The Rolling Stones have just released their first new recording since the arrival of their 2023 album Hackney Diamonds. Core Stones members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood contributed to a cover of “Zydeco Sont Pas Salés,” a traditional song famously adapted by late zydeco legend Clifton Chenier that gave the Louisiana music genre its name.
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The track was released as a digital single on June 25 in honor of what would’ve been Chenier’s 100th birthday. It also will be featured on the star-studded album A Tribute to the King of Zydeco, which pays homage to Chenier and will be released on June 27.
The track was produced by C.C. Adcock, a veteran New Orleans-based producer and guitarist who during his long career has worked with Robert Plant, Elvis Costello, Florence and the Machine, and many others.
In a recent interview with American Songwriter, Adcock explained that he was brought into the Chenier tribute project by the album’s main co-producers, Steve Berlin of Los Lobos and Joel Savoy.
“[Steve and Joel] knew I had a past recording, producing some local tracks with local musicians with Robert Plant, … Florence and the Machine, and Elvis Costello,” Adcock noted. “So, I kind of had a reputation for having a little bit of a Rolodex, and having made some of those connections between what goes on around here in Louisiana and all of our heroes who were also influenced by that music.”
Adcock said that when Berlin and Savoy asked him if he had any ideas about who else could contribute to the album, “my mind immediately went to, ‘Oh my God, The Stones have to do a Clifton track.’”
On Asking The Rolling Stones to Participate in the Tribute Album
Adcock, who is a huge Rolling Stones fan, told American Songwriter that he was aware of Jagger and Richards both being zydeco fans, which meant he could imagine them being open to taking part in the tribute album.
C.C. noted that he was friends with Richards’ son Marlon, and knew how to contact “Camp Keith,” so he went ahead and put in a request.
“I just sensed that it was something kinky enough that they’d be into,” Adcock maintained. “I’m here to say that there was just nothing but goodwill on the part of The Stones. And … in some ways it was easier, again because of Clifton, because the music, and because the connections. … And it was all music first, business second, when it came to those guys. There was no legion of attorneys that descended upon me and managers. It was just real organic and musical.”
About Mick Jagger Choosing the Clifton Chenier Cover
Adcock told American Songwriter that when it came time for The Stones to record their contribution to the album, the project “was pretty much done.”
According to C.C., Jagger was “absolutely switched on about Clifton and his repertoire,” and he wanted to hear the other tracks that had already been recorded for the album before picking a tune for The Rolling Stones.
“He said to us, ‘Send over everything,’ and he came back with, ‘Hey, let’s do “Zydeco Sont Pas Salés,”’ Adcock recalled. “He’s like, ‘Isn’t that the one that the whole genre is named after? … I mean, if The Stones are gonna do one, shouldn’t we do the f—ing one, man?’ And [I was like], ‘That’s why you’re Mick Jagger, sir.’”
The Recording of the Track with Richards
Adcock then proceeded to assemble a band of local New Orleans musicians to record the main track. They included acclaimed accordion player Steve Riley, bassist Dave Ranson, and drummer Robert St. Julien, who played in Chenier’s band.
Richards wanted to record his guitar part on a Friday the 13th when a full moon was out. The session was done at The Hit Factory in New York City.
C.C. explained that there’s a certain etiquette to recording with a zydeco band that Keith completely ignored.
“Keith came in and did everything you can do to immediately get fired or get the stink eye from a zydeco band leader,” Adcock noted. “Like he didn’t even wait for the accordion to start. He just jumped in and established his dominance. And you know, when you hear the track, it’s kind of like ‘Honky Tonk Women’ on speed or something. And it was just so cool as a guitar player to watch your hero break every rule and pretty much immediately establish the new way going forward of playing that song.”
Adcock then expressed his admiration of Richards because of his bold disregard for the genre’s conventions.
“I think it’s really important to note that this exercise isn’t so much about, ‘Oh, look at The Stones paying homage to Clifton and showing that they know how to play the zydeco,’” he offered. “It’s them showing all of us in Louisiana the way forward with how to play this music, ’cause it’s just boogie music, it’s just rock ‘n’ roll. And I think it’s a fantastic moment for our culture and for that music to revitalize it.”
Adcock said that after his session with Richards, he felt like he’d “had about the most perfect day you can have in rock ‘n’ roll.”
Wood’s Contribution to the Track
Wood recorded his guitar part separately from Richards, after Keith had laid his down.
“Ronnie … did exactly what he’s … so brilliant [at doing],” Adcock noted. “He’s the world’s most extraordinary session guitarist. … And so, he came in … and … he weaved with Keith.”
He added, “Ronnie really plays really cool rhythm on it, way up high on the neck. And then … [at] the very end of the track, Ronnie teases with this cool little blues lick … just to kind of go, like, ‘Hey, dudes, I’m here.’”
Jagger’s Contributions to the Song
Jagger recorded his vocals at a studio in Paris. Mick sang “Zydeco Sont Pas Salés” in the French Creole dialect.
Jagger also contributed a harmonica part to the track.
Adcock said that Jagger is a “excellent” harmonica player, noting that when he came in with his harp part, “it’s just that great Mick, ‘Banty Rooster’ … British blues harmonica. It’s just so tough.”
A couple of other veteran Louisiana artists, Ivan Neville and Zachary Richard, contributed backing vocals to the song.
The Rolling Stones’ Statement About the Tribute Album
In conjunction with the release of the “Zydeco Sont Pas Salés” cover, The Rolling Stones issued a joint statement about their participation in the Chenier tribute.
“The Stones are truly honored to be on this tribute album amongst a stellar cast of artists and musicians,” the band wrote. “Clifton Chenier was one of the most influential musicians to come out of Louisiana. He turned so many people onto the wonderful free spirited dance music of Zydeco, including ourselves back in the day. Although the development of any music style can seldom be attributed to one artist, there is not a zydeco band who has not followed the template Chenier created.”
Coinciding with A Tribute to the King of Zydeco’s release this Friday, June 27, a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl single featuring The Stones’ cover of “Zydeco Sont Pas Salés” and a 1956 version of the song by Chenier also will be released.
Proceeds from sales of the single and album will support the Clifton Chenier Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
More About the A Tribute to the King of Zydeco Album
A Tribute to the King of Zydeco is a 14-track collection featuring new cover versions of a selection of tunes Chenier recorded during his career. Other well-known musicians who appear on the record include Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Taj Mahal, Jimmie Vaughan, Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo, John Hiatt, Marcia Ball, Molly Tuttle, and Chenier’s son C.J.
As mentioned before, most tracks on A Tribute to the King of Zydeco were co-produced by Berlin and Savoy. Adcock produced two tracks—the “Zydeco Sont Pas Salés” cover and a rendition of the classic ballad “Release Me,” featuring vocals by Williams and veteran Louisiana swamp-pop singer/musician Tommy McLain.
Adcock told American Songwriter that the track with The Rolling Stones was “just the godd— coolest thing I’ve ever f—in’ been involved with.” He added, “I’m here to tell you, and tell the world, the record—not just the couple of ones that I was involved in, but the whole thing—it’s just a great record and there’s not a dud on it.”
You can pre-order A Tribute to the King of Zydeco now.
About Clifton Chenier
Chenier was a singer and accordion player who pioneered the zydeco genre, which brought together the influences of Creole music, Cajun music, R&B, and the blues. The Grammy-winning musician died in 1987 at the age of 62.
(Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic; Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images)
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