Geno Delafose & the French Rockin’ Boogie will be in concert at the 63rd La. Fur and Wildlife Festival from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8 at the Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles.

Geno Delafose is a zydeco accordionist and singer. He is one of the younger generations of the genre who has created the sound known as the nouveau zydeco. His sound is deeply rooted in traditional Creole music with strong influences from Cajun music and also country and western. His father is the famous zydeco accordion player John Delafose.

Delafose was born and raised in Eunice. At the age of eight, he joined his father’s band, the Eunice Playboys as a rubboard player and continued to play with the band until his father’s death in 1994. He also appeared on the several of the bands recordings. He switched to the accordion in the early 1990s and started to play as an opening act for his father.

In 1994, he debuted with album French Rockin’ Boogie on Rounder Records. The name of this album also became the name of his band with whom he still plays with today. He released two more albums from the label, before signing with Time Square label to release Everybody’s Dancin’ in 2003. He has also appeared on the compilation album Creole Bred: A Tribute to Creole & Zydeco released in 2004 on Vanguard Records

He has been nominated for a Grammy Award in the “Best Zydeco Or Cajun Music Album” category for his Le Cowboy Creole album (2007). He lives in Duralde near Eunice where he operates his Double D Ranch raising cattle and horses. He also holds fan appreciation parties annually.