Rockin' Dopsie Jr.

• Genre: Cajun/Zydeco

About

Rockin' Dopsie (pronounced "doopsie") was an extremely popular performer on the southern Louisiana Zydeco circuit, as well as on the international festival circuit. When the undisputed "king" of Zydeco Clifton Chenier died, Dopsie was often spoken of as his successor. That said, Dopsie's Zydeco was a bit different than Chenier's; Dopsie played the small, button accordion and his band had a leaner, more stripped-down sound. He stripped down Zydeco's dance music core to a relentless groove. Late in his life, he became a somewhat sought-after player as mainstream music made one of its periodic forays into regional music -- his playing was featured prominently on cultural appropriator Paul Simon's Graceland album.

- Tom Heyman