Rockin' Sidney Simien
Known professionally as Rockin' Sidney, Sidney Simien was an American R&B, zydeco, and soul musician who began recording in the late 1950s and continued performing until his death. He is best known for his 1985 single “My Toot-Toot,” which reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and earned him a Grammy Award.
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Sidney Simien was born in Lebeau, Louisiana, into a Creole French–speaking family. He was a descendant of Antoine of Marseille, France, and Marie Simien, a free woman of color and plantation owner. Sidney began playing guitar at an early age and started his musical career at 14 or 15, performing harmonica and guitar. His first job was backing his uncle Frank Simien. By his late teens, he was leading his own band, Sidney Simien and His All Stars, which included several family members.
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In 1957, at age 18, he recorded his first side, “Make Me Understand,” on the short-lived Carl label. In 1962, “No Good Woman” became a regional hit in Louisiana, while its flip side, “You Ain’t Nothing But Fine,” brought him national attention as a songwriter. The Fabulous Thunderbirds later recorded the song on their debut album. Sidney continued recording singles, including “She’s My Morning Coffee” / “Calling You” on the Jin label.
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Although he became famous for zydeco, Sidney did not start out playing accordion or Cajun music. Influenced by Slim Harpo and Cookie & the Cupcakes, he made R&B-styled recordings on the Louisiana label Fame during the late 1950s. His early sessions often featured harmonica player George Lewis and pianist Katie Webster. Floyd Soileau’s Jin Records released nine Rockin' Sidney singles between 1957 and 1964, and Sidney also recorded for Rod Records. His 1963 single “No Good Woman” sold well in South Louisiana and East Texas and drew critical praise, though it narrowly missed the national Top 100.
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In 1965, Sidney and his band The Dukes signed with Eddie Shuler’s Goldband Records. During this period, he took to wearing a turban and was billed as “Count Rockin' Sidney.” He recorded more than a dozen R&B, soul, and blues singles—including “Something Working Baby” and “Soul Christmas”—but none achieved significant success. Between the mid-1960s and late 1970s, he released more than 50 singles for Goldband in a wide range of contemporary styles, but commercial success remained elusive.​​
By the late 1970s, Sidney was performing solo organ gigs in Lake Charles hotels and lounges when he noticed zydeco’s growing popularity. Floyd Soileau later said, “I suppose it was the mid-’70s when I suggested that he pick up the accordion and start doing zydeco.” Sidney quickly embraced the instrument and turned his attention to the traditional Creole folk music he had grown up around. His playful parodies of Clifton Chenier and Buckwheat Zydeco—complete with costumes, props, and even a ventriloquist dummy—became crowd favorites. His first zydeco album, Give Me a Good Time Woman, was released in 1982 on the Maison de Soul label.
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By this time Sidney was recording for the Bally Hoo label and had launched his own publishing company, Sid Sim Publishing. His zydeco recordings—including “Louisiana Creole Man”—were well-received, and by the early 1980s he had produced two successful albums for Maison de Soul: Give Me a Good Time Woman and Boogie, Blues ’N’ Zydeco. His breakthrough came in 1984 when “My Toot Toot” made him internationally famous. Sidney wrote and recorded the song at his home studio in Lake Charles, playing every instrument himself. Released in January 1985 in Louisiana and Texas, the single quickly became a regional sensation. Thanks to Cleon Floyd of the Orleans Street Jocks Association, it exploded in New Orleans and soon spread nationwide.
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A national label later picked up the track and released it across the country. For a brief moment, Rockin' Sidney made music history: “My Toot Toot” entered the national Top 40, stayed there for 18 weeks, went platinum, and won a Grammy Award. It became a worldwide million-seller. Sidney was featured in People, Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Music City News and appeared on numerous national TV shows, including Nashville Now, Church Street Station, Hee Haw, Austin City Limits, New Country, John Fogerty’s Showtime Special, and Charlie Daniels Jam. “My Toot Toot” was also featured in the films Hard Luck, One Good Cop, and The Big Easy.
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The song has been covered extensively, with notable versions by Fats Domino, Rosie Ledet, Jean Knight, Terrance Simien, Doug Kershaw, Denise LaSalle, Jimmy C. Newman, and John Fogerty. The Spanish version, “Mi Cucu” by La Sonora Dinamita, sold more than a million copies across Latin America. A German version, “Mein Tuut Tuut” by Leinemann, reached No. 15 on the German charts in 1985 and was used in national advertising campaigns. For decades, the song continued earning royalties from international commercial use.
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Sidney used royalties from “My Toot Toot” to purchase the Lake Charles radio station KAOK. He also bought Festival City, a six-acre entertainment complex, and founded his own label, ZBC Records. He toured the United States and Europe and continued recording—often playing all the instruments himself. Although nothing matched the monumental success of “My Toot Toot,” several of his songs, including “If It’s Good for the Gander,” “My Zydeco Shoes,” “Jalapeño Lena,” and “Ann Cayenne,” became zydeco standards performed regularly by other artists.
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After a long battle with throat cancer, Rockin' Sidney Simien died in 1998. He left behind his wife, three sons, and four grandchildren. He was funeralized at his hometown church, Immaculate Conception in Lebeau, Louisiana.