Dwayne Rubin, better known by his stage name Dwayne Dopsie, is an American Zydeco musician. He is the accordionist and vocalist for his New Orleans-based band, Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers.
Biography Dwayne Dopsie was born March 3, 1979, in Lafayette, Louisiana. He is the youngest of accordionist Rockin' Dopsie's eight children, and picked up music in the household from an early age. He began playing washboard at age six and accordion at seven, and performed with his father on stage at Mardi Gras and on television for a Super Bowl halftime during his childhood.BOB Profile: Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers. Houma Times, August 30, 2013.
After Rockin' Dopsie died in 1993, Dwayne Dopsie dropped out of high school to pursue zydeco music full-time. He founded his own band, the Zydeco Hellraisers, in 1999 when he was nineteen years old,New music spotlight: Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers. WWOZ, August 18, 2005. and that same year was named "America's Hottest Accordionist" in a competition run by the American Accordion Association.Dopsie salutes father's zydeco legacy. The Advertiser, October 12, 2016.
In 2013, Dopsie collaborated with Corey Ledet, Anthony Dopsie and Andre Thierry on the album Nothin' But the Best, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album.Grammys 2013: Complete list of nominees and winners. Los Angeles Times, February 10, 2013. Dopsie received another nomination in the same category for his 2017 album Top of the Mountain. Dopsie plays regularly at New Orleans events such as Mardi Gras and Jazz & Heritage Festival, has done numerous tours of the United States,Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, Local Newgrass Part of 8 Great Tuesdays. Erie Reader, July 22, 2015.Review: Cool music, high energy at 24th annual Pennsylvania Blues Festival. The Morning Call, July 26, 2015.Dwayne Dopsie and the Hellraisers: Bringing the Bayou to Little Egypt . Carbondalerocks.com, July 2016.Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers. Tahoe Weekly, July 24, 2013. and has toured internationally several times, including performances in Canada, Georgia, and China. In 2018, Dopsie signed with Louisiana Red Hot Records, who released Bon Ton in the June, 2019.
Music Dopsie's style is grounded in Zydeco but incorporates musical elements from rock and roll, rhythm and blues, blues, and reggae.Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, Calling Your Name (Sound of New Orleans). OffBeat, August 26, 2015.
Zydeco Hellraisers members Current Dwayne Dopsie - accordion, vocal Juju Child - guitar Brandon David - guitar, vocals Percy Walker - drums Dion Pierre - bass Paul Lafleur - washboard Tim McFatter - saxophone
Former Alex MacDonald - washboard, vocals Calvin Sam - drums Carl Landry - saxophone Shelton Sonnier - guitar, vocals Vincent Doucet - washboard Kipori Woods - guitar Dee Fleming - drums Kevin Minor - drums Reggie Smith Jr. - saxophone
Awards and honors
OffBeat's Best of The Beat Awards +YearCategoryWork nominatedResultRef.1999Best Emerging Zydeco Band or Performer2000Best Emerging Zydeco Band or Performer2003Best Accordionist2012Best Zydeco Band or PerformerBest Zydeco AlbumBeen Good to You2013Best Accordionist2014Best Zydeco Band or Performer2015Best Zydeco Band or PerformerBest Zydeco AlbumCalling Your Name2016Best Zydeco Band or Performer2017Best Zydeco Band or PerformerBest Zydeco AlbumTop of the MountainBest Accordionist2018Best Zydeco Band or Performer2019Best Zydeco Band or PerformerBest Zydeco AlbumBon Ton2020Best Zydeco Band or Performer2021-22Best Zydeco Band or PerformerBest Zydeco AlbumSet Me Free2023Best Accordionist
Discography Studio albums Now It Begins (1999) Dopsie Strikes (2001) Travelin' Man (2006) Up In Flames (2009) Been Good To You (2011) Calling Your Name (2015) Top Of The Mountain (2017, Grammy Nominated) Bon Ton (2019) Set me free ( 2021) Live albums Get Down! (2011) Dopsie's Got It (2014) LIVE AT THE 2023 NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL ( 2023, Grammy nominated)
References