Buckwheat Zydeco — born Stanley Dural Jr. — was the artist who carried zydeco music to the world. A former R&B keyboardist who came to the accordion late, he became the genre's greatest ambassador, bringing the music of the Louisiana prairie to audiences who had never heard anything like it.
Biography
Stanley Dural Jr. grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana but spent his early career as an R&B keyboardist before a transformative encounter with Clifton Chenier — the King of Zydeco — led him to the accordion. As Buckwheat Zydeco, he signed with Island Records in the 1980s, performed at presidential inaugurations, appeared in major films, and toured relentlessly. He died in 2016, leaving behind a body of work that permanently expanded the audience for Louisiana music. His son Reginald continues to perform under the Buckwheat Zydeco name.
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