Dwayne Dopsie rocks Jazz Fest alongside legendary Rolling Stones | Don’t miss out on this epic festival performance!

Dwayne Dopsie was taken aback when Quint Davis, the producer of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, called him. He feared that something had gone wrong with his May 5 Jazz Fest date, but to his surprise, Davis was offering him a chance to play with a band that was interested in collaborating with him. When Davis mentioned that the band was none other than The Rolling Stones, Dopsie thought it was a joke at first.

However, when Dopsie arrived at the rehearsal with his zydeco accordion, he found himself face to face with Mick Jagger and the band. As they embraced him warmly, Dopsie couldn’t believe that this dreamlike moment was actually happening. “This was like a dream,” Dopsie, who is 45 years old, recounted. “When they saw me, they hugged me with open arms, ‘Dwayne, how you doin’?’ I never felt so much love from grown men like that.”

Dopsie reciprocated the love during their performance at the Jazz Fest on May 2, where they played to a reported sell-out crowd of 40,000. Dopsie, often compared to the likes of Jimi Hendrix for his accordion skills, joined The Rolling Stones on stage for a live rendition of “Let it Bleed,” the title track from their 1969 album.

Another highlight of the show was when Irma Thomas, the Soul Queen of New Orleans, and Jagger performed “Time is on My Side” together for the first time. The Stones recorded the song in 1964, just days after hearing Thomas’ version, and it went on to become their first Top Ten hit in the U.S.

Dopsie described the experience of performing with The Rolling Stones as the greatest moment of his life. “It was a joy,” he expressed. “It was a teaching moment for me. I wanted to make everybody proud and not mess up. From the first note, they all looked at me and smiled. I said, ‘That’s it.'”

This gig marked another significant milestone in Dopsie’s life. As a teenager, he dropped out of school to pursue zydeco music, following in the footsteps of his legendary father, Rockin’ Dopsie. At just 19 years old, he was crowned “America’s Hottest Accordionist” in a national competition. His band, the Zydeco Hellraisers, went on to achieve success playing on network TV shows, commercials, world tours, and receiving two Grammy nominations.

His accomplishments were further recognized when he was featured in the award-winning documentary “Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story,” which won the 2023 Grammy for Best Music Film. Earlier this year, Dopsie contributed to Beyonce’s country album, “Cowboy Carter,” and his upcoming album titled “Now is the Time” will be distributed by Universal, the largest music company in the world, in June.

Reflecting on his journey, Dopsie shared, “I look back at all the stuff I’ve done and I’m still accomplishing. I wish I could meet up with that teacher and say, ‘Thank you for telling me I’ll never make it. Because boy, I’m sure making it.'”

Herman Fuselier, the executive director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission and a veteran journalist covering Louisiana music and culture, resonates with Dopsie’s story. His “Zydeco Stomp” show airs on KRVS 88.7 FM at noon Saturdays.