Chuck Shute Podcast

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Talks New Record, Songwriting, Sobriety & More!

July 10, 2024 Kenny Wayne Shepherd Season 5 Episode 446
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Talks New Record, Songwriting, Sobriety & More!
Chuck Shute Podcast
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Chuck Shute Podcast
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Talks New Record, Songwriting, Sobriety & More!
Jul 10, 2024 Season 5 Episode 446
Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Kenny Wayne Shepherd is an American blues rock guitarist, singer and songwriter.  His latest album “Dirt On My Diamonds Vol. 2” is available September 20th. We discuss the new record, songwriting, sobriety, inspiration, touring and more!

00:00 - Intro
00:13 - The Look
02:45 - James Brown & Prince
05:13 - Crossing Paths with Legends & Goals
08:15 - New Record & Songwriting
13:57 - The Place You're In
17:15 - Sobriety, Party Lifestyle & Inspiration
23:15 - Music as Catharsis & Bringing People Together
25:23 - Future Shows
27:50 - Outro

Kenny Wayne Shepherd website:
https://www.kennywayneshepherd.net/

Chuck Shute link tree:
https://linktr.ee/chuck_shute

Support the Show.

Thanks for Listening & Shute for the Moon!

Show Notes Transcript

Kenny Wayne Shepherd is an American blues rock guitarist, singer and songwriter.  His latest album “Dirt On My Diamonds Vol. 2” is available September 20th. We discuss the new record, songwriting, sobriety, inspiration, touring and more!

00:00 - Intro
00:13 - The Look
02:45 - James Brown & Prince
05:13 - Crossing Paths with Legends & Goals
08:15 - New Record & Songwriting
13:57 - The Place You're In
17:15 - Sobriety, Party Lifestyle & Inspiration
23:15 - Music as Catharsis & Bringing People Together
25:23 - Future Shows
27:50 - Outro

Kenny Wayne Shepherd website:
https://www.kennywayneshepherd.net/

Chuck Shute link tree:
https://linktr.ee/chuck_shute

Support the Show.

Thanks for Listening & Shute for the Moon!

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

I literally just got done doing my workout for the day. So I'm not in Rockstar mode. Is that?

Chuck Shute:

Is that a thing? Like, I mean, because I feel like that's something that's kind of a lost art of live performances and stuff is musicians getting dressed up. And obviously not as much as like kiss, but you know, even just putting on something that looks like they didn't just come from the gym or whatever. Yeah,

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

exactly. Well, you know, I've kind of, you know, I grew up watching guys, that created personas. And, you know, James Brown is a perfect example. But, you know, His thing was just like, he never really detached from that, like, he was always James Brown, and, you know, the guy you saw on stage, and he wouldn't let anybody see him. Otherwise, you know, and so, I kind of, I put on the outfit to get on stage, I put on the hat, sometimes I put on the nicer clothes. You know, like, when I was younger, sometimes you see me on stage, like, you know, in jeans and a T shirt, because I was a kid, you know, and that's kind of like, was what people my age were wearing. But as I've gotten older, I realized it's like we're there to entertain the people. And, uh, you know, I think that people want to see somebody up there that doesn't look like, you know, or isn't necessarily dress like, you know, any other average guy walking down the street, you got to set yourself apart a little bit. I mean, it's a show business after all, for sure.

Chuck Shute:

Absolutely. Yeah. Because I mean, you started in the 90s. And that was when that was so not cool to you know, you had like the grunge and stuff like I'm from Seattle, I grew up in the 90s. And so I remember that that was what people were just, you know, flannels and T shirts. And it was not cool to you know, coming from the glamour, it was like the one at that. But now I feel like it's more you can Yeah, especially with this kind of with blues and stuff, you got to have the hat, the fedora. And so you got to do that a little of that stuff. You well you kind of owe

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

it to the people, it's like, you know, these people are spending their hard earned money to come out and be entertained. And, and I think you kind of owe it to them to suit up and show up, you know, and I'm not wearing like tuxedos, like BB King, you know, his band, famously wore tuxedos at every show. And, you know, we don't take it to that level. But like, I do have a pretty, I mean, I have a pretty firm requests of my band members that, you know, we're not wearing the same clothes on stage that we wore, you know, throughout the, you know, the middle of the day that we're not wearing the clothes that we walked to target, or, you know, Costco or the shopping mall in like we have, there's there's a there's a difference between our stage wear and our leisure wear,

Chuck Shute:

right? Well, you mentioned James Brown, did you ever meet him?

