Cleveland chenier

His father Joseph, a creole sharecropper, animates fais-dodo after his day's work. As a child, Clifton works in cotton and sugar cane fields. Influenced by Louisiana Cajun music and Texas and Mississippi Blues, he learned the accordion at age 14 with his father. In , he moved to Lake Charles where he worked as a laborer during the day and musician in evenings and weekends.

He then moved to Port Arthur, Texas and worked as a truck driver for several years.

Cleveland chenier: Cleveland Chenier (May 16,

Thanks to guitarist Clarence Garlow, Clifton draws the attention of producer J. Fulbright who proposes to cut his first sides for Elko and Post a label owned by Imperial. Clifton gets a first success with the cover of "Ay tite fille", a title composed by Professor Longhair. His accordion already shines on dancing instrumentals like "Louisiana stomp", "Rockin' hop", "Rockin' the bop" but also on real blues such as "Cliston blues".

Since april , Clifton recorded for the Specialty label - under the supervision of producer Robert "Bumps" Blackwell - with great musicians : his brother Cleveland Chenier rubboard , Philip Walker guitar , Cornelius Green aka Lonesome Sundown guitar , Lionel Prevost saxophone. This Specialty period is extremely rich with the beautiful "Clifton's dreamin'", "Think it over", "Opelousas hop", "All night long", "Squeezebox boogie", "Zodico stomp".

It is neither more nor less than the creation of the Zydeco style of which he will be the indisputable king for more than 20 years.