Dwayne Dopsie of the Zydeco Hellraisers is set to take the stage for a Mardi Gras Celebration at Earl’s Hideaway Lounge on Sunday, March 9, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Dopsie is an accordion-wielding powerhouse, born Dwayne Rubin, and has spent the last 25 years proving he’s more than the son of a legend—he’s a legend in his own right. At 45, he is riding a wave of momentum that’s taken him from Louisiana juke joints to the world’s biggest stages, and he shows no signs of slowing down.
Last year was a blockbuster for Dwayne Dopsie. He teamed up with Beyoncé for her genre-bending Cowboy Carter album, laying down fiery accordion riffs on her reimagined “Jolene.” Then, in a surreal twist, he shared the stage with The Rolling Stones at New Orleans’ Jazz Fest, trading licks with Mick Jagger on “Let It Bleed.” It was the kind of moment that could’ve been a career peak for anyone else, but for Dopsie, it was just another day at the office.
Dopsie’s latest album, Now Is The Time, dropped late last year and has critics buzzing. It’s a rollicking mash-up of Zydeco’s Creole roots with splashes of funk, reggae, and rock—think James Brown meets Clifton Chenier with a dash of Bob Marley. Tracks like “Gonna Party” and “Born to Lose” showcase his gravelly vocals and that accordion magic Rolling Stone once likened to Jimi Hendrix’s guitar wizardry.
His journey started early. Born into Zydeco royalty as the youngest son of Alton “Rockin’ Dopsie” Rubin, Dwayne was scrubbing a washboard by six and squeezing an accordion by seven. He was barely a teenager when he played the Super Bowl halftime show with his dad. After Rockin’ Dopsie’s death in 1993, Dwayne ditched school to dive headfirst into music. By 19, he’d formed the Zydeco Hellraisers, and in 1999, the American Accordion Association crowned him “America’s Hottest Accordionist.” The kid had arrived.
Fast forward to today, and Dopsie’s résumé reads like a dream. A 2023 Grammy for his work on Jazzfest: A New Orleans Story. Over 20 awards from Offbeat and Big Easy. Gigs in 40-plus countries. And yet, he’s still the guy who’ll chat with fans over beers after a show, his infectious laugh cutting through the humid Louisiana air.
Catch him on Sunday, March 9, starting at 2 p.m. at Earl’s Hideaway Lounge for an incredible performance. Earl’s is located at 1405 Indian River Drive in Sebastian.
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