Queen Ida
Encyclopedia
Ida Lewis "Queen Ida" Guillory (born January 15, 1929 in Lake Charles
, Louisiana
) is an Louisiana Creole
accordion
ist. She was the first female accordion
player to lead a zydeco
band. Queen Ida's music is an eclectic mix of R&B
, Caribbean, and Cajun, though the presence of her accordion always keeps it traditional.
. Her family moved to Beaumont
, Texas
, when she was ten and eight years later moved to San Francisco
, California
. Her first language is French
, and wherever they went, took their Creole
culture and music with them.
Queen Ida and her band played at the Monterey Jazz Festival
in 1976 and 1988, and the San Francisco Blues Festival
in 1975, 1978, and 1991. In 1988, Queen Ida toured Japan
, becoming the first zydeco artist to do so. She toured Africa
the following year and in 1990 went to Australia
and New Zealand
.
On the CD
album
, Back on the Bayou (1999), Queen Ida got together on the bayou in Louisiana with her brother, Al Rapone, for a zydeco reunion. Rapone often wrote and produced for her and formed the Bon Temps Zydeco Band, which later became his sister's backup group. Doubling up on accordions with her oldest son Myrick "Freeze" Guillory, they are joined by Terry Buddingh on bass, James Santiago on guitar, Bernard Anderson on saxophone, Eric Nielson on drums, and her youngest son Ron "The Rock" Guillory on rub board and vocals.
Queen Ida also co-authored
a cookbook
, Cookin' with Queen Ida in 1990, which featured Creole recipes. Through the 2000s she continued to tour and perform, although she did not record any more albums during this period.
Nominations: 2
Nominations: 6
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
) is an Louisiana Creole
Louisiana Creole
Louisiana Creole can refer to:* Louisiana Creole people* Louisiana Creole French language* Louisiana Creole cuisine...
accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
ist. She was the first female accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
player to lead a zydeco
Zydeco
Zydeco is a form of uniquely American roots or folk music. It evolved in southwest Louisiana in the early 19th century from forms of "la la" Creole music...
band. Queen Ida's music is an eclectic mix of R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
, Caribbean, and Cajun, though the presence of her accordion always keeps it traditional.
Biography
Queen Ida is a proud Creole woman, Born Ida Lewis Guillory to a musically talented family in Lake Charles, Queen Ida learned to play accordion from her mother after she spent a few years learning the pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. Her family moved to Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, when she was ten and eight years later moved to San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Her first language is French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, and wherever they went, took their Creole
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
culture and music with them.
Queen Ida and her band played at the Monterey Jazz Festival
Monterey Jazz Festival
The Monterey Jazz Festival is one of the longest consecutively running jazz festivals. It debuted on October 3, 1958 and was founded by San Francisco jazz radio broadcaster Jimmy Lyons.-History:...
in 1976 and 1988, and the San Francisco Blues Festival
San Francisco Blues Festival
Debuting in 1973, the San Francisco Blues Festival is the longest running blues festival in the United States. Tom Mazzolini, the event's producer, founded the blues festival to educate the public about the history and evolution of the blues...
in 1975, 1978, and 1991. In 1988, Queen Ida toured Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, becoming the first zydeco artist to do so. She toured Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
the following year and in 1990 went to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
On the CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Back on the Bayou (1999), Queen Ida got together on the bayou in Louisiana with her brother, Al Rapone, for a zydeco reunion. Rapone often wrote and produced for her and formed the Bon Temps Zydeco Band, which later became his sister's backup group. Doubling up on accordions with her oldest son Myrick "Freeze" Guillory, they are joined by Terry Buddingh on bass, James Santiago on guitar, Bernard Anderson on saxophone, Eric Nielson on drums, and her youngest son Ron "The Rock" Guillory on rub board and vocals.
Queen Ida also co-authored
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
a cookbook
Cookbook
A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...
, Cookin' with Queen Ida in 1990, which featured Creole recipes. Through the 2000s she continued to tour and perform, although she did not record any more albums during this period.
Selected discography
| Year | Title | Genre | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Back on the Bayou w/Al Rapone | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo - GNPD 2265 |
| 1995 | Cookin' with Queen Ida | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo - GNPD 2197 |
| 1995 | On a Saturday Night | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo - GNPD 2172 |
| 1994 | Mardi Gras | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo - GNPD 2227 |
| 1990 | Zydeco a La Mode | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo - GNP 2112 |
| 1985 | Caught in the Act | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo - GNPD 2181 |
| 1983 | In San Francisco | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo - GNPD 2158 |
| 1982 | The Queen Ida and the Bon Temps Zydeco Band on Tour | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo - GNPD 2147 |
Grammy Awards
Won: 1Nominations: 2
| 1980 | Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording | Queen Ida & the Bon Temps Zydeco Band in New Orleans | Zydeco | Nominated |
| 1982 | Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording | Queen Ida and the Bon Temps Zydeco Band on Tour | Zydeco | Winner |
Blues Music Awards
Won: 4Nominations: 6
| Queen Ida Blues Music Awards History | ||||
| Year | Category | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Traditional Blues Female Artist | Nominated | ||
| 1984 | Traditional Blues Female Artist | Nominated | ||
| 1988 | Traditional Blues Female Artist | Nominated | ||
| 1989 | Traditional Blues Female Artist | Winner | ||
| 1990 | Traditional Blues Female Artist | Winner | ||
| 1991 | Traditional Blues Female Artist | Nominated | ||