Take your shoes off. Let your hair down. It's time to party.

That's Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural Jr.'s motto, and he wants you to know that Buckwheat Zydeco's "coming to have some fun with you."

The party band plays a free concert in Ford Park tonight from 6-10 to help celebrate Spring Back to Vail. Hazel Miller will open.

"I have seen Buckwheat Zydeco at jazz fest in New Orleans and several people I know have seen them, and they put on just about as good of a show as anyone I've seen," said James Deighan of Highline Sports and Entertainment, the company organizing the event. "It will be a fun, vibrant experience for everybody. It starts out with Hazel Miller, a perennial Colorado favorite, and we're gonna follow it up with Buckwheat Zydeco."

Margo Hields of Eagle-Vail is a fan of zydeco music. She was turned on to it by the "Big Easy" soundtrack.

"It's fun to dance to. It's kind of upbeat. I like some of the Cajun and French background. It's kind of catchy," said Hields, who is visiting family in St. Louis and is disappointed she won't be able to make it to see Buckwheat Zydeco. "It brings back memories of college, hanging out with my friends."

Buck's memories of zydeco music date back since he can remember. From early morning to afternoon and late into the night, the sound, native to his home of southern Louisiana, was all he ever heard as a kid.

"Zydeco always. Accordion always. My dad used to play 24/7," Buck said.

Oddly enough, Buck, famed for his zydeco sounds, couldn't stand the music growing up. He preferred the jazz, blues and rock 'n' roll, the music of his generation to that of his father's, and played the piano, not the accordion.

"I had an older brother who played the piano and when he got off I would bang on the piano. I was about 5," Buck said. "I used to play by ear. I would play what I heard, Fats Domino, Little Richard. People thought it was amazing for a kid to be playing 'Boogie Woogie' on the piano. I heard a lot of jazz by Jimmy Smith, and I would go to church and hear this beautiful organ music. All I knew is that I wanted an organ."

Buck's father didn't like his son's affinity for jazz and rock 'n' roll. He told him he should be playing the accordion instead. But Buck didn't listen, and his older brother bought him an organ for $200.

The investment paid off, and at age 9 Buck's talent on the keyboard landed him a gig playing organ with Sam and the Untouchables, a rhythm and blues band. The rest of the guys in the band were nearly 20, and Buck often had trouble getting into the clubs where they played because he was too young. So his band mates had to come to his house by the hand and bring him back by the hand.

Buck formed the venerable 15-piece Buckwheat and The Hitchhikers in 1971, playing nothing but hard R&B music, despite his father's looming disapproval. But by 1975, the perils of leading the band became overwhelming for Buck.

"There were too many personalities in the band," he said. "Fifteen musicians and everybody knows what they're supposed to do, and they're not doing it. I'll tell you what you're going to do: Stick a fork in me and I'm done."

Buck decided to take some time off and figure out what direction he wanted to go. Soon after he received a phone call from Paul "Lil' Buck" Senegal, who was on the road playing with Clifton Chenier, the king of zydeco, and the Red Hot Louisiana Band. Lil' Buck told him not to do anything until he got back into town. Buck knew Chenier from back in the day. He was best friends with his father. Buck thought if he's playing with Clifton Chenier, it can't be that bad.

"I'm saying to myself, 'Lord have mercy. You know what I'm going to do. I'm going to give this a shot, not for me but for my dad.'"

But surprisingly I got on stage and please believe me I was having so much fun. Clifton was saying goodnight to everybody and it was like we just started. This man put the accordion on, and let me tell you a little secret, he was rockin. And I thought, 'Man that sounds like R&B. Just the energy, and I stayed for two year."

Buck had never heard anything but the traditional zydeco music. He heard Chenier play live for the first time that night on stage and couldn't believe there were drums, bass and guitar, just like an R&B band. It was that night he changed his mind about zydeco music.

"I was a bad critic of accordion. I learned from my dad and Clifton Chenier that what you don't understand you don't criticize. What my dad should have done years ago is bop me over the head."

From that point on Buck's father was his biggest fan, ending years of conflict between the two.

In 1979, Buck decided to try zydeco on his own. He attempted lead vocals for the first time, and even picked up the 37-and-a-half pound accordion. By 1980, he and his band were touring all over Europe, Buck's father cheering all the way.

"We got even closer when I picked up the accordion," Buck said. "He was my first customer."

But, the keys will always be Buck's first love.

"I love playing the accordion don't get me wrong, but with the organ I'm home. I can sit all day and all night," he said.

The musician always knew he wanted to play music and entertain people. Wherever he goes, he feels he is home and feels rewarded in the fact that he is even invited.

When he performs in Vail he plans to sing "Why can't we live together," a song he wrote about what he sees happening in the world today.

"Bob Marley said 'total destruction the only solution.' We have so much corruption on this planet right now. And what he said many years ago comes to pass, and that's why this song relates to what's going on. I want to see a smile on your face even if it's just for that moment."

Buckwheat Zydeco's newest album, "Jackpot," will be in stores June 7.



Staff Writer Laura A. Ball can be reached at 949-0555, ext. 619, or laball@vaildaily.com.

Vail, Colorado