Nathan Williams: Accordionist, Vocalist, Composer

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

Nathan Williams just knocked everybody out during his set at this year’s French Quarter Festival. Backed by his solid Zydeco Cha Chas, the accordionist, vocalist and composer continues the lineage of piano keyboard accordion players like greats Clifton Chenier and Williams’ inspirational mentor, Stanley “Buckwheat Zydeco” Dural. Like those artists, his approach to zydeco is often influenced by a citified rhythm and blues style and enjoys a wide open attitude as far as choice of material is concerned.

For instance, Williams, who performs at the Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival (Armstrong Park, Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, 24) at 4:15 p.m. on Sunday, did a fun version of Lee Dorsey’s hit, “(Sitting in) Ya Ya,” a tune that Buckwheat often played and is always worth revisiting. On Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Chas’ 2006 release, Hang It High, Hang It Low, there’s a swampy interpretation of Otis Redding’s monster hit “Fa Fa Fa Fa” and on other albums the band is heard giving a reggae sway to tunes like “Rock Steady” and “Mama Don’t Know.” Williams changes the rhythm of Ray Charles classic, “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” into waltz time on his 2013 album A New Road.

“I can fit anywhere – whatever you need, I’ve got it,” Williams rightfully proclaimed in an interview held a few years back. “A little bit of this, a little bit of that; I stay positive and keep going.’ I’m in Lafayette, where crawfish got soul,” Williams proclaimed then and often during his French Quarter gig, getting a laugh from the audience each and every time he made the declaration.

Some folks perceive zydeco music to all sound alike. Of course, one could substitute any other genre – jazz, blues, hip-hop, rock – and find people who feel similarly. One of the many positive aspects of the Cajun-Zydeco Fest is experiencing the bands at one venue making it easy to distinguish the differences not only between the variety found in zydeco groups but also what distinguishes zydeco from Cajun music, its kissin’ cousin that shares its southwest Louisiana roots. Do forgive the uninitiated newcomers for confusing the two, very different genres. Hey, Cajun and Creole cooking are different too.

Williams, who is from St. Martinville, Louisiana, first strapped on a big accordion when he was 19 years old. In more recent years, he has also added the triple key accordion to his bag of tricks. As a youngster, he would try his best to sneak around to hear Clifton Chenier and also was influenced by watching his uncle, guitarist Harry Hypolite who performed with the zydeco king as well as with Clifton’s son, accordionist/bandleader C.J. Chenier.

Williams’ tribute to Clifton this spring was truly moving as he performed Chenier’s signature tune, “I’m Coming Home,” playing the accordion and singing while on his knees. Enhancing his rendition even further was when the leader’s brother, guitarist Dennis Paul Williams, stood by his side resulting in a remarkable accordion/guitar duet. Dennis Paul, who is Nathan’s older brother and a respected visual artist, could be considered the Cha Chas’ secret weapon. He plays guitar like no other guitarists in the world of zydeco music adding a certain element of sophistication with his jazz sensibilities. The Cha Chas also include Williams’ nephew and brother-in-law and was the jumping off point for his son, Nathan Williams Jr. who now leads his own band, Li’l Nathan & the Zydeco Big Timers. That hot group opens Sunday’s schedule at 11 a.m. Another of Williams’ older brothers, Sid Williams, also owns the world famous El Sid O’s club in Lafayette.

Traveling abroad as well as coast-to-coast, Williams has found that zydeco remains popular. “It’s doin’ good – it’s good to me,” he once said. “What I do, I do the real thing. There’s nothing short about it except my height. If you don’t get up and shake a leg, get up and call the undertaker because you’re dead. You got to be strong with your zydeco.”

Families abound at the free Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival that is presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation at Armstrong Park. The historic Ardoin clan is well-represented at the event by the grandsons of the legendary Creole accordionist Alphonse “Bois Sec” Ardoin. Brothers, accordionists and band leaders Sean Ardoin performs on Saturday at 12:45 p.m. and Chris Ardoin & NuStep takes the stage on Sunday at 12:45 p.m. Also from the zydeco family kingdom, Grammy-nominated accordionist/vocalist Dwayne Dopsie, the son of the late, great Alton “Rockin’ Dopsie” Rubin, closes out, undoubtedly energetically, the fest on Sunday at 5:45 p.m.

Speaking of Grammys, the Lost Bayou Ramblers, the progressive Louisiana Cajun band that won top honors this year for Best Regional Roots Music for its 2017 release Kalenda winds things up at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday.

Louisiana seafood – oysters, shrimp, crab, catfish and alligators (hmm, is alligator considered seafood or swamp food?) is the featured culinary offering at the event that also includes an art market and kids tent. For further information go to www.jazzandheritage.org/cajun-zydeco.

This article originally published in the June 18, 2018 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.