C.J. Chenier was literally born into the musical tradition of southwest Louisiana and Texas Zydeco, a chugging, accordion-led blend of French Creole and African-derived influences. Born the son of great Zydeco king Clifton Chenier, the first Grammy Award winning musician of his genre, C.J. was totally immersed in R&B, funk and jazz from childhood. Despite his family ties, or maybe because of them, C.J. wasn't terribly interested in his father's music as a teenager. A natural player, C.J. won a scholarship to study music at Texas Southern University and spent his college years exploring his own musical style.