Who is Chris Ardoin? All about the Zydeco musician who was shot while performing onstage in Louisiana

Zydeco musician Chris Ardoin has been shot onstage in Louisiana (image via Instagram/Chris Ardoin)

Zydeco musician, Chris Ardoin, was reportedly shot onstage during a concert in Louisiana on July 30th, 2021. The singer was immediately rushed to the hospital and is currently under treatment.

Ardoin was midway through his performance at Louisiana Mudfest in Colfax when the incident took place. He was reportedly headlining the show for the evening. The singer was reportedly shot in the back and suffered a wound to his right side.

The news was confirmed by his family members. Chris Ardoin’s wife, Kerri, took to Facebook to share details of the near-fatal shooting:

“Yes, unfortunately tonight he did get shot in the back on his right side while on stage. Doctors said thankfully he’s a built guy. The bullet didn’t penetrate his lung and stopped near his ribs. We are currently in the hospital.”

The Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office also elaborated on the incident in an official statement:

“There were thousands of people at the event and many of them immediately began trying to leave. There were hundreds of vehicles trying to leave at once, when we received a 911 call that there were two people with guns that jumped onto the running boards of a vehicle that was trying to leave.”

The sudden shooting caused immediate panic and chaos among the audience. A 14-year-old minor also fell victim to gun violence alongside Chris Ardoin. Officials found two people with guns at the scene and have already arrested the suspects.

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Fans react to Chris Ardoin being shot onstage

Chris Ardoin is one of the most recognized names in the Zydeco music industry of Texas and Louisiana. The accordionist and singer is known for his unique fusions of zydeco, hip-hop, R&B and reggae.

The 40-year-old was born into a musical family on April 7th, 1981, in Louisiana. His father, Lawrence Ardoin, was a frontman of a French Zydeco band, while his grandfather, Bois Sec Ardoin, was a legendary Creole accordionist.

Chris Ardoin is one of the few contemporary artists who contributed to the creation of the nouveau zydeco style of music. He started playing the accordion at the tender age of two and formed his own band, Double Clutchin’, at the age of ten.

Ardoin rose to prominence with the release of the band’s debut album, That’s Da Lick, in 1994. He gained further recognition with their second album, Turn the Page, in 1997. Following his brother, Sean Ardoin’s departure from the band, Chris renamed the band NuStep.

The band went on to release five albums under the new name and gained immense success in the Zydeco music industry. Chris Ardoin was onstage with his band at the time of the shooting.

The incident left the Zydeco community in utter shock. Several fans took to social media to offer their prayers and support to the singer:

As social media users continue to hope for Chris Ardoin’s recovery, it is likely that the constant encouragement will help the singer heal faster.

The musician is reportedly in a stable condition at the moment but will require some time to make a complete recovery.

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