Kenny Wayne Shepherd (born Kenny Wayne Brobst, June 12, 1977) is the fourth member of my
1970s-born blues guitar phenoms. He grew up in Shreveport Louisiana and is
completely self-taught. Apparently he doesn’t read music. His first guitars
were plastic, purchased by his grandmother with S&H Green Stamps. How many
of you remember those? I can identify with his learning method. He picked up
his licks a note at a time by listening to them on a cassette player and
rewinding them over and over again, much the way I learned to play Jack Bruce’s
improvisations note for note from the live Cream albums. His early influences
were Muddy Waters, Albert Lee, and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
At the age of
fifteen, Irving Azoff, the president of Giant Records signed him to a multi-album
deal. He was one of those young guns who hit the blues scene hard at the age of
seventeen and made old guys like me decide to hang up the guitar. Shepherd
holds the record for the longest running album on the Billboard Blues Charts
with “Trouble is.” He’s been nominated for five Grammy Awards and has received
two Billboard Music Awards, Two Blues Music Awards, and two Orville H. Gibson
Awards.
He’s grown into
quite a musician and family man. In September of 2006, he married Mel Gibson’s
eldest daughter, Hannah and they have three children, a daughter and two sons.
Maybe the sons will grow up and form a power trio with Dad with daughter doing
the vocals.
Never lookin back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsSaObejUuo
Blue on black: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee735pZ6kxk
Born with a broken heart: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cHQTcdPDTk
Shotgun blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti-72KavxHQ
Deja Voodoo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF4f9NdCFUU
Midnight rider: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtNUWU0QUGs
At the Blues Garage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y8nV8cjKHg&feature=related
I have a truly unique wine for tonight, the third from Le
Roc des Anges. Their Les Vignes Metissees is a blend of different grape
varieties, principally Grenache Gris, Carignan Blanc, and Macabeu aged in oak
barrels. It’s a delicate rosé color, almost like pale copper with a subtle
floral bouquet accented by hints of pear. The taste is fresh with pear, lemon,
and herbs that leads into a creamy, long finish. It’s not really a white or a
rose, but quite unique. A great wine and
a great guitarist.
Cheers!
