MARDIS GRAS PARTY WITH BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO!
American musical legend Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural Jr. (a.k.a. BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO) is the preeminent ambassador of Louisiana’s zydeco music. If you’ve gotten into zydeco music, or felt its influence, or watched the world celebrate this great aspect of Louisiana culture over the past 30+ years it’s likely been because of Buckwheat Zydeco. Many millions witnessed the excitement when Jimmy Fallon chose him to open the final episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: The show opened “cold” with a tight close up of Buck’s accordion, then – joined by Fallon on guitar and backed by the Roots – they kicked off a rousing rendition of “On A Night Like This.” That song was the title track of Buckwheat Zydeco’s groundbreaking first Island Records album and was responsible for bringing the unique sound of zydeco into the musical mainstream in 1987. It was also the first major label zydeco record, and a Grammy nominee. No other zydeco artist has come close to selling as many records or exposing the music to more people around the world. The band claims the three largest selling zydeco albums of all time. Moving in yet another new direction for zydeco music, Buckwheat Zydeco is featured on their own YouTube channel, Buckwheat’s World. The series showcases musical performances, and presents slices-of-life footage of Buck, the band and friends doing what they do in everyday life in Southwest Louisiana. Buckwheat’s World is helmed by Peabody-Award-winning film makers Louis Alvarez and Andrew Kolker, and longtime collaborator, Ted Fox. Special extended compilations of Buckwheat’s World episodes have been selected for screenings at the Dallas Videofest and the New Orleans Film Festival.
Over the course of 30 years, Buckwheat Zydeco has gigged with everyone from Eric Clapton (with whom Buckwheat also recorded) and U2 to The Boston Pops. The band has performed at just about every major music festival in the world and even performed at the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics to a worldwide audience of three billion people. Buckwheat even performed for President Clinton twice, celebrating both of his inaugurations. The band has appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman, CNN, The Today Show, MTV, NBC News, CBS Morning News, and many other TV programs. Buckwheat's music has also been featured in films ranging from The Water Boy and The Big Easy to Fletch Live and Hard Target.
