On what would’ve been Clifton Chenier’s 100th birthday, the reach of his music spans generations, genres, and geographies. From the recordings that earned him the title “King of Zydeco” to the countless artists he influenced, Chenier’s sound reshaped American roots music from the ground up.
The Rolling Stones are one of the many acts inspired by Chenier’s sound—and on this new tribute, they return the nod. Their version of “Zydeco Sont Pas Salés,” the track many credit with laying the foundation for zydeco itself, appears on the forthcoming compilation A Tribute to the King of Zydeco.
‘’The Stones are truly honoured to be on this tribute album amongst a stellar cast of artists and musicians. Clifton Chenier was one of the most influential musicians to come out of Louisiana. He turned so many people onto the wonderful free spirited dance music of Zydeco, including ourselves back in the day. Although the development of any music style can seldom be attributed to one artist, there is not a zydeco band who has not followed the template Chenier created,” The Rolling Stones stated.
The Stones may not be known for accordion, but they come in swinging—with Steve Riley sitting in on squeezebox and Mick Jagger delivering vocals in tight Creole French. Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood cut loose with their signature guitar interplay. “[The Rolling Stones] seem to effortlessly turn everything they touch into their own iconic brand of rock’n’roll,” says the track’s producer, CC Adcock.
“That’s certainly what they’ve done with Clifton’s music—and even his musicians—here!” From the get-go, a rowdy line is drawn between the Stones’ and Chenier’s forms of hopped-up dance music. It just makes sense. With the help of Steve Riley on accordion, the two entities’ worlds are straddled seamlessly and jubilantly. “Both Mick singing in impeccable Creole French and Keith and Ronnie completely carving up the traditional approach with those signature licks and their iconic ‘weaving’ style sounds easy and playful,” says Adcock. “Man, this one sounds like they’re just running wild through the swamps with it!”
As part of the album’s release, Valcour Records has partnered with the Chenier family estate and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to establish the Clifton Chenier Memorial Scholarship. Set to launch in 2025, marking the centennial of Chenier’s birth, the scholarship will support students studying Traditional Music at UL Lafayette, with a focus on Zydeco accordion. All proceeds from the album will directly benefit the scholarship fund.
To learn more about the scholarship or to donate, visit this link.
