Nathan Williams (Zydeco)
Nathan Williams is an American Zydeco accordionist and singer.
Williams grew up in a Creole-speaking home in St. Martinville, Louisiana, the youngest of seven children. Times were hard for the Williams family and Williams lost his father when he was only seven years old. He developed his musical sensibility in his hometown, a place rich in folk tradition, following in the footsteps of his uncle, the Cajun guitarist Harry Hypolite. Nathan eagerly sought out the music of Zydeco originators such as Clifton Chenier. When he was too young to attend a Chenier dance at a St. Martinville club, he hovered by the window-sized fan at the back of the building to hear his idol, only to have the bill of his baseball cap clipped off by the fan when he leaned too close.
Williams moved to Lafayette, Louisiana to live with his older brother Sid and his wife. He worked in Sid's grocery store. Later, while recovering from a serious illness, Nathan decided to dedicate himself to learning the accordion. He began practicing in the bathroom because he did not want anyone to hear him play. His main mentor was Buckwheat Zydeco, although his biggest influence was Clifton Chenier.
Just five years after graduating from high school, Williams was recording 45s on his brother's El Sid independent record label. He set up a club in Lafayette, which became a center of fashion.
In 1988 Williams performed for the first time at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, after which he got his lucky break. Buckwheat Zydeco had left Rounder Records for Island Records, leaving Rounder in need of an accordionist to fill a spot on a project they had lined up. Buckwheat Zydeco suggested Williams for the position, and he auditioned and got the recording contract. Later he formed his band, Nathan Williams and the Zydeco Cha-Chas, with which he plays to this day.
Discography
Studio and live albums
Singles
Various artist compilation albums
| Album title | Record label | Stock number | Release year | Song title |
| 101 Proof Zydeco | Maison de Soul | MDS 1030 | 1990 | "If You Got a Problem" |
| Mardi Gras Party | Rounder | CD-11567 | 1991 | "Mardi Gras Zydeco" |
| Alligator Stomp: Cajun & Zydeco Classics, Vol. 3 | Rhino | R2 70312 | 1992 | "El Sid O's Zydeco Boogaloo" |
| Cajun Music and Zydeco | Rounder | CD 11572 | 1992 | "Slow Horses and Fast Women" |
| Stomp Down Zydeco | Rounder | CD 11566 | 1992 | "You're My Mule" |
| Stomp Down Zydeco | Rounder | CD 11566 | 1992 | "Everything on the Hog" |
| Zydeco Party | K-Tel International | 60592 | 1992 | "Your Mama Don't Know" |
| The Best of Louisiana Music | Rounder | CD AN 08 | 1993 | "Your Mama Don't Know" |
| Alligator Stomp: Cajun & Zydeco, The Next Generation, Vol. 5 | Rhino | R2 71846 | 1995 | "Zydeco Road" |
| Louisiana Spice: 25 Years of Louisiana Music on Rounder Records | Rounder | CD AN 18/19 | 1995 | "Outside People" |
| More Cajun Music and Zydeco | Rounder | CD 11573 | 1995 | "Follow Me, Chicken" |
| The Real Music Box: 25 Years of Rounder Records | Rounder | CD AN 25 | 1995 | "Outside People" |
| The Rounder Christmas Album: Must Be Santa! | Rounder | 3118 | 1995 | "I Don't Want You Just for Christmas" |
| The Royal Family of Zydeco | Rock 'n Bowl | CD 1001 | 1995 | "Your Mama Don't Know" |
| The Royal Family of Zydeco | Rock 'n Bowl | CD 1001 | 1995 | "Follow Me Chicken" |
| The Royal Family of Zydeco | Rock 'n Bowl | CD 1001 | 1995 | "Zydeco Road" |
| Bayou Dance Party | Rounder | CD 7014 | 1996 | "Outside People" |
| The Real Louisiana | EasyDisc | ED 9002 | 1996 | "Slow Horses and Fast Women" |
| Zydeco's Greatest Hits | EasyDisc | ED CD 7025 | 1996 | "Your Mama Don't Know" |
| Zydeco's Greatest Hits | EasyDisc | ED CD 7025 | 1996 | "Follow Me Chicken" |
| Bayou Beat | EasyDisc | EDCD 7053 | 1997 | "El Sid O's Zydeco Boogaloo" |
| Hey Mardi Gras! | EasyDisc | 7015 | 1997 | "Mardi Gras Zydeco" |
| Mardi Gras Party Time! | K-Tel International | 3680 | 1997 | "Zydeco Road" |
