A zydeco performer in the blues-based tradition of Clifton Chenier, Creole singer and accordionist Jude Taylor was born in Grand Coteau, Louisiana in 1949. After growing up singing in church and school choirs, he later fronted a number of blues combos before turning to zydeco after receiving an accordion as a gift from his brother-in-law; assembling a backing band dubbed the Burning Flames which included his sons "Curly" on drums and Errol on rubboard, Taylor debuted in 1994 with the LP The Best of Zydeco. Zydeco Bayou! followed in 1997. ~ Jason Ankeny