Kenny Wayne Shepherd - 2006
A few years ago, Kenny Wayne Shepherd
took a well-deserved vacation after touring for eight years to support
his previous three albums. And the eleven blazing tracks that comprise
The Place You’re
In, his long awaited new Reprise Records release, are proof that it’s
been worth the wait. One of the most acclaimed guitarists of his generation,
Kenny Wayne Shepherd reveals intense musical passion in this new recording,
the first to feature his soulful vocals. In the process, he’s proven
conclusively that originality, authenticity and the restless urge to
grow are never out of date.
Produced by Marti Frederiksen, The Place You’re In spotlights
a stunning stylistic shift from an artist who almost single-handedly
introduced Blues/Rock to a new young audience. “It was a natural
progression,” remarks the Shreveport, LA native. “Although
I established myself in the blues, my music has always had rock elements.
When I started writing for this album, I just went where the songs led
me and found myself opening up to another side of my music.” But
it isn’t simply the impressive leap into rock and roll realms that
marks The Place You’re In as the most explosively innovative album
of Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s career. From its opening notes, the artist
reveals a fresh new dimension of his multi-faceted musical talent—that
of an assured and accomplished vocalist.
His untapped singing abilities came to the fore in
a single auspicious moment in early 2003. “I had a real moment of clarity, “ Shepherd
recounts. “I suddenly saw myself up on stage, fronting the band,
singing and playing guitar. I finally locked in on how those two elements
can work off each other. All of a sudden, I understood how making the
songs my own as a vocalist would give so much more passion to my guitar
playing and vice versa. From that moment, I knew I had to take the chance
and give it everything I’ve got.”
Giving it all he’s got has been a trademark
for Kenny Wayne Shepherd. At 13 years old he was earning critical acclaim
as a guitar wunderkind in clubs throughout the Deep South, and while
still in high school, he recorded his first album Ledbetter Heights
in 1995 which was certified gold by the RIAA.
It was followed, two years later by the platinum selling,
Grammy® nominated
Trouble is… which featured such blues-drenched chart toppers as “Slow
Ride” and “Blue On Black.” 1999 saw the release of
his third best seller and Grammy nominated, Live On, while his reputation
as an incendiary live performer was consolidated with a virtually endless
round of international touring that earned the young prodigy a fanatic
following across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
It was in 2000 that Shepherd took a well-deserved
respite to recharge his creative batteries, relocating to Los Angeles
to avail himself of the city’s thriving music scene. He was soon back at work, writing
new material and developing his vocal skills. “The songwriting
really flowed, “ he says, recounting his instant affinity with
producer Frederiksen. “Marti understood exactly what I was going
for and what it would take to get there. He just stepped back and let
it happen.”
Over eight months, Shepherd reached the requisite
level of confidence to step forward as a vocalist. When asked why he
never sang on his previous three albums, he explained, “I sang on a few tracks on my earlier
albums, but I was a lot younger then and the voice I was hearing in the
vocal booth wasn’t the same one I was hearing in my head. My songs
have always been highly personal, but the last thing I wanted to do was
sacrifice my sound for the sake of singing lead vocals. It just took
a while for them to match up.”
Helping maintain the standard that his fans have come
to expect has been Noah Hunt, lead singer on Shepherd’s previous two albums. “Noah
is still very much part of my music, “ the artist insists. “He
helped write a song on the new project and sings vocals on two cuts.”
Recording began in earnest earlier this year. “Once we got everything
up to speed, “ says Shepherd, “it really took off. At the
same time, I wanted to leave room for spur-of-the-moment inspiration.
At least half of the new songs were written in the studio in the heat
of the moment. Once I had the musical direction and the confidence to
sing what I had written, it was like nothing could stop us.” It
was that spirit of energy and enthusiasm that drew close friend Kid Rock
into the mix to co-write and record “Spank.”
“So much of what I’m hearing today draws from the negative, “ Shepherd
concludes. “There’s just a lot of bad energy floating around.
This music is hopefully putting something positive out there; a little
hope and optimism for the future. We’re all growing and changing.
Nothing stays the same. We might as well get behind it and enjoy the
ride.
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