Born in Kinder in 1931, Willis Prudhomme grew up as a member of a sharecropper family at a time when Creole music played at house dances offered a few hours of escape from working in the fields. Prudhomme went on to become a rice and soybean farmer. When he was 45 years old, he taught himself to play harmonica and then switched to accordion;he learned the basic fingering from legendary Cajun accordionist Nathan Abshire.

Prudhomme played for a number of years with Leo Thomas' band before starting his own band. His first recording was a live performance at Richard's Club near Lawtell for Rounder Records, released in 1989 as Zydeco Live! Vol. 2. Prudhomme also appeared in John Sayles' movie Passion Fish, released in 1992. Prudhomme sings "Zydeco Queen."  Willis has toured all around the country and overseas.

As a zydeco musician who can perform the old style French zydeco songs, as well as his own versions of Cajun standards, Willis Prudhomme is carrying on in the tradition of the late Boozoo Chavis and the late John Delafose.

If you would like to discuss booking Willis Prudhomme and the Zydeco Express, you can email us at Booking Email.