Hey there. Being home all the time now, who knew that the kitchen would become my favorite room in the house?
No, I haven’t become a gourmet cook. But I have become an excellent snacker. And thanks to delivery services I only have to go as far as my front porch for new supplies.
So, if you ever drop by for a visit, be prepared to spend a lot of time in my Kitchen. (And bring some stretchy clothes.)
This week: I’ve got a Spotlight on one of the current Blues-Rock superstars.
And then in Short Licks, there’s some ideas for your naughty-and-nice list, a guitar tutorial, and more for you to nibble on.
Spotlight – Kenny Wayne Shepherd
“All Good Things Come to Those Who Wait.”
Ahh, but not Kenny Wayne Shepherd.
He didn’t wait. And it’s a good thing too because if he did, we wouldn’t have all of the terrific music he’s produced in the last 25 years.
Musical Wunderkind
The music bug took a big bite out of Kenny early on. He got his first guitar when he was three or four. Oh, it was a toy guitar for sure, but that didn’t matter to the young man. he was hooked.
By age seven he was getting serious. He started picking out melodies from his father’s record collection. By 13 he was performing in front of an audience. And in 1995, when he was just 18 years old, he cut his first album, “Ledbetter Heights.”
That album happened to make it to number 1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. Not bad for someone barely old enough to shave.
No One-Hit-Wonder Here
Kenny’s next album, “Trouble Is…,” was Grammy nominated, charted platinum, and produced four top 10 hits including the number 1 hit “Blue on Black.”
That album also holds the distinction of being the longest-running album on the Billboard Blues Chart.
Incidentally, this is the album where Kenny started working with Noah Hunt. Noah shares lead vocals with Kenny and plays rhythm guitar. That collaboration goes on to this day.
In all, six of Kenny’s next seven albums reached number 1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. That makes him both an artistic and commercial success.
Deep Blues Connection
But Kenny doesn’t just play the Blues. He preserves the Blues too.
In 2004 he started a project that ultimately turned into “10 Days Out: Blues from the Backroads.” — an album and documentary film that spotlighted some real Blues pioneers.
Some you may have heard of (B.B. King, Pinetop Perkins), and some, not so much (Cootie Stark, Lazy Lester). All, real trailblazers.
The interviews and music that came out of this project brought Kenny two Grammy nominations and a Blues Music Award. But more to the point, it gave us some terrific traditional Blues music. And it shined a bright light on some historically significant Blues women and men, keeping the Blues flame alive.
The Outro
Kenny Wayne Shepherd won the musical lottery at an early age. But, unlike your typical lottery winner, he didn’t just disappear with his winnings. Instead, he doubled-down, he reinvested. And in the process he produced some of the best Blues Rock of the last quarter century.
It’s scary to think that, after all that music, he’s still only just 43 years old. He could be kickin’ out the jams for another 25 years – easy. Good for us!
And Kenny’s still doing it too. Here’s a Short Playlist from Kenny’s latest album “The Traveler”
Short Licks
Photo by freestocks on Unsplash
Filling the Music Void
“In essence it’s just a piece of (finely tuned) wood that vibrates and radiates the sound in a similar way as it would happen if the artist was in your room.” So says Nick Dangerfield, the CEO of Oda. This startup is creating highly-engineered speakers and a subscription service to go along with them for live performances. (Yeah, but will they replace your earbuds?)
Spin Meisters
If you’re interested in keeping track of which Blues tunes are getting the most radio play, check out the Roots Music Report. It’s also a good place to go if you’re looking to broaden your Blues horizons and discover an artist you haven’t heard about before. Sign up is free too.
Roots Music Report – Blues Chart
Teacher Teacher
Eric Johanson has just put out a new album, “Below Sea Level.” (It’s a big hit by the way.) He’s also putting out some free YouTube videos demonstrating just how he plays guitar on some of the album’s songs. This is going to be a big hit too. (Said every Blues guitar nerd ever.)
Is it That Time Already?
Want to get something neat for that special Blues friend or loved one? Well, don’t settle for just the ordinary stuff. Go for the gold! From t-shirts to paintings, posters, and prints; you can find some really cool, original stuff on the Mojohand site.
The Perfect Blues Music Gifts for Christmas
100 Years of Blues
Charlie Musselwhite’s harmonica and Elvin Bishop’s guitar have played more Blues than just about anyone. Put them together and you have more than a century of Blues. This is a great interview that takes you back through the pages of their two careers – from their early Chicago days and beyond. A taste of what it was like walking in their shoes.
Charlie Musselwhite & Elvin Bishop Interview
I’ll Leave You With…
“Call Me Crazy” by Albert Cummings
(You think I was born yesterday, but I stayed up late last night)
Thanks for reading,
Jon
Jon Beres
I’m one part Blues Fan and one part Digital Native (with a dash of Curmudgeon.) I’m also the publisher of AlltheWayBlue.com. If you love the Blues, I have a feeling we’ll get along just fine - cheers!
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