LAFAYETTE, La (WGNO)- Stanley Dural, Jr., whose stage name was Buckwheat Zydeco , died early Saturday morning of lung cancer at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette, according to The New Orleans Advocate.
He was one of the few zydeco artists to achieve mainstream success. His music group often performed as merely Buckwheat Zydeco. According to his Wikipedia bio, he acquired his nickname as a youth, because, with his braided hair. He looked like the character Buckwheat from Our Gang/The Little Rascals movies. His father, a farmer, was an accomplished amateur traditional Creole accordion player, but young Dural preferred listening to and playing rhythm and blues.
Survivors include his wife, Bernite Dural, sons Sir Reginald M. Dural (who played in his band) and Stanley Paul Dural III, and daughters April Germain Dural, Stacie Durham and Tomorrow Lynn Dural.
Funeral arrangements are pending.