global stage

Terrance Simien and The Zydeco Experience

Friday, February 21, 2020
7:30 p.m.

Woltosz Theatre

For more than 30 years, two-time Grammy Award-winning artist Terrance Simien has been shattering the myths about indigenous roots music and redefining the genre with historic albums and performances. Simien, an eighth-generation Louisiana Creole, is the real deal, with a massively entertaining live show that incorporates all that is great about Louisiana’s diverse musical heritage—a hypnotic blend of American roots music flavored with New Orleans funk, reggae, world and blues.

Born in 1965 in the Mallet area of St. Landry Parish, Simien grew up with musical roots planted firmly alongside great zydeco pioneers like Clifton Chenier, John Delafose, Boozoo Chavis, Alphonse Ardoin and Rockin’ Sidney. He counts himself fortunate to hail from a generation with a direct link to these artists, some of whom mentored him as an emerging talent.

Simien began touring at the young age of 18, and by 20 found himself sharing the stage with Fats Domino and Sarah Vaughn at the Bern Jazz Festival. Over the years, Simien and his bandmates have played live and in studio with Robert Palmer, Stevie Wonder, Los Lobos, Taj Mahal, Dr. John, the Meters, Allen Touissant, Paul Simon and Dave Matthews Band, to name a few. In 2008, Terrence Simien and the Zydeco Experience were the first artists in more than 30 years to win a Grammy Award in zydeco. The following year Simien collaborated with Randy Newman on “Gonna Take You There,” a zydeco-flavored song featured in the Disney animated feature film The Princess and the Frog.

Leading his dynamic band, Simien has become one of the most respected and accomplished artists in American roots music today. He and his bandmates have performed more than 7,000 concerts and toured in more than 45 countries during their eventful career.