Boozoo Chavis

(1930-2001)

Boozoo Chavis, one the most influential and innovative zydeco artists of all time, died May 5, 2001, after suffering a heart attack and stroke in Austin, Texas. Chavis was 70.

One of the founding fathers of the musical genre that marries Creole music with rhythm and blues, his 1954 recording of “Paper In My Shoe” was zydeco’...