Alton Jay Rubin (February 10, 1932 – August 26, 1993),[1] who performed as Rockin' Dopsie (sometimes Rockin' Dupsee), was an American zydeco singer and accordion player who enjoyed popular success first in Europe and later in the United States.[2]
Rockin' Dopsie
The cover for Rockin' Dopsie's 1986 Crowned Prince of Zydeco (Maison de Soul)
He was born in Carencro, Louisiana, United States,[3] the son of Walter Rubin, who played accordion at local dances. Alton Rubin's first language was Louisiana Creole French. He was given his first accordion at the age of 14, and, being left-handed, learned to play it upside down. He began performing at local parties, and soon outstripped his father's abilities. He moved with his parents to Lafayette, Louisiana at the age of 19, and began playing in clubs in the mid-1950s with his cousin Chester Zeno on washboard. He took his stage name from a visiting dancer called Doopsie (and pronouncing his own name the same way).[4] At the same time, he continued with his day job, eventually becoming an electrical contractor.[2]
Dopsie played music for dancing, assimilating R&B influences into zydeco and sometimes covering R&B hits in a zydeco style.[3] He performed around Louisiana, and recorded occasionally for small independent labels in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1976 he appeared at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and was signed by the Swedish record label Sonet, who issued his first album, Doin' The Zydeco, in 1976.[3] Starting in 1979, he toured Europe regularly with his group, the Twisters, and his popularity there led to him recording a string of albums for Sonet in the late 1970s and early 1980s.[2][5]
In the 1980s, he started to gain attention in the US. He played accordion on the zydeco-influenced song "That Was Your Mother" on Paul Simon's Graceland album in 1986.[3] He recorded the album Crowned Prince Of Zydeco in 1987.[5] His final album in 1991, Louisiana Music, received a Grammy Award nomination.[4] Dopsie also recorded with Bob Dylan and Cyndi Lauper, and in 1992 appeared in the film Delta Heat.[2]
He died from a heart attack in 1993, aged 61, and was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Lafayette.[4][6]
Legacy
Since his death, his band, The Twisters, has continued to perform. Now led by his son Dopsie Jr. (accordionist, vocalist and washboard player),[3] with sons Alton Jr. ("Tiger") on drums, and Anthony Rubin on accordion, the band is called Rockin' Dopsie, Jr. & The Zydeco Twisters.[7] Dopsie's younger son Dwayne also plays accordion and leads his own band, Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers.
"I'm the only man in the world that plays the accordion upside-down," Rockin' Dopsie said. "It's all because daddy didn't taught me how to play. I just picked it up."[8]
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Alton Jay Rubin February 10 1932 August 26 1993 1 who performed as Rockin Dopsie sometimes Rockin Dupsee was an American zydeco singer and accordion player who enjoyed popular success first in Europe and later in the United States 2 Rockin DopsieThe cover for Rockin Dopsie s 1986 Crowned Prince of Zydeco Maison de Soul Background informationBirth nameAlton Jay RubinBorn 1932 02 10 February 10 1932Carencro Louisiana U S DiedAugust 26 1993 1993 08 26 aged 61 Opelousas Louisiana U S GenresZydecoOccupation s MusiciancomposersingerInstrument s AccordionvocalsYears active1970 1992LabelsSonetMaison de SoulRounderGNP CrescendoAtlantic Contents 1 Biography 2 Legacy 3 Quotation 4 Discography 4 1 Studio and live albums 4 2 Singles and EPs 4 3 Various artist compilation albums 4 4 Guest appearance credits 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksBiography EditHe was born in Carencro Louisiana United States 3 the son of Walter Rubin who played accordion at local dances Alton Rubin s first language was Louisiana Creole French He was given his first accordion at the age of 14 and being left handed learned to play it upside down He