Smithsonian Folkways Recordings has released new standard- and hi-resolution digital editions of Clifton Chenier’s complete full-length Arhoolie Records album catalog. This is the first time the label’s full set of Chenier LPs has been made available digitally in these formats.
The set spans from Chenier’s 1965 debut, Louisiana Blues And Zydeco, to 1982’s Live At The San Francisco Blues Festival. Additional titles in the rollout include Bogalusa Boogie, added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry in 2016, Out West (featuring guitarist Elvin Bishop and piano player Steve Miller), and Clifton Chenier’s Red Hot Louisiana Band.
Many of these recordings previously appeared as CD reissues beginning in the late 1980s and early 1990s, though some were altered during the reissue process. Smithsonian Folkways said the new digital editions restore original artwork, liner notes, and track lists. The campaign also adds numerous 7-inch singles from Chenier’s decades-long relationship with Arhoolie and founder Chris Strachwitz.
Smithsonian Folkways reported that the audio comes from new transfers of original master tapes held in the Smithsonian’s Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, followed by remastering by Smithsonian Folkways. The releases are available via major digital service providers, while the Smithsonian Folkways website serves as the exclusive retailer for 24-bit hi-res downloads.
The digital rollout arrives ahead of the box set King Of Louisiana Blues And Zydeco, a 4CD/6LP anthology billed as Chenier’s first career-spanning collection. The set includes a 160-page book of essays and photographs and is scheduled for release on February 6, 2026, via Arhoolie Records and Smithsonian Folkways.
Author: World Music Central News Room
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