The Lied Center for Performing Arts Presents Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience, 2/1

The Lied Center for Performing Arts at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will present Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 1.

Tickets may be purchased at the Lied Center Ticket Office, 301 N. 12th St., by phone at 402-472-4747 or online at www.liedcenter.org. Ticket prices start at $18 for adults and $9 for youth.

It all began for the young Simien in the early 1980s during a time when the indigenous music of the Creoles was considered the music of the "old folks," in great jeopardy of dying out. While Simien and his friends were listening to the popular music of that time, he was also busy searching out his musical roots in zydeco music: a bold choice for any teenager. He left home to tour the world, becoming one of the most internationally recognized artists in the genre. His conscious choice as a young artist to preserve indigenous music makes him an important cultural asset and ambassador for the state of Louisiana. Simien has gone on to share the studio and stage with Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Robert Palmer, Los Lobos and the Dave Matthews Band, among others.

As Simien evolves to create a unique fusion of sound, critics and fans agree that he is taking his beloved zydeco music to a new level and into a larger music world, celebrating circles of American roots music. He continues to raise the standards for his genre by establishing himself as a formidable songwriter and astonishing singer, who evokes comparisons to Sam Cooke and Aaron Neville. He is one of the most sought-after artists in roots music today.

A free pre-show talk for ticket holders, scheduled one half hour before the performance, will held in the Lied Center's Steinhart Room.

This Lied performance is sponsored by Dr. Phillip Engen. The Lied Center's 23rd season is supported by Friends of Lied, Ameritas and Union Bank. All events in the Lied Center are made possible entirely or in part by the Lied Performance Fund, which has been established in memory of Ernst F. Lied and his parents, Ernst M. and Ida K. Lied. The Nebraska Arts Council, a state agency, has supported the programs of this organization through its matching grants program funded by the Nebraska Legislature; the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.