I had a time picking someone in music to highlight for Women’s History Month, which runs through March 31. I could have picked the timeless Irma Thomas, 85, the Soul Queen of New Orleans.
Another music royal is Queen Ida, the first Grammy winner in zydeco. Now 97 and long retired, Ida Guillory brought zydeco to “Saturday Night Live,” “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood” and beyond.
Irma Thomas performs the National Anthem before the Georgia Bulldogs take on the Ole Miss Rebels in the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.
Sheryl Cormier of Lafayette, who just turned 81, still reigns as the Queen of Cajun Music. She opened the door for Amis du Teche, T’Monde, the Babineaux Sisters and the Holiday Playgirls, part of the current wave of females in their 20s and 30s playing French music.
Ultimately, my music choice landed close to home with my mother, Matteal Fuselier. March 25 marks 20 years since she passed away. People always ask what sparked my interest in music. I have to give my mom, and dad, Herman, credit.
Matteal and Herman weren’t musicians, but they played the hell out of the radio and record player.
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO — Frank Sinatra performs at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in 1974.
An endless rainbow of music, from Frank Sinatra to John Delafose and the Eunice Playboys, was on in the house and car. Family vacations often included stops at local record stores.
I still remember how odd the little-me felt when the car radio was turned off during funeral processions. Where was James Brown, Aretha, Monk, Otis, Willie Nelson, DJ Paul Thibeaux and the House Rocker on KVOL 1300?
I learned that a silent radio was the last show of respect for the person who had gone on to Glory.
Matteal and Herman were married for 54 years. Some days, they didn’t speak to each other.
There were many more days with the turntable spinning in the den. They were up and dancing to Duke Ellington, with Ella Fitzgerald singing “Take the ‘A’ Train.”
Steven Forster photographed Ella Fitzgerald on stage in 1979 at the 10th New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Forster unveiled the premiere exhibition of his legends series of jazz and musical giants including Ella Fitzgerald at the Robert Bruno Gallery in New Orleans for the month of April 2005. Copyright (c) 1979, 2005, Steven Forster
Some Sundays, Matteal jumped on the phone. Suddenly, the house was filled with cousins and friends bearing sandwiches, soup, Chivas Regal and 45s from their own record collections. Everyone laughed, danced, smoked, drank and could not care less that the next day was Monday. The party was called a “wing ding.”
The only other time I had heard those words were from Granny Clampett on “The Beverly Hillbillies.”
Matteal never forgot the sacred with her collection of the husky-voiced, singing preacher, the Rev. James Cleveland. Kris Kristofferson’s “Why Me Lord?” and Jimmy Swaggart on the organ on Sunday morning TV could bring her to tears.
Gospel was playing in her last days of hospice. She had dreams of a gate that was getting closer and closer.
There was no music on that Saturday morning in March as I sat by her bedside, waiting for the hearse. But her love of music and wing dings still burns in my heart.
Herman Fuselier is executive director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. A longtime journalist covering Louisiana music and culture, he lives in Opelousas. His “Zydeco Stomp” show airs at noon Saturdays on KRVS 88.7 FM.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.theadvocate.com ’
