Who is Keith Frank & The Soileau Zydeco Band?
Keith Frank is an American zydeco musician from Soileau, Louisiana, United States. Frank started his band, The Soileau Zydeco Band, in 1990 and is active as of 2023. He is the son of accordion player Preston Frank, and got his start playing for his father's bands, called the Soileau Playboys (Arhoolie Records) or the Preston Frank Family Band (Lanor Records). His brother Brad joined on drums, while his sister Jennifer played bass. Frank and the Soileau Zydeco Band gained national interest with the release of their 1995 album, Movin' On Up, featuring a cover of the theme song from The Jeffersons. Around this time, he also became associated with "new zydeco," due to his incorporation of a heavy bass drum and influences from R&B, hip hop, and reggae. Since 2003, Frank records on Soulwood Records, which he owns and operates. Frank has played at the Grassroots Festival in Ithaca, New York, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C.