Queen Ida
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| Queen Ida | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ida Lewis Guillory |
| Born | January 15, 1929 |
| Origin | Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States |
| Genre(s) | Zydeco |
| Occupation(s) | Accordionist, Producer |
| Instrument(s) | Accordion |
| Years active | 1975 — Present |
| Label(s) | GNP Crescendo |
| Website | Queen Ida |
Ida Lewis "Queen Ida" Guillory (born January 15, 1929, Lake Charles, Louisiana) is an American accordionist. She was the first female accordion player to lead a zydeco band. Queen Ida's music is an eclectic mix of R&B, Caribbean, and Cajun, though the presence of her accordion always keeps it traditional.
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[edit] Biography
Born Ida Lewis Guillory to a musically talented family in Lake Charles, Queen Ida learned to play accordion from her mother after she spent a few years learning the piano. Her family moved to Beaumont, Texas], when she was ten and eight years later moved to San Francisco, California. Her first language is French, and wherever they went, took their Creole culture and music with them.
Queen Ida and her band played at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1976 and 1988, and the San Francisco Blues Festival in 1975, 1978, and 1991. In 1988, Queen Ida toured Japan, becoming the first zydeco artist to do so. She toured Africa the following year and in 1990 went to Australia and New Zealand.
On the CD album, Back on the Bayou (1999), Queen Ida got together on the bayou in Louisiana with her brother, Al Rapone, for a zydeco reunion. Rapone often wrote and produced for her and formed the Bon Temps Zydeco Band, which later became his sister's backup group. Doubling up on accordions, they are joined by John Lindberg on bass, Richard Rowley on guitar, Bernard Anderson on flute and saxophone, and Ron Guillory on rub board and vocals.
Queen Ida also co-authored a cookbook, Cookin' with Queen Ida in 1990, which featured Creole recipes. Through the 2000s she continued to tour and perform, although she did not record any more albums during this period.
[edit] Selected discography
| Year | Title | Genre | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Back on the Bayou w/Al Rapone | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo | |
| 1995 | Cookin' with Queen Ida | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo | |
| 1995 | On a Saturday Night | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo | |
| 1994 | Mardi Gras | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo | |
| 1990 | Zydeco a La Mode | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo | |
| 1985 | Caught in the Act | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo | |
| 1983 | In San Francisco | Zydeco | Sonet | |
| 1982 | The Queen Ida and the Bon Temps Zydeco Band on Tour | Zydeco | GNP Crescendo |
[edit] Awards
[edit] Grammy Awards
Won: 1[1]
Nominations: 2
| Queen Ida Grammy Awards History | ||||
| Year | Category | Title | Genre | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording | Queen Ida and the Bon Temps Zydeco Band on Tour | Zydeco | Winner |
| 1980 | Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording | Queen Ida & the Bon Temps Zydeco Band in New Orleans | Zydeco | Nominated |
[edit] Blues Music Awards
Won: 2[2]
Nominations: 6
| Queen Ida Blues Music Awards History | ||||
| Year | Category | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Traditional Blues Female Artist | Nominated | ||
| 1990 | Traditional Blues Female Artist | Winner | ||
| 1989 | Traditional Blues Female Artist | Winner | ||
| 1988 | Traditional Blues Female Artist | Nominated | ||
| 1984 | Traditional Blues Female Artist | Nominated | ||
| 1983 | Traditional Blues Female Artist | Nominated | ||
