American Zydeco musician
Dwayne Dopsie
Dwayne Dopsie in 2022
Birth name Dwayne Rubin Born (1979-03-03 ) March 3, 1979 (age 45) Lafayette, Louisiana , U.S.Genres zydeco Instrument(s) accordion, vocals Website dwaynedopsie .com
Musical artist
Dwayne Rubin , better known by his stage name Dwayne Dopsie , is an American Zydeco musician. He is the accordionist and vocalist for his New Orleans -based band, Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers .
Biography
Dwayne Dopsie was born March 3, 1979, in Lafayette, Louisiana .[ 1] He is the youngest of accordionist Rockin' Dopsie 's eight children, and picked up music in the household from an early age. He began playing washboard at age six and accordion at seven, and performed with his father on stage at Mardi Gras and on television for a Super Bowl halftime during his childhood.[ 2]
After Rockin' Dopsie died in 1993, Dwayne Dopsie dropped out of high school to pursue zydeco music full-time.[ 2] He founded his own band, the Zydeco Hellraisers, in 1999 when he was nineteen years old,[ 3] and that same year was named "America's Hottest Accordionist" in a competition run by the American Accordion Association.[ 4]
In 2013, Dopsie collaborated with Corey Ledet , Anthony Dopsie and Andre Thierry on the album Nothin' But the Best , which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album .[ 5] Dopsie received another nomination in the same category for his 2017 album Top of the Mountain . Dopsie plays regularly at New Orleans events such as Mardi Gras and Jazz & Heritage Festival , has done numerous tours of the United States,[ 6] [ 7] [ 8] [ 9] and has toured internationally several times, including performances in Canada, Georgia , and China.[ 4] In 2018, Dopsie signed with Louisiana Red Hot Records [permanent dead link ] , who released Bon Ton in the June, 2019.
Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, 2010
Music
Dopsie's style is grounded in Zydeco but incorporates musical elements from rock and roll , rhythm and blues , blues , and reggae .[ 10]
Zydeco Hellraisers members
Current
Dwayne Dopsie - accordion, vocal
Juju Child - guitar
Brandon David - guitar, vocals
Percy Walker - drums
Dion Pierre - bass
Paul Lafleur - washboard
Tim McFatter - saxophone
Former
Alex MacDonald - washboard, vocals
Calvin Sam - drums
Carl Landry - saxophone
Shelton Sonnier - guitar, vocals
Vincent Doucet - washboard
Kipori Woods - guitar
Dee Fleming - drums
Kevin Minor - drums
Reggie Smith Jr. - saxophone
Awards and honors
Year
Category
Work nominated
Result
Ref.
1999
Best Emerging Zydeco Band or Performer
Won
[ 11]
2000
Best Emerging Zydeco Band or Performer
Won
[ 11]
2003
Best Accordionist
Won
[ 11]
2012
Best Zydeco Band or Performer
Won
[ 11]
Best Zydeco Album
Been Good to You
Won
[ 11]
2013
Best Accordionist
Won
[ 11]
2014
Best Zydeco Band or Performer
Won
[ 11]
2015
Best Zydeco Band or Performer
Won
[ 11]
Best Zydeco Album
Calling Your Name
Won
[ 11]
2016
Best Zydeco Band or Performer
Won
[ 11]
2017
Best Zydeco Band or Performer
Won
[ 11]
Best Zydeco Album
Top of the Mountain
Won
[ 11]
Best Accordionist
Won
[ 11]
2018
Best Zydeco Band or Performer
Won
[ 11]
2019
Best Zydeco Band or Performer
Won
[ 11]
Best Zydeco Album
Bon Ton
Won
[ 11]
2020
Best Zydeco Band or Performer
Won
[ 11]
2021-22
Best Zydeco Band or Performer
Won
[ 11]
Best Zydeco Album
Set Me Free
Won
[ 11]
2023
Best Accordionist
Won
[ 11]
Discography
Studio albums
Now It Begins (1999)
Dopsie Strikes (2001)
Travelin' Man (2006)
Up In Flames (2009)
Been Good To You (2011)
Calling Your Name (2015)
Top Of The Mountain (2017, Grammy Nominated)
Bon Ton (2019)
Set me free ( 2021)
Live albums
Get Down! (2011)
Dopsie's Got It (2014)
LIVE AT THE 2023 NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL ( 2023, Grammy nominated)
References
^ "Louisiana Musician Birthdays" . OffBeat Magazine . September 10, 2014. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved March 3, 2024 .
^ a b BOB Profile: Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers [permanent dead link ] . Houma Times , August 30, 2013.
^ New music spotlight: Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers . WWOZ , August 18, 2005.
^ a b Dopsie salutes father's zydeco legacy . The Advertiser , October 12, 2016.
^ Grammys 2013: Complete list of nominees and winners . Los Angeles Times , February 10, 2013.
^ Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, Local Newgrass Part of 8 Great Tuesdays . Erie Reader , July 22, 2015.
^ Review: Cool music, high energy at 24th annual Pennsylvania Blues Festival . The Morning Call , July 26, 2015.
^ Dwayne Dopsie and the Hellraisers: Bringing the Bayou to Little Egypt Archived 2017-09-09 at the Wayback Machine . Carbondalerocks.com, July 2016.
^ Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers . Tahoe Weekly , July 24, 2013.
^ Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, Calling Your Name (Sound of New Orleans) . OffBeat , August 26, 2015.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Best of the Beat Award Winners: Complete List" . OffBeat Magazine . September 8, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2024 .