In 1955, he signed with Specialty Records and garnered his first national hit with his label debut "Eh, 'tite Fille"[6] ("Hey, Little Girl", a cover of Professor Longhair's song).

[1] The release's national success led to numerous tours with popular rhythm and blues performers such as Ray Charles, Etta James, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, T-Bone Walker, and Lowell Fulson.

"[9] Over time, the band expanded to include saxophone and organ, and electric effects pedals, with all melody instruments taking turns at solos.

Chenier is credited with redesigning the wood and crimped tin washboard into the vest frottoir, an instrument that easily hung from the shoulders.

He found popularity for his ability to manipulate the distinctive sound of the frottoir by rubbing several bottle openers (held in each hand) along its ridges.

[15][16] Clifton Chenier's bandmate and protégé Buckwheat Zydeco achieved national success playing the piano accordion.

[7] Paul Simon mentioned Chenier in his song "That Was Your Mother" on his 1986 album Graceland, calling him the "King of the Bayou."

Rory Gallagher wrote a song in tribute to Chenier, "The King of Zydeco" on his last studio album Fresh Evidence (1990).

Sonny Landreth recalls growing up on the rhythm of Clifton and Cleveland and the Red Hot Louisiana Band in South of I-10, song title and name of the album released in 1995.

[19] In 2016, the Library of Congress deemed Chenier's album Bogalusa Boogie to be "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Recording Registry.