John Delafose live, 1980s - outtake from Les Blank & Chris Strachwitz’s I WENT TO THE DANCE

French, Creole, Zydeco musician plays a festival in Louisiana in the 1980's. His son Geno plays washboard as a kid. Delafose had a dynamic style and strong rural roots, with a strong staccato rhythm on the accordion, which has influenced almost all current Zydeco musicians. Unlike some of the younger performers at the time, Delafose sang in both English and French, and his repertoire featured two-steps and waltzes in addition to the highly percussive Afro-Caribbean rhythms of Zydeco. He occasionally played fiddle with the band, which was rare in Zydeco music. He and his band packed audiences into dance halls in southwest Louisiana, east Texas and New Orleans for more than 20 years

Added 8 May 2026