“Buckwheat Zydeco”
2003 - Jazz Fest, New Orleans, LA

Stanley Joseph Dural, Jr. (November 14, 1947 – September 24, 2016), better known by his stage name Buckwheat Zydeco, was an American accordionist and zydeco musician. Dural was born in Lafayette, Louisiana as one of 13 children he had six brothers and six sisters. As a 5-years-old boy, he worked on a farm picking cotton. He acquired his nickname as a youth, because, with his braided hair, he looked like the character Buckwheat from Our Gang/The Little Rascals movies. His father, a farmer, was an accomplished amateur traditional Creole accordion player, but young Dural preferred listening to and playing rhythm and blues. 

Buckwheat accepted an invitation in 1976 to join Clifton Chenier’s Red Hot Louisiana Band as organist. He quickly discovered the popularity of zydeco music, and noted the effect the music had on the audience. “Everywhere, people young and old just loved zydeco music,” Dural says. “I had so much fun playing that first night with Clifton. We played for four hours and I wasn’t ready to quit.”

Dural's relationship with Chenier led him to take up the accordion in 1978. After practicing for a year, he felt ready to start his own band under the name Buckwheat Zydeco.

Website: www.buckwheatzydeco.com

Buckwheat Zydeco - 10x15 E-Surface Matted Print / 19x23 Final Frame size