. Streamed via YouTube. Uploaded by Alan Lomax Archive Dec. 10, 2013.

Blank, Les, and Maureen Gosling. Dry Wood. Produced by Flower Films. Video, 1973, 37:00. Special thanks to John Lomax, Jr. and Chris Strachwitz. Retrieved from Folkstreams. (Additional resource; not in slideshow).

Louisiana Educational Television Authority. “Canray Fontenot Interview, Part 1.” Interview by Michael Doucet. Video, 1988, 19:33. Retrieved from the Louisiana Digital Media Archive. (Additional resource; not in slideshow).

Louisiana Educational Television Authority. “Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Festival.” Hosted by Rob Hinton. Video, 1984, 29:00. Retrieved from the Louisiana Digital Media Archive (min 18–21). (Additional resource; not in slideshow).

Louisiana Educational Television Authority. “The Soul of Louisiana Music.” Video, 1982, 27:40. Retrieved from the Louisiana Digital Media Archive (min 2:15–7:30). (Additional resource; not in slideshow).

“Roots of Fire: Lil Nathan & The Zydeco Big Timers.” YouTube video, 01:30. Posted by Roots of Fire, July 12, 2016. (Additional resource; not in slideshow).

Images*

Erskine, Reed and Susan. "Clifton Chenier," 1974, photograph. Washington, DC: Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Smithsonian Institution. Taken at the 1974 American Folklife Festival. Provided by the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, CFCH-FAF1974_0193.

Strachwitz, Chris. "Lester Herbert- Rubboard; Peter King - Accordion," photograph. In Zydeco, Vol. 1: The Early Years 1949–62, Chris Strachwitz, liner notes. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 1989, p. 6.

Weil, Elizabeth, designer. Zydeco, Vol. 1: The Early Years 1949–62, Chris Strachwitz, photographer. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 1989, album cover.

Joffrion, Kathleen, designer. Zydeco Champs. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 1992, album cover.

Strachwitz, Chris. "Wallace Gernger - Rubboard; Paul Me Zei - Accordion," photograph. In Zydeco, Vol. 1: The Early Years 1949–62, Chris Strachwitz, liner notes. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 1989, p. 2.

Clyne, Ronald, designer. Louisiana Creole Music, Russell Lee, photographer. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, 1978, album cover.

Barry, Lynda, designer. J'ai Été Au Bal (I Went to the Dance) Vol. 1. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 1990, album cover.

Unknown photographer. "Amédé Ardoin," photograph. In Long-Lost Love Songs from a Cajun Music Pioneer, story by NPR Staff. Boston, MA: WBUR News, April 23, 2011. Photo courtesy of Christopher King.

Strachwitz, Chris. Musique Creole, by The Carrière Brothers. Suzy Thompson, producer. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 2004, album cover.

Strachwitz, Chris. "Alfonse ‘Bois Sec’ Ardoin at the 1970 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival," 1970, photograph. In La Musique Creole, by Alfonse “Bois Sec” Ardoin and Canray Fontenot. Chris Strachwitz, liner notes. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 1996, p. 3.

Erskine, Reed and Susan. "Clifton Chenier," 1974, photograph. Washington, DC: Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Smithsonian Institution. Taken at the 1974 American Folklife Festival. Provided by the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, CFCH-FAF1974_0872-S.

Masco. "Record Bandstand Mixer/Amplifier, Masco Pa25n," mid-1950s, amplifier. Washington, DC: National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Robert J. Casey.

Hohner. "Hohner Corona II Accordion Signed by Flaco Jimenez," ca. 2009, musical instrument. Washington, DC: National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Gilbert Reyes, Jr.

Strachwitz, Chris. "Clifton Chenier with His Band," ca. 1965, photograph. In King of The Bayous: I'm Coming Home, by Clifton Chenier. Chris Strachwitz, liner notes. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 1992, pp. 1–2.

Weil, Elizabeth, designer. Zydeco Sont Pas Sale: King of the Real Creole French Zydeco, by Clifton Chenier. Chris Strachwitz, photographer. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 1997, album cover.

Pope, Wayne, designer. My First Recordings, by Lowell Fulson. Chris Strachwitz, photographer. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 1997, album cover.

Strachwitz, Chris. "Clifton Chenier at the 1966 Berkeley Blues Festival," 1966, photograph. In Live! At the 1966 Berkeley Blues Festival, by Clifton Chenier, Mance Lipscomb, and Lightnin' Hopkins. Morgan Dodge, cover design. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 2000, cover image.

Wight, Phil. "C. J. Chenier, Son of Clifton Chenier," 1997, photograph. Flickr.

Pope, Wayne, designer. Louisiana Hot Sauce, Creole Style, by Canray Fontenot. Chris Strachwitz, photographer. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 1992, album cover.

Pope, Wayne, designer. Uncle Bud Zydeco, by John Delafose. Chris Strachwitz, photographer. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, 1983, album cover.

Lee, Russell. "Negro Laborers Employed by Joseph La Blanc, Wealthy Cajun Farmer, Crowley, Louisiana, with Possum and Birds They Shot," 1938, photograph negative. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division. Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives.

Wolcott, Marion Post. "Negro Children Fishing in Ditch. La Delta Project, Louisiana," 1940, photograph negative. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division. Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives.

* Audio, video, and images listed in order of slideshow sequence.