In 1971 (1971 in music), he founded Buckwheat & the Hitchhikers, a funk band that he led for five years before switching to zydeco. He began backing Clifton Chenier[?], one of the most legendary zydeco performers. He set out on his own with The Ils Sont Partis Band; they debuted with One for the Road[?] in 1979 (1979 in music) and were nominated for a Grammy for Turning Point[?] and Waitin' for My Ya Ya[?] (1985 in music) after switching to the Rounder[?] record label. He soon signed to Island Records, the first zydeco act on a major label, and released On a Night Like This[?], critically acclaimed album that was nominated for a Grammy as well. The band soon appeared in The Big Easy[?].
During the 1990s, Buckwheat Zydeco was less commercially successful than befoe, and switched labels constantly. They remain a popular live draw, and continue recording.
Search Encyclopedia
|
Featured Article
|