Wayne Toups was born into a family of rice farmers in
Crowley, Louisiana. He first picked up an accordion when he was 13 and quickly began winning local
accordion contests. He has combined
Cajun music,
zydeco,
R&B, and rock into a genre he calls
Zydecajun. He sings in both English and French. Toups released his first album,
Wayne Toups and the Crowley Aces in Europe in the late 1970s. He began gaining popularity in the United States around 1984 when he began performing at local festivals such as the Festivals Acadiens in
Lafayette, Louisiana. In 1986 he released his first album,
Zydecajun. The Cajun French Music Association's awarded him their "Song of the Year" Award in 1991 for his song "Late in Life." Three of his songs, including wedding favorite "Take My Hand", were featured in the movie
Dirty Rice, He has recorded for the major record labels Mercury/Polygram Toups is often known for wearing bright outfits during his performances. ==Discography==