ZYDECO

The Zydeco project began in 1988 when Rounder Records hired me to shoot for a live recording at Richard’s Club in Lawtell, LA, in the heart of zydeco country.  The intensity of the music and the friendliness of the people impressed me and reminded me of the country folks of my childhood.  I knew this was a project into which I could pour all of my energy as a photographer.  Over the course of the next decade I returned to the area many times and was privileged to do portraits and live photos of zydeco legends like Boozoo Chavis, John Delafose, and Roy Carrier.  Eventually, my photographs were paired with the interviews and commentary of author and folklorist, Ben Sandmel, and published by the University of Mississippi Press as the book, Zydeco!, in 1999.  We were incredibly honored to have the book win the Book Of The Year Award from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities in 2000.  Signed copies can be ordered and limited edition silver-gelatin (darkroom) prints are available for purchase directly from me.     R.O.