He calls himself the Zydeco Hog.

Nathan Williams, lead singer of Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, is a typical zydeco musician in that he isn't the most savvy self-promoter.

He and others admit it.

So when Williams, whose group headlines the sixth annual Frozen Alligator Cajun Bayou Heritage Festival tomorrow evening in the Ohio Theatre, tries to explain how he is hitting the big time by connecting himself to swine, you just sit back, smile, and take it in.

It's true that hogs are central to the lifestyle and eating habits of French-speaking Creole country folks and their Cajun counterparts. Williams, who lives in the thick of it as a resident of Lafayette, La., has acknowledged how the animal is used to make such - um, er - delicacies as cracklin', boudin, and hogshead cheese, as well as the usual meat products.

And it's true, as Williams points out, that some zydeco musicians have had a friendly competition among each other to be known as zydeco-this or zydeco-that. His voice has an unmistakable tone of respect when he talks about the late Clifton Chenier, a music pioneer who achieved worldwide acclaim as the undisputed King of Zydeco many years ago.

But is Williams achieving success because of, or in spite of, his hog moniker? It really doesn't matter, because zydeco musicians would agree it's all about getting out on the dance floor and having your feet move to their happy style of music.

That infectious urge to dance will invariably rub off on people who attend tomorrow's festival, which begins at 6:30 p.m.

In addition to a performance by Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, the festival will feature Donna Angelle and her Zydeco Posse. A native of St. Martin Parish in Louisiana who combines traditional zydeco with soul and blues, Angelle will make her Ohio debut.

Zydeco differs from Cajun in that it has a more urban tempo and was developed by French-speaking blacks in Louisiana known as Creoles. Cajun is a fiddle-enhanced, more traditional rural folk sound developed by French-speaking immigrants from Nova Scotia called Acadians.

Cajun and zydeco dance lessons, a popular feature from past festivals, will return.

“Bring your dancing shoes because we're going to sock it to them all night long,” Williams promises.

He performed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and has done music for several television spots. A little over a year ago, he started his own record label.

He plays about 150 gigs a year, some as close as a famous Lafayette tavern called El Sid-O's Zydeco and Blues Club. Other shows are as far away as Austria, Spain, France, Japan, Turkey, the Netherlands, and Germany.

“I don't mind going anywhere that I can go and make a dollar and make people happy,” he said.

His older brother and manager, Sid Williams, owns the landmark Lafayette tavern and was responsible for getting him his first accordion. Sid bought it from one of zydeco's most popular ambassadors, Buckwheat Zydeco, one of many musicians whom Williams credits with influencing his career.

The youngest of eight children, Williams' father died when he was 7. He was inspired to play music by several family members.

Like many Cajun and zydeco musicians, Williams gives the impression that he's not in the business to get rich or achieve rock-star status.

“I mean it from my heart. I'm no fake. I'm where the music comes from. I know what ignites people to make them have a good feeling,” he said.

His focus shifted during a recent interview to his 15-year-old son, Nathan, Jr., who won a major accordion contest in Lafayette almost four years ago and is due to release his debut CD just before the famous New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

“It just touches me, man,” Williams said, predicting a bright future for his son. “I'm glad I'm leaving a legacy behind.”

The Zydeco Hog is no philosopher. But he's a proud papa.

He enjoys putting on a good dance party. But he doesn't lose sight of his religious faith or his work ethic. “My motto in life is putting God first and believing in whatever you're doing,” he said.

Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas are the headliners for the sixth Frozen Alligator Cajun Bayou Heritage Festival, which begins at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow in the Ohio Theatre, 3114 Lagrange St. Tickets for adults are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. The cost for students is $8 in advance and $11 at the door.

First Published February 8, 2002, 5:00 a.m.