A Brief History…
Rosie hails from the rural town of Church Point, Louisiana, and learned to play the accordion by watching her husband and then practicing on his accordion while he worked during the day With her self-penned tunes, Ledet provides a unique female presence in the male-dominated zydeco world. She sings in both Creole French and in English. Her songs are often sly and lusty and combined with her natural good looks and distinctive, bluesy singing voice, she wows audiences wherever she goes.
Since her interest in music began in the mid-1980’s, Rosie Ledet and her husband/producer, Morris, have truly traveled the Zydeco Road. Rosie’s performances have carried her throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.
Awards…
-
2008 Louisiana Treasure Award by The Black Heritage Association of Louisiana
-
2007 Zydeco Music & Creole Heritage Award for Best Female Vocalist
-
2006 New Orleans Big Easy Award for Best Zydeco Artist
-
2003 Louisiana Treasure Award by The Black Heritage Association of Louisiana
-
2001 Best of the Beat Awards by Off Beat Magazine for Best Zydeco Vocalist, Best Performer & Best Band
-
2001 Zydeco Music & Creole Heritage Award for Best Female Vocalist
-
2001 Southwest Louisiana Music Association Award for Best Zydeco Band
-
1999 Zydeco Music & Creole Heritage Award for Best Female Vocalist
Reviews…
Zyde-Zine
Rosie Ledet “Pick It Up” – Maison de Soul Records
Rosie Ledet, the Zydeco Sweetheart and the music’s best songwriter, is at it again. The queen of teasing lyrics and Zydeco artist most likely to be a centerfold is renowned for songs with a double meaning, although no degree in rocket science is needed to get the secret suggestions. On her 1996 CD “Zesty Zydeco,” Rosie advises a female rival to keep her dog on a real short leash because she had a place “where he can bury his bone.” On the “I’m A Woman” CD of 1999, Rosie tells her wandering man that she’s had enough of his roaming ways – he can eat her poussiere. That word is French for dust, in case you are confused. Now on this “Pick It Up” CD, Rosie musically asks her rubboard player and father-in-law, Lanice “Poppy” Ledet, why he takes little blue pills. He answers firmly, “To pick it up.” “It’s just another gag song we came up with,” explains Rosie. “We were practicing songs for the CD in this big, old barn next to the house. “Bubba (drummer Lukey Ledet) saw one of his favorite uncles passing by. They’re always picking at him about his ‘prescription.’ “We started playing around with some words and the next thing we knew, we had a song. We just had to put it on the CD.” Rosie’s Zydeco salute to Viagra is now the CD’s title cut and has already become a fan favorite at her live performances, from the Breaux Bridge (La.) Crawfish Festival to the Living Traditions Festival in Salt Lake City, Utah. “People were on the ground laughing when they were listening to it,” said Rosie. “They wanted to buy it, but we had to tell them just wait a while. It’s not out just yet.” Now, the wait is over. But as with her previous seven CDs, Rosie proves she’s not just a tease. While many of her Zydeco contemporaries continue to churn out one-liners and animal rhymes set to a dancing beat, Rosie sings original stories of smiles, kisses, heartache, birthdays and having a Zydeco good time. “I Love Louisiana” is a French and English tribute to her Creole and Cajun homeland, including her hometown of lota. “Don’t Leave Me,” a bluesy instrumental that has long been part of the Zydeco Playboys live shows, has finally found its way to CD. The classic “Zydeco Boogaloo” gets fine treatment with Rosie on the triple-row accordion and musicians Chuck Bush on bass and Kent August on a fiery lead guitar. Rosie confronts maturity and a new outlook on life in “Chasing After Rainbows.” Rosie is growing in confidence and maturity as she’s achieved eight CDs in her 12 years as a professional musician. She’s performed in all of the United States (except Alaska and Hawaii) and has three European tours under her belt. Rosie and the Playboys served as an opening act for Bob Dylan at the prestigious Newport Folk Festival two years ago. She even had the Godfather of Soul get on the good foot in Alabama. “Probably the coolest thing we had happen was when we were at City Stages in Birmingham four years ago,” said Rosie, 33. “James Brown got up and he was dancing to us. “Now any time you can make the Godfather of Soul dance, you must be doing something right.” The Godfather was just following Rosie’s words in her new song, “Work That Body.” She’s giving you the rhythm. Don’t you waste it.
