Rockin' Dopsie


Alton Jay Rubin, who performed as Rockin' Dopsie, was an American zydeco singer and accordion player who enjoyed popular success first in Europe and later in the United States.

Biography

He was born in Carencro, Louisiana, United States, the son of Walter Rubin, who played accordion at local dances. Alton Rubin's first language was Louisiana Creole French. He was given his first accordion at the age of 14, and, being left-handed, learned to play it upside down. He began performing at local parties, and soon outstripped his father's abilities. He moved with his parents to Lafayette, Louisiana at the age of 19, and began playing in clubs in the mid-1950s with his cousin Chester Zeno on washboard. He took his stage name from a visiting dancer called Doopsie. At the same time, he continued with his day job, eventually becoming an electrical contractor.
Dopsie played music for dancing, assimilating R&B influences into zydeco and sometimes covering R&B hits in a zydeco style. He performed around Louisiana, and recorded occasionally for small independent labels in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1976 he appeared at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and was signed by the Swedish record label Sonet, who issued his first album, Doin' The Zydeco, in 1976. Starting in 1979, he toured Europe regularly with his group, the Twisters, and his popularity there led to him recording a string of albums for Sonet in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In the 1980s, he started to gain attention in the US. He played accordion on the zydeco-influenced song "That Was Your Mother" on Paul Simon's Graceland album in 1986. He recorded the album Crowned Prince Of Zydeco in 1987. His final album in 1991, Louisiana Music, received a Grammy Award nomination. Dopsie also recorded with Bob Dylan and Cyndi Lauper, and in 1992 appeared in the film Delta Heat.
He died from a heart attack in 1993, aged 61.

Legacy

Since his death, his band, The Twisters, has continued to perform. Now led by his son Dopsie Jr., with another son Alton Jr., on drums, the band is called Rockin' Dopsie, Jr. & The Zydeco Twisters. Dopsie's younger son Dwayne also plays accordion and leads his own band, Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers.
Dopsie was related to professional tennis championship player Chanda Rubin.

Quotation

"I'm the only man in the world that plays the accordion upside-down," Rockin' Dopsie said. "It's all because daddy didn't taught me how to play. I just picked it up."

Discography

Studio and live albums

Singles and EPs

Various artist compilation albums

Album titleRecord labelStock numberRelease yearSong title
Zydeco BluesFlyright LP 5391978"Blues"
Louisiana Explosive BluesMaison de SoulLP-10061981"Who's Loving You Tonite"
Zydeco Blues, vol. 2: The Legendary Jay Miller SessionsFlyright FLY 6001984"You Told Me"
Zydeco Blues, vol. 2: The Legendary Jay Miller SessionsFlyright FLY 6001984"Run Here To Me Baby"
Zydeco Blues, vol. 2: The Legendary Jay Miller SessionsFlyright FLY 6001984"Sweetest Thing In The World"
Louisiana BluesJin Records ; Ace CH 2111987"Who's Loving You Tonite"
Zydeco FestivalMaison de SoulMdS LP 1024 ; MdS-CD-1011988"Old Time Zydeco"
Kings of Zydeco: Black Creole Music from the Deep SouthTrikont CD-0158-21989"Who's Loving You"
Kings of Zydeco: Black Creole Music from the Deep SouthTrikont CD-0158-21989"Pushin' & Pullin' "
Rockin' AccordionFlyrightFLY 6221989"Everyday I Have The Blues"
101 Proof ZydecoMaison de SoulMDS 10301989"Dopsie's Cajun Stomp"
Alligator StompRhinoR2 709461990"Colinda"
Alligator StompRhinoR2 709461990"Old Time Zydeco"
Sea of Love: Louisiana Bayou Hits, 1950's-1960'sP-Vine Records PCD-21371990"Who's Lovin' You Tonight?"
Swamp Stomp!: a Cajun and Zydeco SamplerRounderPR-10021990
Alligator Stomp: Cajun & Zydeco Classics, Vol. 2RhinoR2 707401991"Mardi Gras in New Orleans"
Cajun & Zydeco Mardi Gras!Maison de SoulMdS CD-10441992"Mardi Gras in New Orleans"
Zydeco PartyAce ; Swallow RecordsCDCHD 4301992"Dopsie's Cajun Stomp"
Zydeco PartyAce ; Swallow RecordsCDCHD 4301992"Shake Rattle and Roll"
C.T. Gator Presents A Zydeco Dance PartyGNP CrescendoGNPD 22201993"Zydeco Round The World"
C.T. Gator Presents A Zydeco Dance PartyGNP CrescendoGNPD 22201993"They All Ask For You"
C.T. Gator Presents A Zydeco Dance PartyGNP CrescendoGNPD 22201993"Ay-Te-Te-Fee"
C.T. Gator Presents A Zydeco Dance PartyGNP CrescendoGNPD 22201993"My Baby's She's Gone"
Kings of Cajun, Vol. II: 21 More Stomps From The SwampMusic Club MCCD 1161993"My Baby She's Gone"
Kings of Cajun, Vol. II: 21 More Stomps From The SwampMusic Club MCCD 1161993"Ma Negresse"
Kings of Cajun, Vol. II: 21 More Stomps From The SwampMusic Club MCCD 1161993"Josephine"
Best of Cajun Classics, Vol. II: Cajun & Zydeco's Greatest ArtistsMardi Gras RecordsMG 10101994"I'm In The Mood Baby"
Best of Cajun Classics, Vol. II: Cajun & Zydeco's Greatest ArtistsMardi Gras RecordsMG 10101994"Why You Do The Things You Do"
Absolutely The Best Of Cajun & ZydecoFuel 2000 ; Varèse Sarabande RecordsFLD10411999"Zydeco Around The World"
Absolutely The Best Of Cajun & Zydeco, vol. IIFuel 2000 ; Varèse Sarabande302 061 114 22000"Run Here To Me Baby"
Zydeco Hot Tracks, vol. 2Maison de SoulVMS-70072002"Old Time Zydeco"
Hypnotic Cajun & Obscure Zydeco 2Moi J'Connais Records MJCR0292015"Doin' The Zydeco"

Guest appearance credits

Album titleArtistRecord labelStock numberRelease yearInstrument
ReadyThe Blues BandAristaBB21980accordion
The Blowin' ManJohn HartSonetSNTF 8441981accordion
GracelandPaul SimonWarner Bros.9 25447-21986accordion
A Night To RememberCyndi LauperEpicEK 443181989accordion
Oh MercyBob DylanColumbiaCK 452811989accordion