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On the schedule

Clifton Chenier Tour Dates & Tickets

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Inside the performance

Sound, stage & company

Onstage company

Documented collaborators

Clifton Chenier (June 25, 1925 – December 12, 1987) helped define zydeco as a vibrant, Louisiana-rooted genre. Born in Opelousas, he blended accordion-driven melodies with infectious Creole and Cajun rhythms, forging a sound that would take zydeco from local dance halls to national stages. Known as the King of Zydeco, Chenier led the Red Hot Louisiana Band, a group that introduced generations to the music that would become synonymous with Louisiana’s cultural heritage. His work earned numerous honors and left a lasting imprint on roots music worldwide. Here’s a look at his life, landmark recordings, and how his legacy continues through CJ Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band in 2025 and beyond.

The live experience

What reaches the room

We’ve got you covered for Clifton Chenier-related content in the Gold Coast region and beyond—secure your seats for CJ Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band’s 2025 tour dates, explore essential discography highlights, and learn more about this foundational figure in zydeco history.

Onstage company

Documented collaborators

Clifton Chenier’s influence extends through major recognitions, including a 1983 Grammy Award for the album I’m Here! on Alligator Records, the NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 1984, and inductions into the Blues Hall of Fame (1989) and Louisiana Music Hall of Fame (2011). In 2014, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. A 2016 selection of Bogalusa Boogie for the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress underscores his cultural significance. Today, CJ Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band carry the torch, with confirmed 2025 tour dates in the U.S.—including Jazz Fest in New Orleans and a performance at Wolf Trap in Virginia—and ongoing tribute projects surrounding the centennial year in 2025. For fans and newcomers alike, Clifton Chenier’s music remains a cornerstone of American roots and Louisiana culture.

Onstage company

Documented collaborators

Follow official updates and engage with Clifton Chenier’s enduring legacy through CJ Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band’s social channels and websites below. We’ve got you with reliable, straightforward access to forthcoming shows, biographical insights, and historical context that helps you appreciate why Chenier is celebrated as a pioneer of zydeco.

The essentials

Quick Facts About Clifton Chenier

  • Pioneer of zydeco; born June 25, 1925 in Opelousas, Louisiana; died December 12, 1987 in Lafayette, Louisiana.
  • Grammy Award winner in 1983 for the album I'm Here! on Alligator Records.
  • NEA National Heritage Fellowship recipient in 1984; Blues Hall of Fame inductee in 1989; Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2011; Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.
  • In 2016, Library of Congress selected Bogalusa Boogie for the National Recording Registry.
  • Known as the King of Zydeco; his Red Hot Louisiana Band helped launch zydeco to national and international audiences.
  • His son, C. J. Chenier, has led the Red Hot Louisiana Band since 1987 and continues Clifton’s zydeco legacy; 2025 marks the centennial year with tribute releases and major performances.

The records

Clifton Chenier Discography

  • Clifton Chenier And His Red Hot Louisiana Band Live At Tipitina's / June 7, 1980
    2023 · TRC-0306 (Tipitina’s Record Club)
  • Clifton Chenier's Rockin' Accordion: A Selection of His Earliest Recordings 1954–1960
    2015 · Jasmine/JASMCD-3046
  • Live! At Grant Street
    2000 · Arhoolie CD-487
  • Zydeco Dynamite: The Clifton Chenier Anthology
    1993 · Rhino R2-71194
  • Squeezebox Boogie
    1999 · Just A Memory / Justin Time JAM-9141
  • The King of Zydeco (Live At Montreux)
    1981 · Arhoolie 1086
  • I'm Here!
    1982 · Alligator 4729
  • Clifton Chenier And His Red Hot Louisiana Band
    1978 · Arhoolie 1078
  • Boogie in Black and White
    1976 · Jin 9014
  • Boogie 'N' Zydeco
    1979 · Maison de Soul 1003; Sonet SNTF-801
  • Frenchin' the Boogie
    1976 · Blue Star 80.608; Verve reissue 1993
  • Bogalusa Boogie
    1976 · Arhoolie 1076
  • In New Orleans
    1978 · GNP Crescendo 2119
  • Out West
    1974 · Arhoolie 1072
  • Live (At St. Mark's)
    1972 · Arhoolie 1059
  • King of the Bayous
    1970 · Arhoolie 1052
  • Bayou Blues
    1971 · Specialty 2139
  • Louisiana Blues and Zydeco
    1966 · Arhoolie 1024
  • Bon Ton Roulet!
    1967 · Arhoolie 1031
  • Bayou Soul
    1967 · Crazy Cajun 1002; Maison de Soul 1002 (1976 reissue)

The hits

Top Clifton Chenier Songs

  • Eh, 'tite Fille (Hey, Little Girl)
    1955 · National hit (Specialty release)
  • Ay-Tete Fee (Eh 'tite Fille) / Boppin' The Rock
    1955 · N/A
  • The Things I Did For You / Think It Over
    1955 · N/A
  • Squeeze Box Boogie / The Cat's Dreamin'
    1956 · N/A
  • Where Can My Baby Be / The Big Wheel
    1957 · N/A
  • Standing On The Corner / The Big Wheel
    1957 · N/A
  • Sloppy / My Soul
    1958 · N/A
  • It Happened So Fast / Goodbye Baby
    1958 · N/A
  • Worried Life Blues / Hey Ma Ma
    1959 · N/A
  • Night & Day, My Love / Rockin' Accordion
    1959 · N/A
  • Bajou Drive (Sloppy) / My Soul
    1959 · N/A
  • Ay Ai Ai / Why Did You Go Last Night
    1964 · N/A

Clifton Chenier’s influence extends through major recognitions, including a 1983 Grammy Award for the album I’m Here! on Alligator Records, the NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 1984, and inductions into the Blues Hall of Fame (1989) and Louisiana Music Hall of Fame (2011). In 2014, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. A 2016 selection of Bogalusa Boogie for the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress underscores his cultural significance. Today, CJ Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band carry the torch, with confirmed 2025 tour dates in the U.S.—including Jazz Fest in New Orleans and a performance at Wolf Trap in Virginia—and ongoing tribute projects surrounding the centennial year in 2025. For fans and newcomers alike, Clifton Chenier’s music remains a cornerstone of American roots and Louisiana culture.

Follow official updates and engage with Clifton Chenier’s enduring legacy through CJ Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band’s social channels and websites below. We’ve got you with reliable, straightforward access to forthcoming shows, biographical insights, and historical context that helps you appreciate why Chenier is celebrated as a pioneer of zydeco.

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