began performing at local parties and soon outstripped his father s abilities He moved with his parents to Lafayette Louisiana at the age of 19 and began playing in clubs in the mid 1950s with his cousin Chester Zeno on washboard He took his stage name from a visiting dancer called Doopsie and pronouncing his own name the same way 4 At the same time he continued with his day job eventually becoming an electrical contractor 2 Dopsie played music for dancing assimilating R amp B influences into zydeco and sometimes covering R amp B hits in a zydeco style 3 He performed around Louisiana and recorded occasionally for small independent labels in the 1950s and 1960s In 1976 he appeared at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and was signed by the Swedish record label Sonet who issued his first album Doin The Zydeco in 1976 3 Starting in 1979 he toured Europe regularly with his group the Twisters and his popularity there led to him recording a string of albums for Sonet in the late 1970s and early 1980s 2 5 In the 1980s he started to gain attention in the US He played accordion on the zydeco influenced song That Was Your Mother on Paul Simon s Graceland album in 1986 3 He recorded the album Crowned Prince Of Zydeco in 1987 5 His final album in 1991 Louisiana Music received a Grammy Award nomination 4 Dopsie also recorded with Bob Dylan and Cyndi Lauper and in 1992 appeared in the film Delta Heat 2 He died from a heart attack in 1993 aged 61 and was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Lafayette 4 6 Legacy EditSince his death his band The Twisters has continued to perform Now led by his son Dopsie Jr accordionist vocalist and washboard player 3 with sons Alton Jr Tiger on drums and Anthony Rubin on accordion the band is called Rockin Dopsie Jr amp The Zydeco Twisters 7 Dopsie s younger son Dwayne also plays accordion and leads his own band Dwayne Dopsie amp the Zydeco Hellraisers Dopsie was related to professional tennis championship player Chanda Rubin citation needed Quotation Edit My Little Girl sample source source An audio sample of My Little Girl from Zy De Blue 1977 Problems playing this file See media help I m the only man in the world that plays the accordion upside down Rockin Dopsie said It s all because daddy didn t taught me how to play I just picked it up 8 Discography EditStudio and live albums Edit Album title Record label Stock number Release yearDoin the Zydeco Sonet SNTF 718 1976Rockin Dopsie amp The Twisters Rounder licensed from Sonet 6012 1977Zy De Blue Sonet SNTF 761 1978Hold On Sonet SNTF 800 1979GNP Crescendo GNPS 2156 1983Big Bad Zydeco Sonet SNTF 851 1980French Style Sonet SNTF 872 1981Rockin Dupsee The Legendary Jay Miller Sessions vol 30 recorded 1970 74 Flyright U K FLY 592 1983Good Rockin Sonet SNTF 905 1983GNP Crescendo GNPS 2167 1984Crowned Prince of Zydeco Sonet SNTF 982 1986Maison de Soul MdS 1020 1986Saturday Night Zydeco Sonet SNTCD 1003 1988Maison de Soul LP 1025 MdS CD 104 1988 re released on CD in 1989 Zy De Co In Sonet SNTCD 1035 1989Gazell Productions GCCD 3003 1989Clifton Chenier amp Rockin Dupsee Flyright FLYCD 17 1989Paula Records PCD 17 1991Louisiana Music Atlantic 82307 2 1991Rockin Dopsie and The Zydeco Twisters In New Orleans Storyville STCD 8052 2001Singles and EPs Edit Song title s Album title Record label Stock number Release year Note s Please Come Back Home Don t Let The Green Grass Fool You lt unknown gt Blues Unlimited Records 2001 1974 7 45 RPM Hold On To That Tiger Baby Bye Bye Hold On Blues Unlimited 2013 1979 7 45 RPM My Baby She s Gone Ma Negresse Lucille lt unknown gt Sonet SON 2191 1979 7 EP 45 RPM My Baby She s Gone Opelousas Waltz lt unknown gt Blues Unlimited 2016 1980 7 45 RPM Oh Negresses Sweetest Thing In The World lt unknown gt Blues Unlimited 1000 lt unknown gt 7 45 RPM Woman I Don t Want Your Troubles Things I Used To Do lt unknown gt Blues Unlimited 2000 lt unknown gt 7 45 RPM I Need Your Love A Lil Bon Temps lt unknown gt Bon Temps Records 45 6801 lt unknown gt Side A