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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Zydeco/Cajun Album.

4 ceremonies, 2008–2011. 4 different winners.

Who won most recently?
Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band in 2011 for Zydeco Junkie.
  1. Zydeco JunkieChubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band
  2. Lay Your Burden DownBuckwheat Zydeco
  3. Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage FestivalBeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet
  4. Live! WorldwideTerrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience
Years explored
2008–2011
Different winners
4
Category leader
No leader
About this record

Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album was first awarded in 2008, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

It was awarded for the last time in 2011.

From 2012 the Grammys awarded Best Regional Roots Music Album instead.

2008–2011

4 ceremonies

20082011

01 / The reigns

4 winners shaped this category.

The timeline turns the 2008–2011 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.

One band per year, because no winner has gone back-to-back in the years on record. Colored by label; scroll sideways for the full run.
Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience'08
BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet'09
Buckwheat Zydeco'10
Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band'11

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Aim Trading Group Pty leads the recorded label credits with 1 win, 2008–2011. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Aim Trading Group Pty1 win
Alligator1 win
MunckMix1 win
Swampadellic1 win
Wins by label
  1. Aim Trading Group Pty125%
  2. Alligator125%
  3. MunckMix125%
  4. Swampadellic125%

03 / The near misses

The names that kept coming back without the ending they wanted.

Counting nominations in this category only, 2008–2011.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Pine Leaf Boys
    4 noms
  2. 02
    Cedric Watson et Bijou Créole
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Pine Leaf Boys
    4L · 0W
  2. 02
    Cedric Watson et Bijou Créole
    2L · 0W
  3. 03
    BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet
    1L · 1W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2008–2011. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerLabel
2011Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band (Zydeco Junkie)
beat 4 others
  • Feufollet (En Couleurs)
  • D.L. Menard (Happy Go Lucky)
  • Pine Leaf Boys (Back Home)
  • Cedric Watson et Bijou Créole (Creole Moon: Live at the Blue Moon Saloon)
Swampadellic
2010Buckwheat Zydeco (Lay Your Burden Down)
beat 4 others
  • BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet (Alligator Purse)
  • Magnolia Sisters (Stripped Down)
  • Pine Leaf Boys (Live at the 2009 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival)
  • Cedric Watson et Bijou Créole (L'Ésprit Créole)
Alligator
2009BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet (Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival)
beat 4 others
  • Michael Doucet (From Now On)
  • Pine Leaf Boys (Homage Au Passé)
  • Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys (Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival)
  • Cedric Watson (Cedric Watson)
MunckMix
2008Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience (Live! Worldwide)
beat 6 others
  • Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie (Le Cowboy Creole)
  • Lisa Haley (King Cake)
  • The Lost Bayou Ramblers (Live: Á la Blue Moon)
  • Pine Leaf Boys (Blues de Musicien)
  • Racines (Racines)
  • Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars (The La Louisianne Sessions)
Aim Trading Group Pty/Ltd.