clutchcdn Wrote:If you dont know KWS...I would highly recommend you check him out. kennywayneshepherd.net.
KWS kicks ass.
Does
Noah Hunt (vocals) still perform with Kenny? He's from here in Cincinnati, and used to play alot in local clubs until KWS took him on for the
Trouble Is.... record. Which reminds me of a story....
About 7 or 8 years ago, a buddy of mine and I used to play hole-in-the-wall pubs around town (nothing too serious), and we managed to get a semi-regular gig on Monday and/or Tuesday nights at this tiny, dingy little bar called Stanley's Pub. This place has a sizey outdoor patio, but the barroom indoors is about the size of a living room, so often times (wintertime, especially) it would be absolutely packed to the gills. Funny thing is, this place had developed a reputation for featuring good, honest-to-goodness live roots music (blues, bluegrass, honkeytonk, etc.) - a deviation from the typical sing-along crap found in most other neighborhood bars with makeshift stages. Though it's capacity is miniscule, this steamy, rowdy little dive slowly became a favorite of music lovers, because the vibe is good and the energy is intense. Soon, acts that could fill bigger joints started playing little Stanley's Pub because of this atmosphere and the response from eager patrons.
Of course, my friend and I were nobodies, so they stuck us on open dates to basically play covers for $20 apiece and free beer. So one Tuesday night, we rounded up a bassist and a couple percussionists to open up the setlist a little bit, did a little self-publicizing, and draw a nice crowd. We had worked up a respectable version of Kenny Wayne Shepherd's
Blue on Black, which was getting lots of airplay and I must say we nailed it pretty damn well. At it's close, the crowd went nuts - by far the best response we'd gotten for any number all night. So naturally, we ended the set right then and there.
We were tickled, of course, and headed over to the bar where the owner was seated, expecting perhaps a little gratitude on his part for getting something going on what probably would have otherwise been a very slow night for his establishment. But he was FAR from happy.
"
Who the fuck do you guys think you are?", he snapped.
"
Uhhh.....?". We were utterly perplexed.
"
Do you see that?", he grumbled, pointing to a black autographed Fender Strat mounted on the wall over the bar.
The signature on the pickguard was that of
Noah Hunt, lead vocalist on the KWS track we had just finished playing.
"
Don't you jerkoffs ever - EVER - play that song in here again! Do you understand?!"
I don't think I've ever had a feeling of satisfaction ripped from me so abruptly.
Turns out Noah was some kind of kin to this guy or something, and for whatever reason he took our cover a little personally? I'm pretty sure we didn't butcher it...and we certainly weren't
profiting from playing it. Maybe it conjured up some sad or painful feelings & memories? We never did get an explanation.
Nor did we ever get invited back to play there again.