Murphy Matthews Jr

Born in Louisiana, Matthews moved to Los Angeles when he was 18. He was a materials handler for McDonnell Douglas Aerospace in Long Beach, and as a side job he delivered newspapers. When he retired from Douglas in 1990, he still had his side job; the paper promoted him to district advisor, helping the younger carriers, and he never retired from that position. But his true love was the zydeco and Cajun music of his home state, and the dancing that went along with it. "He lived, ate and breathed" dancing, said his wife, Vivian. He would teach zydeco jitterbug, the Cajun waltz, the Cajun two-step and the Cajun hustle at the annual Long Beach Bayou Festival and similar events. On Sept. 10, he was performing zydeco dances at a fund-raiser for victims of hurricane Katrina when he collapsed and died on stage from an apparent heart attack. He was 68. From This is True for 11 September 2005 Suggestions for further reading: The Drummer's Bible: How to Play Every Drum Style from Afro-Cuban to Zydeco by Mick Berry, Jason Gianni Amazon Price: $21.75 Customer Review: i've been enjoying using this book with my students. it's a nice go-to source for illustrations of many popular beats and feels. it has some interesting historical text as well describing the various styles at the top of each chapter. a ...   Mardi Gras, Gumbo, and Zydeco: Readings in Louisiana Culture Amazon Price: $19.80 Customer Review: "Mardi Gras, Gumbo, and Zydeco: Readings in Louisiana Culture" is a wonderful collection of essays that focus on the southern half of my colorful home state of Louisiana. Editors Marcia Gaudet and James C. McDonald have compiled thirteen articles t...   Zydeco Shoes: A Sensory Tour of Cajun Culture by Alexandria Hayes Amazon Price: $28.80 Customer Review: We saw this book and CD in a B&B in New Orleans. It added so much to our visit to be able to "keep the party going" in the room by playing the music and reading about the food and art of the Cajun people. Any one who has a soft spot for New Orleans...   Zydeco! by Ben Sandmel Amazon Price: $25.65 Customer Review: I met Rick Olivier, the photographer for this book, a couple of days ago at a photo club meeting. Am I ever glad I went. Rick is gregarious, outgoing, funny and a darn good photographer. We gave him a microphone (which he warns against) and he prompt...   The Kingdom of Zydeco by Michael Tisserand Amazon Price: $25.60 Customer Review: THE KINGDOM OF ZYDECO is a superb look at zydeco music - its history, its socio-cultural impact, its traditions, its heroes, its geographical importance... There's no other book quite like it. Reading it takes you on an intense journey through the "...   Newsfeed display by CaRP

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