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

Oh, yeah, dude, he was like, he was Uncle James to me. So like him and my dad were friends before I was born. And if you go back and look at my first album, lead better heights. James Brown, wrote the liner notes inside the booklet for the CD. And so yeah, hit me. He's, I mean, I played with him. I saw him play throughout my entire childhood, many, many different times spent, you know, a lot of occasions with him and hanging out with him. We played a show in Augusta, Georgia back in, I don't know, maybe the year 2000 Or something like that. And we played a theater and he came out and sat out in the in the theater and watched our entire soundcheck and then took me in the band out to lunch and took us over to his radio station and did an on air interview with me in the band and everything. I mean, you know, he was very much a part of my extended family, if you will.

Chuck Shute:

Wow. And then I saw I thought I saw something that I've never heard the story but I think you posted it when Prince passed that you were you were lucky enough to meet him. Do you have a memory of that? Was that just like a one time thing? Or was it more of

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

a? That was a one time deal? I mean, that was back in my younger kind of Wilder days and he was throwing a big party out at Paisley Park in Minneapolis and I was in town for some reason or another and wound up invited to come out and you know mainly it's like I just really kind of caught it we just kind of you know briefly met one another he had the I always had this I mean you hear all these stories and yeah, I mean yeah, this whole mystique. He had like people surrounding him all the time. So you know, if he walked through the room and you were there it's like you could come into proximity you know of him but not necessarily, you know, be directly next to him kind of thing and you know, it was like you know that we were introduced and then he kind of like you know just kind of floated away and then and then his guitar tech shows let me check out his his main 5050 Something maybe 57 Telecaster that was like his number one guitar. So I got to check that guitar out which is pretty cool. But I didn't stay very long. I was only there for maybe about an hour, hour and a half total. But yeah, that was my one encounter. And he kind of floated in and floated out, you know, to like he does or like he did. Yeah.

Chuck Shute:

Wow. So many legends that you've collaborated with work with tour toured with, is there anyone that you haven't met? That's on your bucket list?

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

No, but you know, it's like, I get that question every so often. And it's always kind of interesting to me, because it's like, if I had a list, if I had a running list of people that I wanted to check off that I wanted to meet, that would kind of make me feel like a stalker. You know, I got, I got that

Chuck Shute:

guy. Well, now, like a list, like an actual list, but there's somebody that, that you looked up to, that you've always been a fan of, that you just that you've always dreamed of, of working with, or collaborate or touring with, that you just never got to?

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

Well, I don't really like so I've got to do a lot of amazing things. And I've, I've basically met everybody that I could ever hope to me, you know, and I'm sure there's more people in my future. But you know, I just kind of take it one day at a time and see what what's in store, you know, it's like, I don't try and make things happen. I just kind of wait to see what's going to happen. And usually I end up passing and crossing paths with some really interesting people. Like, for example, I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would have a band and make two records with Stephen Stills from Crosby, Stills and Nash, you know, it's like, but we did that. And, and it was a lot of fun. And we made two really cool records and did three tours together as a band called the rides and, and, you know, I never set out to make that happen. I never like, sat around and wondered if I could somehow make music with Stephen Stills. But that, but that ended up happening. And then it's even more exciting, actually, when you just kind of allow things to happen organically like that, because then it can actually be a surprise. Interesting.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah. So you're not like one of those people that has like a vision board that's like, Alright, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna tour this place. I'm gonna play this venue. You just like you just let it happen. And then all these amazing ways and things happen? Well,

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

generally, yes. And no. I mean, as I've gotten older, yes, I have a strategy. Like, I mean, you have to have a strategy, you have to have goals, you have to have, like, as far as a career goes, because you have to manage like a career has to be managed. And to manage a career you have to have you got to set goals and then set out to accomplish them. So yeah, when it comes to making a tour happen, and the routing of a tour and the venues you play, or the venues you want to play, and things like that, I mean, yes, I'm very much involved, strategically, and, and we have lots of meetings about that kind of stuff. But as far as the creative realm goes, and, you know, collaborations and, and jamming with or having somebody come and write a song with me, or playing on their record, or them playing on my record, I just kind of like, you know, take that stuff as it comes. Because I find that I find it to be more interesting than trying to force something or, you know, make something happen like that. Right.

