Clifton Chenier, the Louisiana musician who pioneered the Creole R&B hybrid genre known as zydeco, isn’t with us anymore. He passed away in 1987 from kidney disease that resulted from his diabetes. But when you’re a pioneer, your creations can outlast you. Today marks the 100th anniversary of Chenier’s birth in Leonville, Louisiana, and it’s the day that Smithsonian Folkways announce plans to release the first-ever box set dedicated to Chenier’s work. It’s also the day that the Rolling Stones, not too far away from the century mark themselves, released their cover of Chenier’s signature song “Zydeco Sont Pas Salés.”
