Taking a walk, you know, going to school and coming home from school, and rather than like doing what all the other kids are doing after school, I would go straight to my house and pick up my guitar and sit down in the living room or in my bedroom for hours and hours and hours every day play the instrument, trying to figure out how to make it sound.

Taking a walk, you know, going to school and coming home from school, and rather than like doing what all the other kids are doing after school, I would go straight to my house and pick up my guitar and sit down in the living room or in my bedroom for hours and hours and hours every day play the instrument, trying to figure out how to make it sound.

Welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast, where your host Buzz Night talks with musicians about their inspirations, their music, and in today's case, what it means to be in the music business since he was a teenager. Blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Kenny Wayne Shepherd joins Buzz Today for a conversation about all things Kenny Wayne. Kenny and Buzz will get into everything from what it was like to have his first record out at sixteen, to his relationship with the late Eddie Van Halen, and to what's going on in music today. Kenny's got a new project out called Dirt on My Diamonds Volume two. Also chat with Buzz about that. Kenny Wayne Sheppard joins Buzz Night now on Taking a Walk.

Welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast, where your host Buzz Night talks with musicians about their inspirations, their music, and in today's case, what it means to be in the music business since he was a teenager. Blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Kenny Wayne Shepherd joins Buzz Today for a conversation about all things Kenny Wayne. Kenny and Buzz will get into everything from what it was like to have his first record out at sixteen, to his relationship with the late Eddie Van Halen, and to what's going on in music today. Kenny's got a new project out called Dirt on My Diamonds Volume two. Also chat with Buzz about that. Kenny Wayne Sheppard joins Buzz Night now on Taking a Walk.

The Great Kenny Wayne Shepherd on Taking a Walk. Thanks Kenny for being on man thanks for having me. So tell me how your father had an influence on you as a musician and as a person.

The Great Kenny Wayne Shepherd on Taking a Walk. Thanks Kenny for being on man thanks for having me. So tell me how your father had an influence on you as a musician and as a person.

Well, I mean, my dad was a disc jockey. Well he was a jack of many trades, are he He's not like he's he's still with us, so you know, don't want to refer to him in the past tense. But back when I was a kid, he was a disc jockey, program director, general manager of a variety of different radio stations in my whole town over the years. And so I grew up around music my whole life. And my mom was a big music fan as well, so you know, between the two of them, we had music playing around the house all the time, in the car everywhere we went, and all different kinds of music too. So my dad, you know, would play country music and then we listen to rock and you know, James Brown and Funk get R and b A jazz and just everything under the sun. And you know, because he was at the radio station that those guys usually get tickets and backstage passes to all the hot concerts that come through town. So you know, we always got to go see bands play, and I'd get to go backstage and kind of see the behind the scenes of the touring world, then meet a lot of famous musicians when I was a kid, and so all of that stuff, the absorption of music and the exposure to the touring industry, all of that was I was soaking that up and it was all going to contribute to who I would eventually be as a professional recording touring artist. But at that aighty age, nobody had a clue at that point.

Well, I mean, my dad was a disc jockey. Well he was a jack of many trades, are he He's not like he's he's still with us, so you know, don't want to refer to him in the past tense. But back when I was a kid, he was a disc jockey, program director, general manager of a variety of different radio stations in my whole town over the years. And so I grew up around music my whole life. And my mom was a big music fan as well, so you know, between the two of them, we had music playing around the house all the time, in the car everywhere we went, and all different kinds of music too. So my dad, you know, would play country music and then we listen to rock and you know, James Brown and Funk get R and b A jazz and just everything under the sun. And you know, because he was at the radio station that those guys usually get tickets and backstage passes to all the hot concerts that come through town. So you know, we always got to go see bands play, and I'd get to go backstage and kind of see the behind the scenes of the touring world, then meet a lot of famous musicians when I was a kid, and so all of that stuff, the absorption of music and the exposure to the touring industry, all of that was I was soaking that up and it was all going to contribute to who I would eventually be as a professional recording touring artist. But at that aighty age, nobody had a clue at that point.

So the first moment that you were watching a performance by somebody that just knocked your socks off, who was it.

So the first moment that you were watching a performance by somebody that just knocked your socks off, who was it.

Well, there's a number of different performers, you know, but when I was a kid, I saw, like I said, I mean, so many different people. I mean I remember going to Hank WiM's junior concert Melong Away because he was a country guy that rocked, you know. I remember seeing James Brown many many times and just I mean, he was one of the greatest entertainers on the planet, but two completely different types of performers.