By Herman Fuselier
Billboard
Rosie Ledet “Show Me Something“
This is Rosie’s sixth album – and her definitive project to date – for Louisiana label Maison de Soul. Over time, Ledet has handcrafted her special sound, which unites soul and zydeco to create provocative spirited dance grooves. Her strengths lie in her prolific songwriting and her distinctive, sultry vocal style. With her rich vocal timbre, she can sell anything she sings. The tune-craft and voice come together powerfully throughout this disc, but make particular note of the slow tune “Days Gone By”, the rockin’ two-stepper “All Part Of the Game”, and the full-tilt blues of “The Next Thing”. Except for “Lady Marmalade”, Ledet wrote everything here, solidifying her position as one of today’s top zydeco songwriters.
The Town Talk
Rosie Ledet “Show Me Something”
Bluesy, heartfelt Zydeco music is what singer and accordion musician Rosie Ledet knows best. That is all too evident on her latest release, “Show Me Something”. This is Ledet’s sixth recording for Ville Platte’s Maison de Soul Records. Ledet, along with husband-producer Morris Ledet, have created an instantly likable collection of songs that are destined to increase her already large following. A real standout track is the sunny and wistful tune, “Hello Baby”. The sultry and appealing “Days Gone By” should be on playlists of those “smooth 70’s soul” stations that have experienced a bit of a resurgence in recent years. The title track is also quite good and emphasizes Ledet’s accomplished accordion playing.
By Andrew Griffin
The Advocate
Rosie Ledet “Show Me Something”
Hard work and talent have made Rosie Ledet, a young singer, accordionist and songwriter from Iota, one of the big names in zydeco music. Show Me Something confirms Ledet’s growing gifts. Her debt to such influential male zydeco stars as Beau Jocque and Boozoo Chavis is obvious, but Ledet expands her repertoire with rock and pop and explores the pop-jazz realm of Sade with the sultry “Set My Soul On Fire”. Singing in a husky, passionate voice that’s more confidant than ever, she also claims a breezy 60s sound with “Hello Baby”. “Lady Marmalade”, the LaBelle hit that recently reserfaced in a remake by Christina Aguillera, Lil’ Kim, Pink and Mya, is the only Show Me Something track that Ledet didn’t write. Ledet and her hot band do a steamier “Lady Marmalade” than all four of those music starlets put together.
By John Wirt
The Times
Rosie Ledet “Show Me Something” – Maison de Soul Records
From the return of Pat Breaux on sax to a continued attention to detail that any fan of contemporary zydeco will notice right away, album No. 7 finds Ledet admirably holding the ground she broke last year with album No. 6. As for “Lady Marmalade”, it’s a perfectly obvious choice now that the producers of Moulin Rouge have though of it, and a song to which Ledet, as a sexy Louisiana lass herself, has a far greater right than Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya and Pink.
By Arsenio Orteza
The USA Music Makers Reader
Not far from New Orleans, in the big town of Iota, Louisiana comes one of the best Zydeco/Blues dance musicians, Rosie Ledet. Having been self-taught on her husband’s accordion (aka “squeezebox”), Rosie has dominated the Zydeco dance scene with her punchy rhythms and riffs. Her husband Morris drives a hard bass sound in their band while performing an endless number of national tours. Rosie describes her Zydeco dance music as “sped-up blues… Zydeco having come from the blues”.
The Isthmus
She’s an accordion-playing Zydeco chick from Louisiana with a Bonnie Raitt-meets-Sade voice. Just 30 years old, Mary Rosezla Bellard Ledet – you can call her Rosie – is among the youngest Zydeco players writing and singing her own material in both Creole French and English. While Zydeco is sometimes referred to as “blues with an accent,” Ledet adds healthy doses of sass and sensuality to the mix. Already a veteran with several albums to her credit, Ledet learned the accordion by watching her husband/producer Morris Ledet play. Her music remains all in the family, with relatives on drums and rub board.
Related links…