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Mr. Zydeco, Roy Carrier, plays Buffalo Valley Saturday night

Donna DanielsStaff Writer

Roy Carrier has an amazing family tree. He’s related to the some of the most influential names in zydeco music: the Broussards, the Ardoins and the Cheniers. And the folks he isn’t directly related to, his contemporaries in the genre who he grew up and played with and who influenced his music, are equally famous in their own right, names such as Boozoo Chavez and Rockin’ Dopsie.Roy, the father of the equally famous Chubby Carrier, has his own trademark music, a blend of down-home blues-influenced zydeco. He plays boogie-woogie like there’s no tomorrow, segues into classic R&B tunes, Creole waltzes and veers off into merengue and cha-cha. He also does the world’s best imitation of Queen Ida, Her Majesty of Zydeco.He sings his own tunes, and, unlike many of his contemporaries, Carrier also keeps the old zydeco standards alive such as “Jolie Blonde,” “Josephine,” “My Toot Toot” and “Allons Dancer.”Mr. Zydecocontinued on page B6Mr. Zydecocontinued from page B2Born in 1947, Carrier grew up with zydeco. He played scrubboard at six and soon picked up accordion. He formed the Night Rockers when he was 14 and played local clubs in and around Lawtell, La., with guys like Clifton Chenier, Fernest Arceneaux and Creole accordionist Marcel Dugas. His son Chubby joined the band when he was 8, as did son Troy and daughter Elaine.The band now includes Troy (accordion), Raymond Randle (guitar) – the only-non family member, Roy’s nephew Kevin Carrier (scrubboard and vocals) and another nephew, Ronald Carrier (guitar).Carrier used to support himself working the oil rigs. His seven-day shift with seven days off allowed him to play his music. He retired from that job in 1987 to play his music full time.He started up the Offshore Lounge in Lawtell in 1981 and it still offers as many as six bands a night for only a $2 cover charge.”Roy Carrier plays it loud and plays it hard,” said K-Paulie Pachter on the zydecoroad.com website. “Carrier has an energy and force that brings his audience to near exhaustion.”Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. They can be purchased at Glenwood Music, the Watersweeper and the Dwarf and Design Audio/Video in Glenwood Springs; Harrelson Music in Rifle and Sounds Easy in Carbondale. They can also be purchased with Visa or MasterCard by calling 963-1303, for a surcharge.The concert is presented by McIntosh Music Productions and sponsored by Glenwood Music, Buffalo Valley and KSPN.


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