In celebration of what would have been his 100th birthday, Smithsonian Folkways is set to release Clifton Chenier: King of Louisiana Blues and Zydeco this November, an essential box set commemorating the iconic musician. Released on Arhoolie Records, which joined the Smithsonian Folkways family in 2016, this collection marks the first new title on the imprint since the acquisition, a testament to Chenier’s enduring influence.
Chenier, born June 25, 1925, was a visionary artist whose dynamic blend of African American blues, R&B, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and Louisiana Cajun and Creole music birthed the genre now globally recognised as zydeco. Renowned as the “King of Zydeco,” his energetic sound captivated audiences from rural Louisiana juke joints to international stages. This historic box set, available as a 4-CD or 6-LP vinyl set, features a staggering 67 tracks, including an invaluable 19 previously unreleased performances. Listeners can dive into the raw, previously unheard recording of “Mr. Charlie,” a Lightnin’ Hopkins-penned blues recorded live in 1971 for KSAN in San Francisco, offering a captivating glimpse into Chenier’s electrifying live shows.
Beyond the music, Clifton Chenier: King of Louisiana Blues and Zydeco offers a comprehensive narrative of the artist’s life and legacy. A lavish 160-page book accompanies the set, filled with rare photographs, graphic artifacts, and extensive liner notes. It includes an in-depth biography by Grammy-winning Executive Director of the Arhoolie Foundation, Adam Machado, an expansive essay by American Routes host Nick Spitzer, an examination of Chenier’s community impact by journalist Herman Fuselier, and a moving personal remembrance from his son, musician CJ Chenier.
This release echoes the rich archival work seen in previous Smithsonian Folkways triumphs, such as Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings from the Collection of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971. That seminal box set, lauded by KLOF Mag, provided a crucial historical lens on American folk and blues, much as this new Chenier collection promises to do for zydeco.
This is music that reverberates from rocks to rivers, from great plains to piney woods. It’s the wild wolflike blues, red in tooth and clawhammer. Rawness and reality, without the spit and polish of record label recordings. Every song tells a story, but behind these lie the actual artists whose life stories are often absorbing.
Gareth Thompson (Album Review Extract)
The recordings span from 1954 to 1983, encompassing classics like “Bon Ton Roulet” and “Zydeco et Pas Sale,” alongside unissued gems like an R&B-infused “Shake Rattle & Roll” and Wilson Pickett’s “That’s My Number / 634-5789.” The set also features Chenier’s earliest known live recordings, a captivating 1977 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival performance, and appearances from the Austin City Limits television series. This collection not only celebrates Chenier’s monumental achievements on accordion, rubboard, and voice but also highlights foundational collaborations with his brother Cleveland, son CJ, and boogie-woogie pianist Katie Webster, tracing zydeco’s “great migration” from South Louisiana to broader recognition.
On June 27th, Smithsonian Folkways, Arhoolie Records, and Valcour Records will also release a limited edition vinyl 7” featuring a new recording of Chenier’s signature tune “Zydeco Sont Pas Salés” by The Rolling Stones. The new recording features Mick Jagger singing in French, alongside Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, offering a rock interpretation of the classic. Produced by CC Adcock, the track includes Cajun accordionist Steve Riley and original Chenier drummer Robert St. Julien. The single’s flip side contains Chenier’s 1965 version. The Rolling Stones’ rendition will also be on the upcoming Valcour compilation, A Tribute to the King of Zydeco.
Pre-order Box Set https://orcd.co/clifton-chenier-king-of-louisiana-blues-and-zydeco
Pre-order limited 7” https://linktr.ee/cliftonstones
The main photograph for this article was taken by Chris Strachwitz, the founder of Arhoolie Records, who passed away in 2023. Chris founded the label in 1960, a ‘one-man operation that would eventually produce more than four hundred albums during more than forty years in operation, exploring the far corners of American vernacular music-blues, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, hillbilly, Texas-Mexican norteno music, and more.’
In 2023, Chris’s incredible photos featured in the book: Arhoolie Records Down Home Music: The Stories and Photographs of Chris Strachwitz, which included a substantial 20,000-word essay by award-winning music journalist Joel Selvin. Read more about the book and Chris here: