How did Cajun and Zydeco music develop?
The French-speaking Acadians, having migrated to Louisiana after being expelled by the British from Canada’s maritime provinces beginning in the 1750s, brought with them music that had its origins in France. Early balladeers would sing without accompaniment at family gatherings or special occasions. The fiddle often supplied music for dancing. The accordion was incorporated in the 1920s with the introduction of accordions tuned in C and D, matching the “open string” tuning of the fiddlers. The combination produced a sound that carried well during noisy dances. Creoles, the African American descendants of slaves, were developing their own music, and the music of the two cultures influenced one another. Like the Cajuns, the Creoles had house dances, clearing out all the furniture and bringing in musicians who would play until early in the morning. Washboards played with spoons or bottle openers and triangles provided rhythm. In the 1950s rock ‘n’ roll emerged, and Louisiana musicians wit
