Jam Sessions and tributes throughout the month of June celebrate 100 years of Clifton Chenier. June 25 marks a century since the king of Zydeco and Grammy Award winner was born in Prairie Laurent, a small community located between Opelousas and Leonville.
The tribute continued Saturday at the St. Landry ParishVisitors and Information Center where Grammy award winner Chubby Carrier and veteran accordionist Lil Jeff Boutte played a centennial tribute to Chenier who put South Louisiana’s native Creole music on the world stqge on his way to becoming a Grammy winner and Lifetime Achievement Award winner from the Grammys. In 2011 more than two decades after Chenier died, his “Bogalusa Boogie” album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Herman Fuselier, St. Landry Parish Tourism director, advised the standing room only crowd that he is hopeful a statue of Clifton Chenier will be erected at the inforation center in the future.
