Former Accession # TI1-012

0:00 Rockin Sidney is from LeBeau, LA in St. Landry Parish. His parents were farmers. Grew up listening to hillbilly, Cajun, Rhythm and Blues, classical and jazz music on the radio. At the dancehalls they played La la/ Creole music. In every other house, someone played the accordion.
3:12 He talks about how people would play together at their houses after work. In Sidney's family, his uncle Frank Simien and his first cousins played. Johnny Henry played alto and tenor sax and the white people would pick him up to play their parties. He says all the Simeons are related going back to Paris. Sidney wrote a song about the Simeons. Both of Sidney's grandfathers played the accordion. Step grandfather related to Clifton Chenier. Guitar Gable, Gable King.
8:30 Sidney moved to Lake Charles in his 20s when he had a hit record he recorded in 1961 called 'No Good Woman'. The term Swamp Pop; was tagged onto the style of music later. Matilda. Sidney first recorded 'Tell Me' in Lake Charles. He talks about the recording business back then and playing clubs around Alexandria, Morganza and New Roads. Sidney never sang in French. He started playing because he wanted to be in movies. He'd see movies at the Palmetto Theater. He wanted to be like Roy Rogers when he was a kid. But he was disappointed when he was told he couldn't be like that because he was black. He talks about all the careers he dreamed of being growing up in Catholic school.
23:40 The white priest at Sidney's school had a talk with him about why Sidney was discouraged by his career desires and pointed out to him that he could be in the movies as an entertainer. Sidney said the priest changed his life by encouraging him and paying for his piano lessons when he was 10 or 11 years old. Father Mulkeen.
26:27 Sidney wrote 'No Good Woman' and recorded at Floyd Soileau's studio. The first record that gave Sidney some notoriety was 'She's My Morning Coffee" recorded at Goldband. J.D. Miller. His biggest hits were recorded at Floyd's. 'Toot Toot' was in 1984.
30:00 Sidney signs with Eddie Shuler. 'Lache pas la patate'. 'Action Speaks Louder Than Words'. He talks about trying to sing in French. Sidney stayed five years with Eddie.
35:05 Sidney decided to start playing the accordion. First asked Clifton Chenier if he could try his accordion at a show at Sacred Heart Church. Sidney first bought an accordion around 1976. 'Good Time Woman'. Sidney made his first Zydeco record in 1982 'Joy to the South'. Sidney had opened up a music store, Lake City Music Store, and made 'Zydeco Fever' as an 8-track. He moved to Lake Charles in 1962. His band played all over Texas and Louisiana. Lakeshore Club. Sidney talks about this time when everyone was moving to Texas and California but he didn't want to move far from LeBeau unless he had a hit record. Big Mama Thornton.
43:30 Sidney got away from the band after having troubles with the band and did a one-man show for about 12 years at places like the Candlelight Inn and different hotels.
45:40 He was writing and producing for other artists. Superior Elevation. He talks about how writing Toot Toot came about. Nobody was playing Zydeco records on the radio. He talks about Cajun phrases said from the stage. Sidney didn't understand the French words and just came up with Toot Toot from what little he gathered the musicians and crowd said at shows.
54:35 Sidney does all the parts when he records in his home studio. He talks about recording a final song for his record that ended up being Toot Toot and how he came up with the lyrics for his songs by remembering phrases he's heard.
1:02:24 Tisserand mentions C.C. Adcock looking for radio stations that were playing Toot Toot when he was a kid. This album came out on the Maison de Soul label before being released by Epic. The single for Toot Toot sold around 80k copies before being released. He talks about a lot of artists making Toot Toot popular before anyone ever heard Sidney's original version. People Magazine interviewed Sidney. Sidney recorded with John Fogerty on Fogerty's version of the song at Master Tracks in Crowley. Toot Toot was in two movies-- 'Pure Luck' starring Danny Glover and 'One Tough Cop'.
1:09:45 Sidney doesn't feel he's been done justice in books about the music scene. He says he's disappointed he wasn't in the book about Cajun music by Ann Savoy. He talks about his song and album in the billboard charts. Toot Toot paid for his radio stations. There was a beer commercial in Germany that used Toot Toot. Floyd leased the single to Epic. He talks about the song and album on the billboard charts and his royalties and publishing he split with Floyd. Toot Toot paid for the radio stations and his studio. He says he has about 6-7 songs on which he's still collecting royalties. He talks about all the different versions in different languages.
1:17:20 Sidney talks about Germany.
1:21:24 He talks about his spiritual beliefs and God's hand in his success.
1:28:00 Toot Toot lyrics