Chuck Shute:

Well, I mean, if you're, if you're putting yourself in the right places, and in the right field to do all those things that yeah, of course, that's going to happen. But yeah, if you try to force it, I see what you're saying there. Sometimes it can be kind of fake and contrived, contrived. Yeah, that's good word for it. Yeah. Well, this new record is so cool. I mean, it's just like, I don't know you consider it kind of like a throwback. Like it's just so great. Just the blues. It's rockin it's got the you got the horns on it. And I mean, you recorded it in muscle Muscle Shoals. Right. Well,

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

we wrote wrote it, but so we did. Yeah, we did two records. It's like a, there's a double kind of companion albums of volume one, volume two. So volume one came out November dirt on my diamonds, Volume One. And then now we're getting ready to release Volume Two in September. And yeah, we wrote, basically, you know, I mean, I when I, when I do records, I write a lot of songs and, and it doesn't ever mean that all those songs make it on any record. And sometimes, you know, some of them will make it on this record. And some of them might make it on a record a few years from me, who knows, but, but most of the songs were written down in Muscle Shoals at fame, recording studios, we were in that in that studio for about a week. Me and a bunch of guys that I write songs with, and we're just having a big powwow and we just started hammering outs. You know, generally, I mean, you know, we'll either when I'm writing songs, most of the time, it's like, we're either in Louisiana or we're in the Nashville area. So we want to do something different. So we're like, Hey, let's go down to Muscle Shoals you know, and those studio that studio in particular is like, it's like a time warp. I mean, the thing is, like, it's exactly the way that it was back when all those legendary records were recorded there, you know, back in the day, and so you walk in and you just feel this vibe. I mean, it's like, it's permeated, you know, the walls and the carpet and everything. I mean, it's just there it's oozing out of the building. So we felt that you know, getting out of, you know, the normal fee of writing songs in Nashville and going down there and you know, then the vibe It's in that studio that you know, maybe something interesting might come from it. And what ended up coming from it was a, basically a double album or a volume one volume two situation, which I'm really excited about.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah. So how do you write those parts with the horns? Was that written there? Or is that something that you guys added later when you recorded it?

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

Yeah, that's a that's a, that's an overdub type situation. I mean, I like to do, we record records, I like to have the whole band playing, you know, together in the studio. At the same time. I'm not one of those guys that like emails, songs to people, you know, the other side of the planet has done just put their part on it. But generally playing with morons, it's something you do. That's like one of the last parts of the processes, you put the horns on after the fact it's kind of hard to try and track a band with a horn section in the room, too. It's like bleed over and stuff like that. But yeah, those guys, generally, you know, we'll have the horn faction come up with parts, and then they'll come in and they'll play the parts they came up with. And then we either approve that, or we start kind of fine tuning it or making changes where necessary.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, it's great. It's great. I love all the songs are so catchy, they're fun. I think my favorite might be never made it to Memphis that's like a is that when you're gonna play live? Because I could see it's not only a sing along chorus, I feel like you want to sing along to the verses too.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

Yeah, well, you know, that's the thing I grew up in a radio household. My dad was a disc jockey and program director, and general manager of multiple radio stations in my hometown. And so I grew up literally around the radio station and going to, you know, every concert that came through town, but like, I was absorbing music 24/7 And, and the idea of writing songs that people that you know, stick in people's had to have catchy melodies that have courses that make you want to sing along with them. That's part of my DNA that's like part of who I am. And who I grew up, as in Louisiana, you know, and so that's what I've always wanted to do. And when I sat down to write music, that's always been my approach. It's like, I love blues. And blues is like, the foundation of everything that we do, but I inevitably taken into different directions. But one of the things I always focused on was writing strong courses that, that hopefully catch and, you know, stick in people's heads and make them want to sing along.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah. And then do you typically write the CO write the lyrics? Or does Noah do all the lyric writing? Or how does that work? No, no,

