Said each year can be heart from 45th dec schiller music rhythm blues hits by such the likes of Fats Domino, and Chenier adapted this material to the accordion and it, for the most part, Creole French. Beyond these innovations, Chenier's skill as accordionist has yet to be surpassed. A contract with the California-based Arhoolie label brought him world-wide exposure the 1960s. By the late 1970s Chenier's career accelerated dramatically, while the 1980s saw him honored with both a Grammy award and a National Heritage Fellowship. Chenier summed up the appeal and purpose of his music quite simply: If you can't dance to zydeco, you can't dance period. Swamp Pop Swamp pop is a South Louisiana hybrid of rhythm blues and early rock with Cajun music and zydeco. It uses the same structures as rock and rhythm blues from around the nation, but is set apart by intense, emotional singing. Perhaps the best-known and biggest national hit this genre was Phillips' &nquot;Sea of released 1959. But the most popular swamp pop group on the Louisiana Texas circuit was Cookie and the Cupcakes. Led by singer Cookie Thierry, their regional hits included and Got You On Mind, which remain every bit as popular today. Zydeco Living legend, Buckwheat Zydeco, has a number of firsts to his credit. He was the first zydeco musician to sign to a record label, establish his own record label, perform on national television; and release a children's album-amongst other accolades. Born Dural, Jr., Lafayette, Louisiana, he grew up with affinity for R&B and funk music. Fats Domino was just one of his influences. Dural is a skilled keyboardist, pianist, organist, and accordionist. But it was not until much later his musical career that he gained appreciation for the music that was the colorful backdrop to his upbringing. His father, accomplished zydeco artist his own right, encouraged him to embrace the music of his culture. Buckwheat eventually heeded, and apprenticed under one of zydeco's greats, Chenier. He played keyboard Chenier's Red Hot Louisiana Band for a few years before branching out and establishing his own zydeco band, Buckwheat Zydeco and the Ils Sont Partis Band Dural's style is a unique blend of zydeco and contemporary music. His musical career has taken off like a jet. He is one of the few musicians his genre to achieve mainstream success with 15 LPs to his credit, numerous top tens, and four Grammy nominations. His songs have been featured motion pictures and television commercials-not to mention he has collaborated with Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Willie Yoakam, Mavis Staples, and Hidalgo. Additionally, he performed at the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Olympics, and both of President 's inaugurals. Zydeco A refreshing voice to the zydeco circuit, Ledet, began her musical career the mid-1980s. She brings to the male-dominated genre zest, youth, and spicy femininity. Ledet is a native of Church Louisiana. Seeing legendary Boozoo Chavis perform at a dance sparked her interest Zydeco. From then on she felt pulled by the rhythms, and took to practicing on her husband's accordion and watching him action. After some refinement, she proved to be proficient enough to perform her husband's band, and now has a band of her own, Ledet and the Zydeco Playboys. She describes her style as sped-up blues. Others say that her style is traditional. She sings both English and Creole French and writes most of her songs. Thus far she has five albums to her credit-all of which are produced on the Maison de Soul label from 's Records Ville Platte. She performs regularly at festivals and has toured throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Offbeat Magazine awarded her three Best of the Best Awards, and she scored number one on KVOL with, I'm Gonna Take Care of Your Dog<. Her latest cd is entitled 's the Time Cajun Cajun music is usually associated with the accordion. But the accordion faded from prominence during the 1930s and 1940s due to the influence of British-American country music and the popularity of electronically-amplified fiddles. The accordion became popular again after World War II, however, thanks large part to Iry LeJeune, whose mastery of the instrument was matched by the soulful intensity of his high-pitched vocal style. songs recorded by LeJeune, including J'etais au bal, Lacassine Special and The 99-Year Waltz have become perennial, popular favorites the Cajun repertoire. A native of Noir, near Church LeJeune died at the age of 27; his maintained the family's musical tradition until his untimely death 2001. Cajun Guitarist and songwriter D. L. Menard is a staunch Cajun traditionalist who also reinforces the connection between Cajun music and British-American country. Known as the Cajun Hank for such original songs as La porte d'en