Zydeco Cha Chas
Williams started his professional music career at 21, just five years after high school, recording singles for his brother’s El Sid label. Sid also opened a venue in Lafayette, El-Sid-O’s, where Nathan became a staple performer on Friday nights.
Williams’ big break came when Buckwheat Zydeco recommended him to Rounder Records, which was searching for an accordionist after Buckwheat left for Island Records. Nathan auditioned, secured a recording contract, and in 1985, he founded Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Chas, inspired by a Chenier instrumental. The band debuted at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 1988.
In November 1992, the Cha Chas played at the New Orleans Rock n’ Bowl for the first time, paving the way for regular zydeco nights there starting in spring 1993. Nathan’s 1997 live album, “I’m a Zydeco Hog: Live at the Rock ‘N’ Bowl, New Orleans,” captured the energy of these performances. They also celebrated the venue’s 30th anniversary in 2018.
The New York Times once noted that Williams, at 25, was “poised to become important” in revitalizing zydeco. His music blends zydeco, jazz, blues, and R&B, with most of the band’s original songs penned by Williams.
For over three decades, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas have toured extensively, performing everywhere from local Louisiana spots to international stages in countries like Austria, Spain, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Turkey, Germany, and even Poland, a first for a zydeco band.
The band has always been a family affair, featuring Nathan on accordion and vocals, his brother Dennis Paul on guitar, cousin Mark Anthony “Chukka” Williams on rubboard, and Sid as manager. Other family members involved include his son Nathan Jr., cousin Allen, and nephew Djuan, alongside non-family members like bassists Paul Newman and Wayne Burns, and saxophonist Allen “Cat Roy” Broussard.
In his 1995 album “Creole Crossroads,” Williams collaborated with Cajun fiddler Michael Doucet from BeauSoleil, highlighting a rare fusion of zydeco and Cajun styles with his brother Sid and Sid’s wife, working in their grocery store. During a period of illness recovery, Williams chose to devote himself to mastering the accordion, practicing secretly in the bathroom. He looked up to Buckwheat Zydeco, who was a key mentor, but it was Chenier who left a lasting impact on his music. Sid eventually bought Nathan his first accordion from Buckwheat Zydeco.
