ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KLFY) — Celebrating Clifton Chenier, the ‘King of Zydeco’, on his 100th birthday. Known for his unique style and global influence, Chenier’s legacy continues through artists like Lil Jeff Boutte and Chubby Carrier.

Herman Fuselier, St. Landry Parish Tourism Director and known zydeco enthusiast shared how Clifton Chenier was one of a kind.

“There will be another Clifton Chenier. To play like him, to do what he did for the music. He took Zydeco music out of the cotton fields and the cane fields and put it on the national stage. Really, an international stage.” Fuselier said.

Born June 25, 1925, in Opelousas, the music world would change forever when Clifton Chenier picked up an accordion.

Zydeco Musician Lil Jeff Boutte spoke about how he remembered a story about the time Chenier decided to pursue music.

“He specifically said his daddy allowed him to play, but he directly told him, ‘If you’re going to play this, be the best. Don’t let nobody beat you.’ And he listened to his dad.” Boutte said.

Not only did Chenier become the best and inspired musicians like Lil Jeff Boutte and Chubby Carrier, but he also brought a flair to the genre never heard before.

“He had his own style. He wouldn’t copy a nobody” Carrier said. “Clifton came up with every chord progression on his own. Everything that he sang about was all about his life. You know, for him to come out and do something like that back in the fifties and sixties, that’s astonishing, man. And that was from his heart and soul.”

Chenier would go on to bring Zydeco to the world, winning a Grammy for his album “I’m Here” and later receiving the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

“His ‘Bogalusa Boogie’ album is in the Grammy Hall of Fame and Library of Congress. Just with the lifetime achievement award, that’s the same award that’s been won by Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Michael Jackson, Prince, but a man from St. Landry Parish is standing with the giants too.” Fusilier said.

Even following Chenier’s death in 1987, his legacy lives on through artists like Cubby Carrier who remembered the impact Chenier made on his life.

“One morning Passe Partout came on, and I heard it because it was like 5:00 in the morning, I got sleep in my eyes. I’m waking up, tired, and I heard the music, I said ‘I’m going see this.'” Carrier said.

Carrier shared how he, and other Zydeco musicians, will continue to play Chenier’s music and keep his memory alive.

“His legacy will live on and on because all of us, we’re going to continue playing his music.” Carrier said, “We aren’t letting it die. Every time I get on the stage, I say, this is a song by my idol Mr. Clifton Chenier. You know, I can’t play it like him, but I’m going to play one of his songs, you know what I mean? And never, ever forget who the king of Zydeco is. Happy birthday, Mr. Clifton Chenier.”

From all of us at KLFY, Happy Birthday to the one and only Clifton Chenier.

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