Well, there's a number of different performers, you know, but when I was a kid, I saw, like I said, I mean, so many different people. I mean I remember going to Hank WiM's junior concert Melong Away because he was a country guy that rocked, you know. I remember seeing James Brown many many times and just I mean, he was one of the greatest entertainers on the planet, but two completely different types of performers.

You know.

You know.

A life changing moment for me was getting to meet and watch Skeevie rape On play for the first time when I was around seven years old. So that's really what lit the fire at me and gave me like this, you know, relentless determination to learn the instrument because I wanted to figure out how it to play with that kind of passion and intensity that he played with. So, I mean, there was a number of performers that really impressed me and had an impact on it.

A life changing moment for me was getting to meet and watch Skeevie rape On play for the first time when I was around seven years old. So that's really what lit the fire at me and gave me like this, you know, relentless determination to learn the instrument because I wanted to figure out how it to play with that kind of passion and intensity that he played with. So, I mean, there was a number of performers that really impressed me and had an impact on it.

It's a pretty impressive list so far.

It's a pretty impressive list so far.

I mean, right, yeah, and the list and the list goes on. But those are just some of the ones off the top of my head that are very very different musical genres and different types of performers. But I kind of took something away from each one of them.

I mean, right, yeah, and the list and the list goes on. But those are just some of the ones off the top of my head that are very very different musical genres and different types of performers. But I kind of took something away from each one of them.

So what at the age of sixteen intensely fueled your deep emotional, you know, connection with music and how it all manifested itself into your brilliance. What was going on as a sixteen year old that really, like, you know, made you sound like you were way wiser than those years.

So what at the age of sixteen intensely fueled your deep emotional, you know, connection with music and how it all manifested itself into your brilliance. What was going on as a sixteen year old that really, like, you know, made you sound like you were way wiser than those years.

Well, I don't. I'm not exactly sure, you know, because I had the child Prodigy label put on me, which is like fine, I mean, I'm looking back, I go, yeah, it's not normal. It's not typical for a kid that young to be playing that kind of music that way. So at the time, I really didn't think much of it, Like I really didn't have any idea what they were talking about because I was just playing guitar and I just loved playing the instrument. But I think it's a as a teenager, you know, there's so much going on in young people's lives. It's more now than ever to be honest with you in the world we live in. But really, like, as a teenager're going through so many changes, trying to figure out who you are, where you fit in your first experiences with love and relationships and things like that. But like I always found like comfort and the instrument, and so that was where I just felt completely at home. Was you know, going to school and coming home from school and rather than like doing what all the other kids were doing after school, I would go straight into my house and pick up my guitar and sit down in the living room or in my bedroom for hours and hours and hours every day play the instrument, trying to figure out how to make it sound good. And I think there was just great satisfaction in that. And it was like my companion. Now I was kind of like the uh, you know, the friend you could always rely on. And so it ended up giving me an identity and a purpose I think at a very young age, which is not common. I mean, you know, because I signed my record deal when I was sixteen, and I started recording my first album when I was seventeen, and that's very abnormal. But it gave me a lot of things that I think were really important to me as a teenager at the time, and certainly it served me well through my adult life.

Well, I don't. I'm not exactly sure, you know, because I had the child Prodigy label put on me, which is like fine, I mean, I'm looking back, I go, yeah, it's not normal. It's not typical for a kid that young to be playing that kind of music that way. So at the time, I really didn't think much of it, Like I really didn't have any idea what they were talking about because I was just playing guitar and I just loved playing the instrument. But I think it's a as a teenager, you know, there's so much going on in young people's lives. It's more now than ever to be honest with you in the world we live in. But really, like, as a teenager're going through so many changes, trying to figure out who you are, where you fit in your first experiences with love and relationships and things like that. But like I always found like comfort and the instrument, and so that was where I just felt completely at home. Was you know, going to school and coming home from school and rather than like doing what all the other kids were doing after school, I would go straight into my house and pick up my guitar and sit down in the living room or in my bedroom for hours and hours and hours every day play the instrument, trying to figure out how to make it sound good. And I think there was just great satisfaction in that. And it was like my companion. Now I was kind of like the uh, you know, the friend you could always rely on. And so it ended up giving me an identity and a purpose I think at a very young age, which is not common. I mean, you know, because I signed my record deal when I was sixteen, and I started recording my first album when I was seventeen, and that's very abnormal. But it gave me a lot of things that I think were really important to me as a teenager at the time, and certainly it served me well through my adult life.

