A Toe-Tapping Tradition

Home to genres like jazz, Cajun, and zydeco, Louisiana also has roots in American blues, country and rock music.

New Orleans has a special relationship with jazz. Home to legends like Louis Armstrong, the city boasts a new generation of musicians who honor the tradition and add their own unique sounds, like Trombone Shorty, Irvin Mayfield, Kermit Ruffins, Dirty Dozen and the Grammy-winning Rebirth Brass Band.

Outside of jazz, Cajun and zydeco music are perhaps more associated with Louisiana than any other genre.

Cajun music continues the musical and dancing traditions brought to the state by Acadian people who emigrated to Louisiana after they were exiled from Nova Scotia in the 1700s. The folk music incorporates the accordion, triangle and fiddle, and it can be heard in dance halls throughout Southwest Louisiana.

Zydeco, originally a blend of Louisiana French accordion music and Afro-Caribbean beats, almost always includes a washboard and an accordion and, like the blues, offered a way for rural, economically marginalized individuals to escape the hardships of life through music and dance. The music is a staple at local festivals like the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Today, the genre has evolved with influences from soul, rap and reggae.

While jazz, Cajun and zydeco rule South Louisiana, country music is the heart of north Louisiana. The history of country music in Louisiana dates to post-World War II life, when Shreveport’s KWKH broadcasted the Louisiana Hayride. The show became known as “The Cradle of the Stars” for its role in launching the careers of artists such as Hank Williams, Slim Whitman, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. The show was held in the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium, where visitors can tour the stage graced by legends and see where the iconic phrase “Elvis has left the building” was  coined.

Find down-home, Deep South blues throughout the state, too. The origins of Louisiana blues can be heard by its greats, such as Buddy Guy. A new generation of performers is being nurtured by the state’s unique culture and music history including Tab Benoit, Larry Garner, Irma Thomas and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. 

Explore these music genres, sample the music, read about notable performers and plan your tour of Louisiana’s music.