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French Settlers move to Acadia
French settlers immigrated to present-day Nova Scotia, which was then known as Acadia. Most of the people came from Ile-de-France, Normandy, Brittany, and France before settling in Canada. Many brought with them the old folk songs from medieval France. -
The Great Expulsion from Acadia
The Acadians are the descendents of the French colonists in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island in Canada. From 1755 to 1764 the English deported 11, 500 Acadians during the Great Expulsion. Some were shipped back to France but many migrated to Louisiana which later evolved into the Cajun culture. -
Acadians come to Louisiana
In their new home of Louisiana, the Acadians were offered prime land in the prairies of Southwest Louisiana and many settled in this area raising cattle and crop farming. -
Slavery in Louisiana - "Creole" Changes Definition
Early in Louisiana’s history, the term "Creole" referred to French or Spanish Louisiana born people. But, this changed in a way that would prove to be quite significant in Louisiana heritage. In the late 1700’s there was a growth in the slave trade and soon the term Creole began to mean those born in the colonies opposed to those that were brought in from Africa. -
Frontier Life in Louisiana
The Acadians were a tight cultural group because of isolation, close family ties, and strong Catholic faith. The music of the Acadians portrayed themes of death, loneliness and ill-fated love which reflected their brutal exile and frontier life in their new home of Louisiana. -
Acadians in Louisiana
Once tin their new home of Luoisisna, they continued to absorb some of the music and styles from their new neighbours including Native Americans, African American, Spanish, Germans and Caribbeans. This influence created an intercultural gumbo of musical instruments. -
The Aristrocratic Creoles in New Orleans
There were many Creoles who were not slaves, were light skinned blacks, or who were mulattos, who formed an aristocratic society in New Orleans during the time of slavery. They were elite members of society who were often leaders in business, agriculture, politics, and the arts. Many were educated, owned their own property and businesses, some were even slave-owners. -
Introduction of the Accordion
In the late 1800s, German settlers introduced accordions which were adopted by both Cajun and Creole musicians. At this time, both Cajun and Creole musical styles were very similar which consisted of mostly two-steps and waltzes meant for dancing and played by accordion and fiddle. -
"French Town" Texas
After oil was discovered in Texas in the late 1800's, this caused many creoles to move from Louisiana into Texas. The largest concentration of French speaking black creoles in Texas was an area of town later became known as “French Town”. -
Field workers and the sounds of Juré
Coming from the French word juré, it originated among poor, rural, black creole field workers in Louisiana who did not have many musical instruments and knew very little English. This was a very simple musical style where black field workers prayed and gave thanks by singing, clapping their hands, and stomping their feet. -
Amédé Ardoin first Recordings of la la music
In 1929, Creole accordionist Amédé Ardoin made the first recordings of la la music, laying the groundwork for Zydeco music. -
French "la la"
In the 1930’s, Juré took on a very different style of music which the black creoles called French “la la” which featured lively music with an accordion and washboard rubbed with spoons or a metal cap. -
The Influence of R&B and the Blues
In the 1940s, “la la” music had now taken on the blues style, R&B and many other influences which would later transform this music to be known as Zydeco. A direct response to slavery was the blues which influenced many types of music including Zydeco. The blues was a means of expression by African-Americans who often sung about poverty and hard times. -
The Vest Frottoir or Rubboard
The vest frottoir, or rubboard, is the musical instrument used in traditional rural zydeco bands in Southwest Louisiana. In the pre-zydeco 1930's, sheet metal was introduced to Louisiana for roofing and barn siding. The first rubboard was created for Clifton Chenier’s brother, Cleveland, in the 1940's. -
Country and Western Music Influence
From 1935 to 1950, the influx of oil workers to the Southern Louisiana and their love for country and western music began Americanizing Cajuns and Creoles. From about 1935 to 1950, Cajuns and Creoles replaced the accordion with fiddle and steel guitar and added bass guitar and drums. -
Clifton Chenier "King of Zydeco"
In the 1950s, the first stars to play Zydeco music was Boozoo Chavis and Clifton Chenier. Clifton Chenier popularized many zydeco songs including “Les Haricots Sont Pas Salés”. Clifton Chenier reigned as the “King of Zydeco” with a career lasting 30 years and with his death in 1987, he had brought zydeco to international attention.