And I know then you really became a student of so much of the genre of blues and so many individuals, and you obviously were swept away like we all still are, by Jimmy Hendrix. Can you talk about that influence?

And I know then you really became a student of so much of the genre of blues and so many individuals, and you obviously were swept away like we all still are, by Jimmy Hendrix. Can you talk about that influence?

Yeah, Well, Jimmy Hendricks was fascinating to me because you know, his musical ideas were incredibly I don't know, it was like groundbreaking, especially being considered the time, the era in which he was making music, when all that stuff, I mean, rock and roll was all it was a relatively new genre of music. But if you at the same time consider how limited they were with the technology, right there's I mean, multi track recording had even been around for all that long in the overall scheme of things, and you know, the guitar pedals the effects that you could use, and in the studio you kind of had like delay and reverb and compression, and then you know for pedals, I think there's a handful of effects pedals for guitar players, and Jimmy probably had all of them, you know. But like what he was able to create and the sounds he was able to come up with in the studio that hadn't necessarily been done before or hadn't been heard like that before, it's just really impressive. And also if you look back and you go, wow, even to this day, I don't know that anybody's I mean, he hasn't really been outdone, and his music still sounds groundbreaking, you know, even to this day, and it still continues to influence new generations musicians. So it's pretty remarkable. But the thing that he did most for me was he It's like he gave me permission. By listening to his music, you could tell that, like he was very lose bassed in his playing and in his music that he created, but he took he didn't just stop right there. He took it and ran with it and took it into so many different directions, and it kind of gave me permission to do the same thing. You know, it's like to not be boxed into one particular category, not have to keep my music confined to one particular space, but to kind of take elements of all the things that I had been exposed to and combine them and try and create something that sounds a little bit different.

Yeah, Well, Jimmy Hendricks was fascinating to me because you know, his musical ideas were incredibly I don't know, it was like groundbreaking, especially being considered the time, the era in which he was making music, when all that stuff, I mean, rock and roll was all it was a relatively new genre of music. But if you at the same time consider how limited they were with the technology, right there's I mean, multi track recording had even been around for all that long in the overall scheme of things, and you know, the guitar pedals the effects that you could use, and in the studio you kind of had like delay and reverb and compression, and then you know for pedals, I think there's a handful of effects pedals for guitar players, and Jimmy probably had all of them, you know. But like what he was able to create and the sounds he was able to come up with in the studio that hadn't necessarily been done before or hadn't been heard like that before, it's just really impressive. And also if you look back and you go, wow, even to this day, I don't know that anybody's I mean, he hasn't really been outdone, and his music still sounds groundbreaking, you know, even to this day, and it still continues to influence new generations musicians. So it's pretty remarkable. But the thing that he did most for me was he It's like he gave me permission. By listening to his music, you could tell that, like he was very lose bassed in his playing and in his music that he created, but he took he didn't just stop right there. He took it and ran with it and took it into so many different directions, and it kind of gave me permission to do the same thing. You know, it's like to not be boxed into one particular category, not have to keep my music confined to one particular space, but to kind of take elements of all the things that I had been exposed to and combine them and try and create something that sounds a little bit different.

I'm not even thinking you've tapped that completely. I know you're completely open to different places. Your example, you know, collaboration with five Finger Death Punch, And I just have a sense with you and the way you think about it, and by your comments about Jimmy's influence, we haven't even seen the beginning of your work.

I'm not even thinking you've tapped that completely. I know you're completely open to different places. Your example, you know, collaboration with five Finger Death Punch, And I just have a sense with you and the way you think about it, and by your comments about Jimmy's influence, we haven't even seen the beginning of your work.

Well, I certainly feel like there's more to be said and more music to be created, and more learning to be done as far as being a student of the instrument. But yeah, I just don't. I just know that, like, in order to keep the music genre relevant, you have to continue to it of me and you have to continue to do things differently, otherwise it just all becomes too predictable. And so I like the idea that, like, when you hear that a Kenny Wayne Shepherd album is coming out, I would venture to guess that most people aren't entirely sure what it's going to sound like before they hear it, you know, because they know and I think they trust that as aid artists, I'm going to pursue whatever inspiration comes up in the moment. And so each album, I mean, there's certain common things and there's common elements to my music all the way back to the first album. But I mean, you listen to some of the songs on my newest albums, Dirt on My Diamonds Volume one and now Volume two that just came out, I mean, you're hearing things that you've elements and those songs that you haven't heard from me ever before. And so that's just a sign that I'm continuing to try new things and continuing to try and break new ground for me and my band. And it's all in an effort to keep the music and the genre evolving, you know, because that's what's important.

