Cajun singer-songwriter Zachary Richard has just released his first English-language album in 15 years, titled Last Kiss.
Born and bred in Louisiana, and best known for his French-language songwriting, Richard is Cajun through and through. After receiving a record deal with Elektra at 21, Richard purchased a Cajun accordion and never looked back. Since the early 1970s, he's been a key player in revitalizing his culture's traditional music, while flavoring his style with rock and New Orleans blues.
Though it's his first English-language work in 15 years, Last Kiss continues to celebrate the Cajun experience with nostalgic tales of his regional heritage. In this interview with World Cafe, Richard describes his time in Quebec and the wide renown he's found in the Francophone music world. He also talks about the hurricanes that have ravaged the Gulf Coast, and discusses his collaboration with Celine Dion on his new album's cover of Robbie Robertson's "Acadian Driftwood."
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