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

so no, and I've written a couple songs together over the years. But generally, I have people that I write with outside the band, I would say 90, probably 98% of all the songs that we write, start with musical ideas that I've come up with, and I'll walk in the room, and I'll throw out, you know, a riff or, you know, chord structure that I came up with or a groove, and then we start building off of that, but yes, I participate in the writing of the lyrics and stuff. One of the reasons why I started co writing with other people went out in the early days of my career was because I wasn't a singer at that point. So I didn't really know how to write vocal melodies. You know, it's like, that wasn't something that came naturally to me, because I wasn't really a singer, I was, you know, I'm still consider myself to be a guitar player that sings You know, but I think way more lead vocals now, in my music than I ever have before, right. And so, but back then I needed somebody to really help me, especially when it came to, you know, the vocal melodies themselves. And so, you know, I aligned myself with people that I felt like I had good chemistry with. And that brought, you know, a lot to the table, especially in regards to lyrics and vocal melodies and stuff and phrasing. So, and then, you know, the more you do that, the better you become at it, as well. And so that's something that I've kind of developed and really honed in on over the years by working with some incredible writers.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, well, I don't think it gets talked about very much, but I actually really liked I liked all your albums with a kid. When I was a kid, I had the CDs, and I remember, like the place you're in, and that was one that was so different. You know, it's like 60% of the album was recorded with a Gibson Les Paul, which was unusual for you. It's a first one with you singing, and it's kind of a less of a blues. It's a little bit more of alternative rock. You know, you call out the songs with Marty Frederickson, who I love and I mean, I just some of those songs are so good like alive and you just you never played that stuff live.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

Well, we did on that tour, but but we haven't played some of it in a long time. Like that actual the that song alive. I really liked that song. It's a little high. It's a little high for me now. So if I do add it back into the show, I'm gonna have to drop the key because believe it or not, it's just slightly a bit too high at this point. But that doesn't mean that we won't play them in the future or that we don't ever play them. As a matter of fact, that song Let go which is kind of a mid tempo, almost a ballad type thing here. Ah, we played that for many, many years even after the place you're in tour, because that was one of the songs that kept me singing, you know, in the show and also working on harmonies because that song has so many different harmonies and stuff. So we played that for several years and the set even after that tour for that record, but almost threw some of the songs from the place they're in into this set for the for this tour for this year. But once I started building the setlist, you know, so many of the new songs were feeling really good in the set that then it becomes a situation where, you know, the set that we play now is right around two hours, if there's not an opening act and like, you start going too far over that you start wearing people out, you know what I mean? But yeah, the place you're in will probably make its way back into the live concert. At some point in the near future some songs from that record, because I agree it's great record is basically a straight ahead rock album, there's not really a whole lot of blues, other than in my guitar soloing and stuff, but it's one of my, there's one of the records that I'm really proud of, because it did turn a lot of younger people on to my music at the time. And and it's, you know, was my step out record from my singing in the band as well.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah. And didn't you say that it was in this, this is what made me think, realize that maybe that's why I like it, too, is because that was more you're dealing with some personal stuff. And you kind of put that into the record. So it's a very more emotional record for you. Oh,

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

yeah. Well, I was, it was a definitely a transition point. For me, in my life, there's a lot of changes happening. You know, I was kind of like, taking the opportunity to, you know, I don't know, just clean up my life, you know, things were like, it was all like a big part of it all and then I was like, Yeah, I just can't keep doing all of that stuff. And so I was at a kind of a crossroads, and in a lot of different ways. And so there's a lot of changes happening and for the better without a doubt. But like, even just stepping up to the microphone and singing, like the majority of the lead vocals on that record was a scary thing for me at the time. But I pushed myself to do it, because I knew it's something that had to be done. And especially because of the nature of the songs and what was written in those songs, and that they were really my experiences that it was only appropriate that I'd be the one to sing them.

Chuck Shute:

Right, that makes sense. So that it seems like that is I interviewed a lot of musicians. And it seems like that is a path that it's like you start out in the music business. And then it's so fun. And it's like a party, and then you realize, like, oh, I can't keep partying, like you've hit a wall. And then you're like, alright, they're gonna tone it down and bring it in or just, people just go completely 100% sober.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

