This 1,500 lb. steel statue displays Amédé Ardoin, legendary musician who laid the foundation for zydeco and Cajun music as we know it today, standing atop his most prized possession, his accordion. In his right hand, he holds out a bronze lemon that references Ardoin’s practice of carrying the sour fruit in his pocket to soothe his singing voice. The statue was carved by Russell Whiting, a self-taught, award-winning artist in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. He began his career making small wooden figurines, which has evolved into the special technique that he now employs carving steel to form regal figures.

This memorial statue commemorates the Bringing Amédé Home event, a symbolic gesture that brought over 500 music fans, locals, and Ardoin family members to see Amédé home from his burial in an unmarked grave at the Central Louisiana Hospital. You can read more about the event in our blog Bringing Amédé Home – About the Amédé Ardoin Commemorative.

The statue is located in the Zydeco Capital of the World, Opelousas, Louisiana right outside the St. Landry Parish Visitor Information Center.

Ici on parle français. French is spoken here.

With Opelousas being the birthplace of zydeco, this mural, Robert Baxter’s Zydeco Capital of the World, remembers the pioneers and award winners of that unique and inspiring genre of music.

Located on the north side of Opelousas City Hall, built in the late 1930s and originally Abdalla’s Furniture Store, this mural is right in the middle of downtown.