| Southern Gumbo: The Best of New Orleans R&B, Soul and Zydeco on Rounder Records | Rounder | BR1 | 1997 | "Hey Yie Yie" |
| Cajun & Zydeco Festival | EasyDisc | ED CD 7067 | 1998 | "Zydeco Road" |
| Rough Guide to Cajun and Zydeco | World Music Network | RGNET 1028 CD | 1998 | "Slow Horses and Fast Women" |
| Zydeco Barnyard | EasyDisc | 367070 | 1998 | "Everything on the Hog" |
| Zydeco Barnyard | EasyDisc | 367070 | 1998 | "You're My Mule" |
| Zydeco Barnyard | EasyDisc | 367070 | 1998 | "Zydeco Hog" |
| Zydeco Fever! | Nascente | NSCD 029 | 1998 | "Black Gal" |
| Zydeco Party | EasyDisc | ED CD 7045 | 1998 | "Festival Zydeco" |
| Zydeco Stomp: All Instrumental | Rounder | ED CD 7065 | 1998 | "El Sid O's Zydeco Boogaloo" |
| Allons en Louisiane | Rounder | 11161-60993-2 | 1999 | "Hey Bébé" |
| Cajun Heat Zydeco Beat | EasyDisc | 367077 | 1999 | "Zydeco Hog" |
| Discover the Rhythms of Cajun/Zydeco | Drum | 8568272 | 2000 | "Alligator" |
| Louisiana Music Sampler | Putumayo World Music | PUT932-5 | 2000 | "I'm in Love" |
| Music from the Zydeco Kingdom | Rounder Select | 11579 | 2000 | "Everything on the Hog" |
| Putumayo Presents Zydeco | Putumayo World Music | PUTU 160-2 | 2000 | "I'm in Love" |
| Cajun & Zydeco: Alligator Walk | ARC Music | EUCD 1657 | 2001 | "Everybody Got To Cry" |
| The Louisiana Party Collection: 30 Cajun & Zydeco Classics | Time-Life Music | R154-36 | 2002 | "Your Mama Don't Know" |
| The Rough Guide to the Music of Louisiana | World Music Network | RGNET 1094 CD | 2002 | "Black Snake Blues / I Can't Go Home No More" |
| Zydeco: The Essential Collection | Rounder | 1166-11605-2 | 2002 | "Let's Go" |
| Zydeco: The Essential Collection | Rounder | 1166-11605-2 | 2002 | "Outside People" |
| The Louisiana Party Collection: Cajun & Zydeco Classics | Time-Life Music | M18851S | 2003 | "Your Mama Don't Know" |
| The Rough Guides: American Roots Box | World Music Network | RGBOX 3 | 2003 | "Slow Horses and Fast Women" |
| Creole Bred: A Tribute to Creole & Zydeco | Vanguard | 79741-2 | 2004 | "Zydeco Two-Step" |
| Creole Bred: A Tribute to Creole & Zydeco | Vanguard | 79741-2 | 2004 | "I'm Coming Home" |
| Rough Guide to Zydeco | World Music Network | RGNET 1145 CD | 2005 | "Hard To Love Someone" |
| Experience Louisiana Music 2006 | OffBeat Magazine | OB06-11001 | 2006 | "Old Man's Darling" |
| Red Hot: Louisiana Barbeque Party Mix | Somerset Entertainment | 35637 | 2006 | "Let's Go" |
| Red Hot: Louisiana Barbeque Party Mix | Somerset Entertainment | 35637 | 2006 | "Zydeco Road" |
| Red Hot: Louisiana Barbeque Party Mix | Somerset Entertainment | 35637 | 2006 | "El Sid O's Party" |
| Red Hot: Louisiana Barbeque Party Mix | Somerset Entertainment | 35637 | 2006 | "Your Mama Don't Know" |
| Red Hot: Louisiana Barbeque Party Mix | Somerset Entertainment | 35637 | 2006 | "Slow Horses and Fast Women" |
| Red Hot: Louisiana Barbeque Party Mix | Somerset Entertainment | 35637 | 2006 | "Outside People" |
| Red Hot: Louisiana Barbeque Party Mix | Somerset Entertainment | 35637 | 2006 | "Everything Happens For the Best" |
| Red Hot: Louisiana Barbeque Party Mix | Somerset Entertainment | 35637 | 2006 | "Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa" |
| Red Hot: Louisiana Barbeque Party Mix | Somerset Entertainment | 35637 | 2006 | "Mardi Gras Zydeco" |
| Red Hot: Louisiana Barbeque Party Mix | Somerset Entertainment | 35637 | 2006 | "El Sid O's Zydeco Boogaloo" |
| Songlines: Top of the World 38 | Songlines | STWD14 | 2006 | "Zydeco Cha Cha" |
| TFF Rudolstadt 2007 | Heideck | HD20075 | 2007 | "Tante Rosa" |
| Rounder Records 40th Anniversary Concert | Rounder | 11661-3277-2 | 2010 | "Outside People" |
| Rounder Records 40th Anniversary Concert | Rounder | 11661-3277-2 | 2010 | "Think About the Good Times" |
| The Music of Louisiana: The Oxford American Southern Music Issue No. 14 | Oxford American | 2012 | "Old Man's Darling" | |
| The Heart, The Soul, The Spirit | Larrikin Entertainment | "Follow Me Chicken" |