The New York Times said,: “Stanley ‘Buckwheat’ Dural leads one of the best bands in America. A down-home and high-powered celebration, meaty and muscular with a fine-tuned sense of dynamics…propulsive rhythms, incendiary performances.” USA Today called him “a zydeco trailblazer.” Buckwheat Zydeco performed with a large number of famous musicians from Eric Clapton (with whom he also recorded) and U2 to the Boston Pops. The band performed at the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics to a worldwide audience of three billion people. Buckwheat performed for President Clinton twice, celebrating both of his inaugurations. The band appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, CNN, The Today Show, MTV, NBC News, CBS Morning News, National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition.
Dural was born in Lafayette, Louisiana. 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.
Dural became proficient at the organ, and by the late 1950s he was backing Joe Tex, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown and many others.
In 1971, he founded Buckwheat & the Hitchhikers, a funk band that he led for five years before switching to zydeco. They were a local sensation and found success with the single, “It’s Hard To Get,” recorded for a local Louisiana-based label.
He began backing Clifton Chenier, one of the most legendary zydeco performers. Though not a traditional zydeco fan when growing up, 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 marveled at 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 the legendary 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. They debuted with One for the Road in 1979 on the Blues Unlimited label and then recorded for New Orleans’ Black Top label. In 1983, they were nominated for a Grammy Award for Turning Point and in 1985 for Waitin’ For My Ya Ya after switching to the Rounder Records label. The band then signed to Island Records, becoming the first zydeco act on a major label, and released On a Night Like This, a critically acclaimed album that was nominated for a Grammy as well. The band appeared in the movie The Big Easy in 1987.
In 1988, Eric Clapton invited the band to open his North American tour as well as his 12-night stand at London’s Royal Albert Hall. As even more doors opened, Buckwheat found himself sharing stages and/or recording with Keith Richards, Robert Plant, Willie Nelson, Mavis Staples, David Hidalgo, Dwight Yoakam, Paul Simon, Ry Cooder, the Cherry Poppin' Daddies and many others, including indie music stalwarts Yo La Tengo on the soundtrack to the Bob Dylan bio-pic, I'm Not There. His music has been featured in films including The Waterboy, The Big Easy, Fletch Lives and Hard Target. BET’s show Comic View, used his live version of “What You Gonna Do?” as theme music for the program’s 10th anniversary “Pardi Gras” season. He also wrote and performed the theme music for the PBS television series Pierre Franey’s Cooking In America. Buckwheat won an Emmy for his music in the CBS TV movie, Pistol Pete: The Life And Times Of Pete Maravich.
Buckwheat Zydeco has played many major music festivals, including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (numerous times), Newport Folk Festival, Summerfest, San Diego Street Scene, Bumbershoot, Montreux Jazz Festival, the Voodoo Experience, and countless others.
During the 1990s and early 2000s Buckwheat recorded for his own Tomorrow Recordings label and maintained an extensive touring schedule. Buckwheat Zydeco's latest album, Lay Your Burden Down, was released on May 5, 2009 on the Alligator Records label. It was produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos and included guest appearances by guitarists Warren Haynes and Sonny Landreth, Trombone Shorty, JJ Grey and Berlin himself. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award. Sonicboomers.com says, “The CD is a vastly entertaining and appealingly diverse package. Bandleader Dural remains an ever-engaging vocalist and a whiz on any keyboard he touches. So, for Buckwheat Zydeco fans, Lay Your Burden Down finds the maestro and his group near the top of their form. For listeners with less interest in the ol' accordion get-down, the collection supplies enough interesting wrinkles to get the good times rolling."
Buckwheat’s especially powerful and haunting version of the classic "Cryin' in the Streets" appears on the benefit album for Hurricane Katrina recovery, Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album for the Gulf Coast.
Buckwheat's version of Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy's "When the Levee Breaks" appeared on 2011's Alligator Records 40th Anniversary Collection. It originally appeared on the 2009 Buckwheat Zydeco album Lay Your Burden Down.
Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural Jr. died on September 24, 2016, at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center. Dural, who had lung cancer, was 68.
Route 66
Buckwheat Zydeco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[1] best take [4] my way, that's the hiway thats the [1] best
get your [5-7]kicks, on[4]route 66[1]
[1]it winds, from Chicago [4]to [1]L.A.
almost [4] two thousand miles all the [1]way
get your [5-7] kicks, on[4] route 66[1]
well it [1]winds from Missouri [4] down thru St. Louie
[1] Oklahoma city looks oh so pretty oh [4] see Amarillo, Nogales new Mexi- [1]co
[5-7]Flagstaff Arizona, don't forget Winona, [4]Needled ,Barstow San Bernar-[1]dino
well [1] Do, get[4] hip to this kindly tip,[1]
if you [4] take that California [1] trip
get your [4] kicks[5-7] on [4] route 66 [1]
The lyrics of Buckwheat Zydeco's song Route 66 is an invitation for anyone planning a trip to the west coast to take the famously historic US Route 66. The singer advises that it is the best way to reach the west coast and get your kicks while at it. The highway that stretches almost two thousand miles from Chicago to Los Angeles promises a beautiful and exciting journey with several scenic stops in between. The song mentions several cities and states along the route to encourage listeners to take the trip.
Through the lyrics of the song, the singer reveals that getting your kicks on Route 66 is not just about travelling but also about the exciting experiences that come with exploring the various towns and cities along the way. Buckwheat Zydeco's inviting tone and lively music encourage listeners to go on this trip and have a fun-filled experience. The song's upbeat tempo and lively beats, alongside the singer's charismatic voice, create an intriguing, captivating mood, making the listener want to take the trip.
Line by Line Meaning
well if you ever plan to motor west;
If your intention is to travel towards the West driving your car
best take my way, that's the hiway thats the best
The best way to travel is the highway that I would recommend
get your kicks, on route 66
Route 66 can provide an exciting travel experience that allows for fun and entertainment
it winds, from Chicago to L.A.
Route 66 extends from Chicago up till Los Angeles
almost two thousand miles all the way
The distance from Chicago to Los Angeles is almost two thousand miles
chorus
The following lines build on the qualities of different locations on Route 66
well it winds from Missouri down thru St. Louie
Route 66 snakes through Missouri to reach St. Louie
Oklahoma city looks oh so pretty oh see Amarillo, Nogales new Mexi-co
Oklahoma city and many other places on Route 66 are truly beautiful and worth seeing, such as Amarillo, Nogales, and New Mexico
Flagstaff Arizona, don't forget Winona, Needled, Barstow San Bernar-dino
It is imperative to visit cities such as Flagstaff Arizona, Winona, Needles, Barstow, and San Bernardino
well Do, get hip to this kindly tip,
Pay attention and understand the following suggestion
if you take that California trip
If you decide to travel to California
get your kicks on route 66
Route 66 can provide an exciting travel experience that allows for fun and entertainment
Contributed by Daniel V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Zenobia Chaney
on Mon Papa
I've always loved the Music in this Cajun Waltz-I Loved my grandpapas. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents and their generation.