Meet Corey Ledet,
the Musician
“I knew I wanted to be a musician the minute I found my grandfather’s drum set and heard all his stories”
Corey Ledet was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and spent his summers with family in small-town Parks, Louisiana. Corey was always immersed in the Creole culture he loved so much. While he’s known for his traditional zydeco sound, he also has an eclectic style catering to a wide audience such as top 40, R&B, Jazz, Country, and Rock.
Corey Ledet is one of the few that stay within the genre of regional roots, and can be thought of as the last of a dying breed. He’s been playing from a young age - 8 years old to be precise. He is a 2x Grammy nominee, part of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, and owns his own publishing and masters as an independent artist.
A little more history about Corey Ledet, in his own words:
- My great-grandfather, Gabriel Ledet, was an early jazz upright bass player who played with jazz pioneer Bunk Johnson in the late 1800s
and early 1900s.
- My grandfather, Buchanan Ledet, was an early jazz drummer who was Clifton Chenier's first drummer in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
- My father, C.J. Ledet, was a drummer.
- My uncle, Noé Ledet, played snare drum at Grambling State University.
- On my Potier side, they were all jazz musicians:
- Harold Potier Sr. was a trumpet player and music teacher in New Orleans.
- His son, our cousin Harold Potier Jr., was Ike & Tina Turner's drummer and later played with Bobby "Blue" Bland.
- His brother, John Potier, was a jazz piano player who played with B.B. King and Percy Sledge.
- Our other cousin, H.P. Charles, played cornet with Louis Armstrong.
Traditional Zydeco
Corey loves playing the traditional cultural style of zydeco, and the piano allows for variety of genres he can play such as top 40, R&B, Jazz, Country, and Rock.
He says, “I love playing festivals because you get to see everybody having fun, you get all kinda different cultures, and everybody comes together to have a good time and whatever’s bothering them they forget about it for that little bit of time.”
In Asian cultures, dragons are deemed
strong, powerful and lucky
to those who are worthy -
and this is why Corey’s nicknamed
the Accordion Dragon.
Beyond the Stage
A true powerhouse performer, Corey Ledet has captivated audiences around the world for decades. A seasoned world traveler, Corey has performed in 19 countries and toured extensively across North America, appearing at major festivals, private parties, corporate events, and weddings. His high-energy shows and magnetic stage presence ensure audiences are always entertained from start to finish.
With an impressive catalog of 17 albums, Corey earned his first GRAMMY nomination in 2012 for his album, “Nothing But The Best,” followed by a second nomination in 2021 for his self-titled album on Nouveau Electric Records. Both albums are available on all major digital streaming platforms.