The City of Opelousas Tourism is excited to announce the debut of “Zydeco Music” exhibit, which explores the development and culture of this unique, Louisiana-born style of music and dance. The presentation includes seven panels that display the legends of zydeco, the history and information on how these Creole sounds developed from the colonial period to the present in South Louisiana.
The exhibit was funded through a grant made possible from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior through Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, Office of Cultural Development a Division of Historic Preservation.
“We are extremely grateful for the grant support to produce this comprehensive and fascinating exhibit,” Tourism Director Melanie Lebouef said. “The exhibit will draw people from throughout Louisiana and Texas, but will be of special interest for Opelousas area residents,” Lebouef added.
Zydeco emerged from the Opelousas area, and is the home of King of Zydeco Clifton Chenier; in 2000 Opelousas was proclaimed Zydeco Capital of the World. This project is part of an effort to preserve and promote zydeco music and culture.
The roots of zydeco reach back to 1719 when the Opelousas Territory was established. In that year, the first slaves were brought from West Africa, and with them came the music that evolved into blues, jazz and zydeco. Fast-forward to the 1947 when Richard’s and Slim’s Yi-Ki Ki zydeco clubs opened, providing venues for zydeco musicians. Fast forward to 1982 when Queen Ida wins the first Grammy Award and others follow including Rockin Sidney’s 1986 Grammy for “My Toot Toot.” Through the exhibit, you can explore people, places and events that contributed to a renaissance of zydeco music and culture.
A committee of scholars and community leaders collaborated to create the exhibit including Cheryl Castille of St Landry Parish Government; Lena Charles of the Zydeco Music Festival; Dominick Cross and Herman Fusilier of the Daily Advertiser; D’Jalma Garnier of Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys and Jennifer Ritter Guidry of the Center for Cultural & Eco Tourism at UL.
The Zydeco Music exhibit can lead visitors to additional resources such as the Opelousas Museum and Interpretive Center’s zydeco archive that holds extensive footage and photos of the Southwest Zydeco Festival.
This is a great opportunity for music fans, visitors, and people of all ages to learn more about the music that forms the fabric of South Louisiana.
The traveling portion of the exhibit, which will be available for loan to other organizations across the state, will be set up for viewing at the annual Zydeco Breakfast in Opelousas scheduled for September 5, 2015, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. under the oak trees surrounding the historic St. Landry Parish Courthouse. This year, festival goers and music lovers will experience the sounds of Wayne & Same Ol 2-Step. Learn more at cityofopelousas.com
The Zydeco Breakfast is held in conjunction with the Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival in Plaisance, which celebrates its 33rd year. This year, the festival pays tribute to the late John Delafose, and features Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie; Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band; Lil Nate and Zydeco Big Timers; Leon Chaves and many others.
Zydeco exhibit will be displayed in the Jarrell House of the Vieux Village Welcome Center, in Opelousas at 828 E Landry St. The Center is open M –F, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sat, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 337-948-6263.
