Cookie & The Cupcakes

Cookie & The Cupcakes were a legendary swamp pop band from Louisiana, best known for helping define the regional sound that blends rhythm and blues, Cajun, Creole, and country influences. Formed in the mid-1950s, the group originally started as Shelton Dunaway & The Cupcakes, but gained wider recognition when Huey “Cookie” Thierry took over as the frontman. Their biggest hit, “Mathilda,” released in 1959, became a regional anthem and is often considered the unofficial national anthem of swamp pop music.

The band’s raw, emotional vocal style and danceable rhythms earned them a devoted following throughout the Gulf Coast. Along with “Mathilda,” their repertoire includes tracks marked by soulful melodies and blues-soaked horn arrangements. Though Cookie left the band in the mid-1960s, the group continued to perform and has seen periodic reunions over the years. Their influence endures as a cornerstone of Louisiana's rich musical heritage.