Yeah, well, that's me. I mean, I haven't had a drop of alcohol or any kind of drug. I mean, the hardest thing that I've put in my body is Advil, you know, over 21 years, right? And so, and that's fine. It's like, to me, I feel like my life has been so much better. I mean, might you know, when you're a kid, and you signed a record deal, and you become successful, it's like, you think that a lot of times you think naively that, you know, in order to be a legitimate musician, and rock star, and all of those things that you have to live that kind of lifestyle, but you, you don't and actually, I found that I've been more productive, and the quality of my music now we had some incredible success and some really great records that I'm still very, very proud of, you know, whom before I stopped drinking, and all of that, but, but I do think that, you know, the depth and, and the areas that I have been able to explore my music, and my playing and all those things have gotten exponentially better. As a result of me being more focused, and being able to be more focused and present in my professional life and personal life. So I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. But there's plenty of people that can live that lifestyle. I mean, like it's, you know, Keith Richards and guys that are legendary for that stuff. And I mean, it's not that everybody has to stop, but you just have to do what's best for you. And for me, that's what was best.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, you might. And you and you saw a lot of that young when you took over these big acts like Aerosmith. I mean, they're notoriously sober. Do you toured with them? Like early on in the 90s? Right? Yeah, I

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

toured with the Eagles. And that was a sober tour. And I did the Aerosmith Night Live Tour. But then I you know, I did, I opened up for the stones and opened up for a lot of crazy bands to you know, that we're getting down and the I kind of saw both ends of the spectrum. But at the end of the day, I just kind of like had to had a moment where I had to assess like, you know, who I want to be what do I want my life to be like, and what do I need to do? You know, to get there and this was the solution for me. Yeah,

Chuck Shute:

so like, because I know some people say like, oh, Aerosmith. You know, they were they were so much better when they were doing drugs, and I feel like they're better now. But like in terms of inspiration, do you feel like back before drugs or alcohol did that help inspire songs at all and what do you use now to inspire you to write

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

well, I don't you know, I don't feel like that my music was never like I I don't know, man, it never revolved around the drugs and the alcohol and things like that, like, my songs were never about that my songs have always been about, you know, for the most part relationships and just observing life in general, you know, because I feel like, that's something we can all relate to is just living life and the world around us. And so that's kind of what it's always been about. And that's kind of what it has continued to be about. So I just think that a lot of musicians struggle with, you know, when they drink, and they do drugs and things like that, to do music is that then they struggle, if they're trying to stop it, what it does is it masks fear, like that becomes the solution, when people are scared, and maybe they don't even identify it as fear. But that's really kind of at the root of it, right. And so, you know, they use that as a coping mechanism in their lives, to cover pain, to cover suffering, to cover fear, and all of those things that kind of drive them to continue using that as a solution, right. And so what happens is, is that when you take that away, even though the solution ends up becoming the problem, right, it works for a little while, but then eventually, it stops working it actually wreaks havoc in their lives. So then they're faced with a situation where they have to consider letting that go. But they still see it as a solution. Right? So then they go, Well, what's my solution? Now? Now I'm faced with all of these feelings. Now I'm faced with this anxiety. Now I'm faced with this fear, how am I going to go out there and entertain these people, you know, without my medicine, basically, without the thing to like, cover all this anxiety in the sphere up so that I can actually walk out there and do my thing. So they have to find a way to break through that. But for me, it was like, I always knew that. I just leaned into the idea that I was playing on stage when I was 13 years old. And I was not doing I wasn't drinking alcohol. I wasn't doing drugs when I was 13 years old. So I knew that I had done it before. And I knew that I could do it again.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, I mean, that reminds me like because you're late, one of the songs on this new record, my guitar is crying. It's like the soulful, beautiful slow down kind of song. And there's, there's some line about, like, you know, I'd have a drink if I thought it would help. So like, it's like, that usually doesn't solve the problem. It's kind of without what I took that to mean. Yeah,

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

yeah, it says I'd have a drink if I thought it would help. But I just wind up feeling sorry for myself. Because that's what you do is eventually it's like, it's not a solution. It actually just pours gasoline on the fire just makes you feel worse, and it just makes the problems worth it worse, it's not ever a solution. You know, there's no silly, I don't care if you're an alcoholic, if you're not an alcoholic, but like there's never a situation where pouring alcohol on a problem makes it better. Right?

Chuck Shute:

It might temporarily freeze it, or at least for you to think about it. But then you wake up from after you're sober up, you're like, oh shit, things are either worse or the same. That's

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

why it's still there. Like, yeah, yeah, that is not it's not a solution. There's no, there's no resolution in that, right. So inevitably, sooner or later, it's like you're just putting off the inevitable and the inevitable is that you're gonna have to come to terms with it or face, whatever it is. So you know, that's just not a solution. Although it might seem like one in the moment, right? And that's the cunning illusion of it all was that this seems like it's a solution. It's really not. Right. Do

Chuck Shute:

you? Were you playing your guitar? And writing songs? Is that a solution for you, when you're dealing with tough emotions? Like is it because it's got I'm assuming it's really cathartic to play the guitar and to write songs through it?

