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Terrance Simien

ALBANY (March 29, 2016) — For more than 30 years, two-time GRAMMY®-winning artist Terrance Simien, eighth-generation Louisiana Creole, has been shattering the myths about what his indigenous zydeco roots music is and is not.

The College of Saint Rose presents Terrance Simien and his Zydeco Experience band in a return engagement Friday, April 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the Kathleen McManus Picotte Recital Hall, Massry Center for the Arts, 1002 Madison Ave., Albany, New York.

ABOUT TERRANCE SIMIEN
Leading his Zydeco Experience band, Simien has become one of the most respected and accomplished artists in American roots music today. He and his band mates have performed more than 7,000 concerts and toured millions of miles to more than 45 countries. In 2014, Simien and his collaborators were honored with their second GRAMMY®. The year also marked their 28th consecutive New Orleans Jazz Festival performance, an event that has become the gold standard for showcasing and celebrating all Louisiana music traditions. Well known for his legendary live performances, Simien also helped change the vocabulary for his genre by introducing complex vocal harmonies, diverse repertoire and carefully crafted high-quality recordings.

Simien and bandmates have shared studio and stage with Robert Palmer, Stevie Wonder, Los Lobos, Taj Mahal, Dr. John, the Meters, Alan Toussaint, Paul Simon and Dave Matthews Band, to name a few. Their music has been featured in TV commercials and more than a dozen films, including the blockbuster “The Big Easy,” which changed the game for Louisiana music in the late 1980s. Simien and his bandmates performed their original song “Dance Everyday” in the 2012 Warner Brothers film “The Lucky One” starring Zac Efron and Blythe Danner and directed by Oscar-nominated Scott Hicks. The film also included Simien’s version of zydeco standard “Uncle Bud.”

In the 2009 Disney film “The Princess and the Frog,” Simien is the featured guest artist on “Gonna Take You There,” a zydeco-flavored song penned by Randy Newman. The song was inspired by Simien’s music, and it became a favorite track for children everywhere. The song made movie history as it was the first time a Disney film featured zydeco music. Simien’s music has been heard on NPR, and Rolling Stone, Billboard and other notable music industry publications as well as major daily newspapers have praised his recordings. His extensive discography dates back to vinyl 45s.

ABOUT THE MASSRY CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Opened in 2008, the critically acclaimed Massry Center for the Arts features the 400-seat Kathleen McManus Picotte Recital Hall, Esther Massry Gallery, choral and instrument rehearsal rooms, teaching studios, piano labs and classrooms. Past performing artists have included B.B. King, Chick Corea, Dave Brubeck, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Doc Severinsen, Ramsey Lewis, Maceo Parker, Mary Lambert, Tim Reynolds, Stefon Harris, John Pizzarelli, the Boston Symphony Orchestra Strings, Yuja Wang, Paula Cole and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. The 46,000 square-foot gem is certified LEED Gold, ranking it among the Capital Region’s most energy-efficient and Earth-friendly buildings.

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For More Information, Contact:

Benjamin Marvin
Director of Media Relations