There's a musical kingdom in the American South that's not marked on any map. Stretching from the prairies of Louisiana to the oil towns of East Texas, it is ruled over by accordion-squeezing, washboard-wielding musicians such as Boozoo Chavis, Bean Jocque, Buckwheat Zydeco, Nathan Williams, Keith Frank, Terrance Simien, Geno Delafose, Rosie Ledet, C. J. Chenier, and Chris Ardoin. Theirs is the kingdom of zydeco.

Michael Tisserand reveals why zydeco's identifiable and unforgettable blend of blues and Cajun influences has made the dance music of the Louisiana black Creoles so popular and widespread. One reason is that it makes your feet move. But zydeco's appeal runs deeper than the feel-good, get-up-and-dance reaction it invariably elicits, and is intertwined in the music's roots and rhythms.

Tisserand went on the zydeco trail to meet the major artists, and paints vivid portraits of zydeco people at home and on the road. He reconstructs the legends behind the music's beginnings, offering complete biographies of pioneers such as Amede Ardoin and Clifton Chenier.