vocals by Gene Morris 7 45 RPM Pushin amp Pullin Who s Loving You Tonite lt unknown gt Bon Temps 45 6802 lt unknown gt 7 45 RPM Hound Dog Shopick Two Step lt unknown gt Maison de Soul MDS 1016 lt unknown gt 7 45 RPMVarious artist compilation albums Edit This list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items June 2017 Album title Record label Stock number Release year Song title s Zydeco Blues Flyright U K LP 539 1978 Blues Louisiana Explosive Blues Maison de Soul LP 1006 1981 Who s Loving You Tonite Zydeco Blues vol 2 The Legendary Jay Miller Sessions Flyright U K FLY 600 1984 You Told Me Run Here To Me Baby Sweetest Thing In The World Louisiana Blues Jin Records Ace U K CH 211 1987 Who s Loving You Tonite Zydeco Festival Maison de Soul MdS LP 1024 MdS CD 101 1988 Old Time Zydeco Kings of Zydeco Black Creole Music from the Deep South Trikont Germany CD 0158 2 1989 Who s Loving You Pushin amp Pullin Rockin Accordion Flyright FLY 622 1989 Everyday I Have The Blues 101 Proof Zydeco Maison de Soul MDS 1030 1989 Dopsie s Cajun Stomp Alligator Stomp Rhino R2 70946 1990 Colinda Old Time Zydeco Sea of Love Louisiana Bayou Hits 1950 s 1960 s P Vine Records Japan PCD 2137 1990 Who s Lovin You Tonight Swamp Stomp a Cajun and Zydeco Sampler Rounder PR 1002 1990 lt unknown gt Alligator Stomp Cajun amp Zydeco Classics Vol 2 Rhino R2 70740 1991 Mardi Gras in New Orleans Cajun amp Zydeco Mardi Gras Maison de Soul MdS CD 1044 1992 Mardi Gras in New Orleans Zydeco Party Ace UK Swallow Records CDCHD 430 1992 Dopsie s Cajun Stomp Shake Rattle and Roll C T Gator Presents A Zydeco Dance Party GNP Crescendo GNPD 2220 1993 Zydeco Round The World They All Ask For You Ay Te Te Fee My Baby s She s Gone Kings of Cajun Vol II 21 More Stomps From The Swamp Music Club U K MCCD 116 1993 My Baby She s Gone Ma Negresse Josephine Best of Cajun Classics Vol II Cajun amp Zydeco s Greatest Artists Mardi Gras Records MG 1010 1994 I m In The Mood Baby Why You Do The Things You Do Absolutely The Best Of Cajun amp Zydeco Fuel 2000 Varese Sarabande Records FLD1041 1999 Zydeco Around The World Absolutely The Best Of Cajun amp Zydeco vol II Fuel 2000 Varese Sarabande 302 061 114 2 2000 Run Here To Me Baby Zydeco Hot Tracks vol 2 Maison de Soul VMS 7007 2002 Old Time Zydeco Hypnotic Cajun amp Obscure Zydeco 2 Moi J Connais Records Switzerland MJCR029 2015 Doin The Zydeco Guest appearance credits Edit This list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items June 2017 Album title Artist s Record label Stock number Release year InstrumentReady The Blues Band Arista BB2 1980 accordionThe Blowin Man John Hart Sonet SNTF 844 1981 accordionGraceland Paul Simon Warner Bros 9 25447 2 1986 accordionA Night To Remember Cyndi Lauper Epic EK 44318 1989 accordionOh Mercy Bob Dylan Columbia CK 45281 1989 accordionSee also EditList of folk musicians Long Beach Blues Festival San Francisco Blues FestivalReferences Edit Eagle Bob LeBlanc Eric S 2013 Blues A Regional Experience Santa Barbara Praeger Publishers p 383 ISBN 978 0313344237 a b c d Sandra Brennan Rockin Dopsie Biography amp History AllMusic Retrieved October 6 2015 a b c d e Colin Larkin ed 1997 The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music Concise ed Virgin Books p 1024 ISBN 1 85227 745 9 a b c Rockin Dopsie 61 A Master of Zydeco With His Own Style The New York Times August 27 1993 Retrieved 26 November 2016 a b Rockin Dopsie Donald Clarke Music Retrieved 26 November 2016 Fuselier Herman Grammy win will send Dopsie to a grave The Daily Advertiser Retrieved July 13 2022 Rockin Dopsie Jr amp The Zydeco Twisters Biography Rockindopsiejr com Retrieved October 6 2015 Russell Tony 1997 The Blues From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray Dubai Carlton Books Limited p 160 ISBN 1 85868 255 X External links EditRockin Dopsie at AllMusic Rockin Dopsie discography at Discogs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rockin 27 Dopsie amp oldid 1117080133, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
