<back - BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO - Contemporary Zydeco's most popular performer Stanley 'Buckwheat' Dural was the natural successor to the throne vacated by the death of his mentor Clifton Chenier. Infusing his propulsive party music with strains of rock and R&B, his urbanized sound complete with touches of synthesizer and trumpet  married traditional and contemporary Zydeco with uncommon flair, in the process reaching a wider mainstream audience than any artist before him. Stanley Dural was born in Lafayette, Louisiana on November 14, 1947; with braided hair, he soon acquired the nickname 'Buckwheat' and by the age of 4 was already touted as a piano prodigy.

Although often exposed to trad Zydeco as a child, but preferred R&B, and by the mid-1950s was playing professionally with Lynn August. Dural's notoriety as a keyboardist quickly spread, and he also backed notables including Joe Tex and Gatemouth Brown. In 1971 Stanley Dural founded the band Buckwheat and the Hitchhikers, a 16-piece funk machine which he led and toured with for the next half-decade. In 1976 he finally fell under Zydeco's sway when recruited to back Clifton Chenier on tour. Originally an organist, Dural picked up the accordion within 2 years and began learning from the master and became Buckwheat Zydeco. He formed his own combo by 1979, the Ils Sont Partis Band. Upon signing to the Blues Unlimited label, the group debuted in 1979 with One for the Road, followed in 1980 by Take It Easy, Baby. After 1983's 100% Fortified Zydeco, the group moved to the Rounder label, where they issued the Grammy nominated Turning Point. The 1985 follow-up, Waitin' for My Ya Ya, was similarly honored. In 1986, New York-based music critic Ted Fox helped Buckwheat Zydeco land a deal with Island Records, in the process becoming the first Zydeco act ever signed to a major label. Fox subsequently acted as their producer as well. The group made their Island debut in 1987 with the acclaimed On a Night Like This, another Grammy nominee. That same year they also appeared in the hit movie The Big Easy, further increasing their public visibility. Taking It Home followed in 1988, but after 1990's Where There's Smoke There's Fire, Buckwheat Zydeco was dropped by Island, signing to Charisma for 1992's On Track. The years to follow saw the band drifting from one label to another, signing to Warner for 1994's Choo Choo Boogaloo, then hopping to Atlantic for 1997's Trouble. Although their commercial fortunes may have dipped, they remained hugely popular as a live attraction, despite purists' charges of commercialism, and celebrated two decades of music in 1999 with The Buckwheat Zydeco Story: A 20 Year Party. MP3- Man With The Blues | Hot Tamale Baby |