Rockin' Sidney
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Rockin' Sidney Simien ( April 9, 1938 - February 25, 1998) was an United States R&B, Zydeco, and Soul music musician who began recording in the late 1950s and continued performing until his death.
He grew up in Lebeau, Louisiana and started his musical career at age 14 or 15 playing harmonica and guitar. His first gig was as backup for his uncle Frank Simien, soon becoming the band leader.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Rockin' Sidney recorded a series of R&B singles for the Louisiana labels Fame, Jin and Rod, and was best known for his 1962 hit "No Good Woman".
In 1965, he and his band "The Dukes" signed with Louisiana-based Goldman Records. He took to wearing a turban and was known as "Count Rockin Sidney". During this period he cut well over 50 R&B, Soul and Blues singles such as "Something Working Baby" and "Soul Christmas", without much success.
During the mid-1970s, while learning to play the accordion, Simien began playing zydeco, a traditional folk music of Louisiana. His first zydeco album, Give Me a Good Time Woman was released in 1982 on the Maison de Soul label. Two years later he cut My Zydeco Shoes Got the Zydeco Blues, which included the track "My Toot Toot". In spite of Sidney's reported unhappiness with the song, it was a hit, selling millions of copies and winning a Grammy.
Although, Sidney was never able to repeat the popular success of "My Toot Toot", he set up his own label, Bally Hoo, and continued performing until his death.