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

Oh, it's absolutely an outlet. For me. It's absolutely therapeutic without a doubt, I think listening to music for people who don't play it is also therapeutic. So if you feel, I mean, I remember being a kid, like you'd hear a song and all of a sudden it spoke to you. And you'd feel like somebody else understands the way you feel especially like as a kid trying to, like navigate emotions for the first time. And you hear the songs and you just put it on repeat because you feel like it's speaking to your situation. And so just imagine if you're able to feel that from hearing a song that someone else had just imagine the ability to actually make that music and play it for those people. Like, yes, it's very much a therapeutic thing. And you know, the whole COVID situation where, you know, for two years, it's like you couldn't really play music and and do your craft. It was, I think a lot of musicians probably really struggled during that time. Because, you know, they didn't have their form of therapy available to them, you know, so, right, absolutely helped in a number of different ways.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah. And I feel like we were the country's already divided. And it felt like it was more divided during that time. And because they I think music, it's really weird to say, but I think music really does bring us all together. Because if you go to Kenny Wayne Shepherd show, I mean, it's going to be people from all different backgrounds, and they all have one thing in common, they love the music, and they're all rocking out to the same songs.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

Yeah, well, that's, I mean, I've never really I've always tried to use my platform to bring people together. I mean, that's the thing is music. Generally, is there to bring us all together and, you know, kind of leave all that stuff at the door. And that's always been my approach to music. I want to bring people together. I don't want to divide them definitely have no aspirations of becoming a politician or anything like that or infusing politics into my music. It's like, just let come one come all. And let's have a great time.

Chuck Shute:

I love it. Yeah, I mean, this is exciting, because you got the you have some solo shows, but then you're, you're going back on the experience Hendrix tour with Eric Johnson and Zakk Wylde, right?

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

Yeah, that's gonna be a lot of fun. It's always a great tour. And obviously you do COVID And, you know, other things. It's, it's been kind of on hiatus. So it's going to be a lot of fun getting that whole gang back together and doing that tour. I mean, if you're a guitar player, there's not many cars. There's not many tours that offer, you know, that kind of guitar playing that level of guitar playing in one package. And then, you know, some of the greatest songs written by the greatest guitar player of all time, so it's a it's always a homerun on that tour. Yeah,

Chuck Shute:

I've only seen you live once. It was amazing. And then I think one of my favorite parts was, I'm pretty sure you did a little wing, I mean, which is Stevie. Stevie Ray Vaughn has done it, but also is originally Jimi Hendrix. And like, you just killed that, from what I remember.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

Well, we generally, every show that I've ever done with only a few exceptions, since I put my band together at age 15. The last song of the show, it's always good to shout by Jimi Hendrix. So you know, that's one of the songs that I've kind of really kind of made. It's a staple in in my show, and it's definitely a crowd pleaser. And we'll be doing it on the experienced Hendrix tour as well.

Chuck Shute:

Awesome. I can't wait. Yeah, you're coming to Arizona. So I'll definitely check out either the one in Tucson or Mesa and yeah, people can I'll put the show the link to in the show notes about the tour dates and the album, the volume one dirt on my diamonds is out. Now. There's one song and Volume Two is out now. And then the full album comes out. What do we have the date? Do you remember what it is? I always forget. September 27.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

Yeah, I think that's about right. Okay.

Chuck Shute:

Perfect. Anything else you'd like to promote here?

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

Now, man, you know, we got a lot of stuff coming in the pipeline. I mean, just we encourage people to, you know, just get connected with us through social media so that we can stay in touch and just, you know, keep checking to see we're coming in your area. Because, I mean, I've got several albums in the works. And that's gonna keep us out on the road for the next several years, for sure. So, a lot of exciting things happening.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, I definitely encourage people to see you live. It's it's I mean, the recorded music is amazing, but seeing it live is like it takes it to a different level, in my opinion. I love it.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd:

I appreciate it, man. All right. Well, thanks

Chuck Shute:

so much. I'll talk to you soon. Okay. Bye bye.