Clifton Chenier, the Louisiana musician who pioneered the Creole R&B hybrid genre known as zydeco, isn't with us anymore. He passed away in 1987 from kidney disease that resulted from his diabetes. But when you're a pioneer, your creations can outlast you. Today marks the 100th anniversary of Chenier's birth in Leonville, Louisiana, and it's the day that Smithsonian Folkways announce plans to release the first-ever box set dedicated to Chenier's work. It's also the day that the Rolling Stones, not too far away from the century mark themselves, released their cover of Chenier's signature song "Zydeco Sont Pas Salés."
Smithsonian Folkways recently acquired the independent label Arhoolie Records and its back catalog, and Arhoolie Foundation executive director Adam Machado has produced Clifton Chenier: King Of Louisiana Blues And Zydeco, a new box set that'll include recordings that Chenier made between 1954 and 1983. It'll include previously unreleased studio tracks and live recordings, including a version of "Mr. Charlie," a blues standard originally recorded by Lightnin' Hopkins, his cousin and Arhoolie labelmate. Chenier played his version live on air at the San Francisco radio station KSAN in 1971. In conjunction with that release, the longtime Chenier fans in the Rolling Stones have shared their cover of "Zydeco Sont Pas Salés," a song that Chenier first recorded in 1965.
Mick Jagger actually saw Clifton Chenier live in 1965, and he sings "Zydeco Sont Pas Salés" entirely in Creole french. Louisiana musician CC Adcock produced the Stones' cover, and it features Chenier's longtime drummer Robert St. Julien and the Cajun accordionist Steve Riley playing alongside Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood. On Friday, Smithsonian Folkways will release a split 7", with the Stones' "Zydeco Sont Pas Salés" cover and the Chenier original. The Stones' cover will also appear on the forthcoming compilation A Tribute To The King of Zydeco, which will feature artists like Steve Earle and Lucinda Williams. Below, listen to both versions of the song, as well Chenier's previously unheard take on "Mr. Charlie."
In other news, the Rolling Stones are rumored to be recording new music.
The Rolling Stones/Clifton Chenier split 7" and the A Tribute To The King of Zydeco compilation are out 6/27. The box set Clifton Chenier: King Of Louisiana Blues And Zydeco is set to come out in November.
