Degenstein Center Theater, Susquehanna University
Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience
At its roots, Zydeco was an acoustic tradition built around the accordion, fiddle and triangle, with songs sung in French. Early generations simply called it French music.
Before that, its origins can the traced to the 19th century call-and response juré songs, performed with little more than clapping hands, stomping feet and “the yearning” — often voices of the oppressed French-speaking Black people of Louisiana. For over 40 years, two-time Grammy Award–winning, eighth-generation Louisiana Creole musician Terrance Simien has carried the tradition forward with his acclaimed Zydeco Experience band.
Widely regarded as one of America’s foremost roots musicians, Simien has helped introduce Zydeco to audiences across the globe while honoring its rich cultural heritage. The band’s music has been featured in major studio films, including Disney’s The Princess and the Frog , as well as television programs and radio commercials.
They have performed in over 45 countries and, since the mid-1980s, have served as cultural ambassadors on U.S. Department of State cultural diplomacy tours.