Well, I certainly feel like there's more to be said and more music to be created, and more learning to be done as far as being a student of the instrument. But yeah, I just don't. I just know that, like, in order to keep the music genre relevant, you have to continue to it of me and you have to continue to do things differently, otherwise it just all becomes too predictable. And so I like the idea that, like, when you hear that a Kenny Wayne Shepherd album is coming out, I would venture to guess that most people aren't entirely sure what it's going to sound like before they hear it, you know, because they know and I think they trust that as aid artists, I'm going to pursue whatever inspiration comes up in the moment. And so each album, I mean, there's certain common things and there's common elements to my music all the way back to the first album. But I mean, you listen to some of the songs on my newest albums, Dirt on My Diamonds Volume one and now Volume two that just came out, I mean, you're hearing things that you've elements and those songs that you haven't heard from me ever before. And so that's just a sign that I'm continuing to try new things and continuing to try and break new ground for me and my band. And it's all in an effort to keep the music and the genre evolving, you know, because that's what's important.

So on Volume one, I love the collaboration with Davy Johnston and on Saturday Nights all Right for Fighting, tell me about your past relationship with him and what it was like collaborating on that.

So on Volume one, I love the collaboration with Davy Johnston and on Saturday Nights all Right for Fighting, tell me about your past relationship with him and what it was like collaborating on that.

Well, we didn't actually collaborate on it, like I had a moment, so I texted him because he's a friend of mine and he's a great guy and a great guitar player. And I just said, I was in the student and I say, we're about to cover one of your guys songs. And I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to really I didn't want to mess it up. And it's got some tricky little things in there, and so I knew that as it told like a backup plan if I had to, like pull of hell Mary, I just let him know that I might be calling him and ask him to come down and play guitar on it if I didn't feel that I was doing it justice. But the end result I was happy with. And so you know, he never ended up needing to come into the studio as a favor for me. So but no, it was great. I mean, he's he's one of those guitar players, like you know, you just I think you know, musicians are well aware of his talents, but you know, you just don't hear his name brought up enough in my opinion, you know, because he's incredible and played so many iconic guitar parts on so many legendary songs over the years. And so, but as a human being, he's one of the greatest guys I know.

Well, we didn't actually collaborate on it, like I had a moment, so I texted him because he's a friend of mine and he's a great guy and a great guitar player. And I just said, I was in the student and I say, we're about to cover one of your guys songs. And I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to really I didn't want to mess it up. And it's got some tricky little things in there, and so I knew that as it told like a backup plan if I had to, like pull of hell Mary, I just let him know that I might be calling him and ask him to come down and play guitar on it if I didn't feel that I was doing it justice. But the end result I was happy with. And so you know, he never ended up needing to come into the studio as a favor for me. So but no, it was great. I mean, he's he's one of those guitar players, like you know, you just I think you know, musicians are well aware of his talents, but you know, you just don't hear his name brought up enough in my opinion, you know, because he's incredible and played so many iconic guitar parts on so many legendary songs over the years. And so, but as a human being, he's one of the greatest guys I know.

So what varied, if anything, in the creative process from Volume one to Volume two.

So what varied, if anything, in the creative process from Volume one to Volume two.

Not much. I mean we record a lot of this stuff. It was written and recorded right around the same time. So what happened was is like I had all these songs that we started recording them, and you know what, Generally, for me and I don't go in with a lot of preconceived ideas, and my demos are always very basic. It's like CUSI guitar and a vocal and that's it, because I can kind of hear in my head what I think the song needs to sound like. And I'm a real fan of the old school way of making records, where I believe like going into the studios where the magic is supposed to happen. So I leave a lot of I don't go in with a bunch of tracks that I put together at my house and then telling everybody what exactly what to play. It's like we we create the songs in the studio. But anyways, as you're doing that, then you you start to listen back to what you've done, and I go, oh, how this song's really speaking to me, and that song's really speaking to me. And after you get about three songs you feel very sure about, then you see the album start to take a direction. And then you look at the rest of the material that you have. You wish other songs kind of complete that musical statement. And so I did that and then I said okay, and then I looked at everything else and I was like, well, we have two albums worth the material here, and then it just became how, you know, a question of how do I want to release this stuff? And again I'm always looking for, you know, new ways or different ways of doing things. So we decided I thought it would be a compelling idea to do it, kind of like a double out, but instead of releasing together at the same time, Stagger the releases make them companion pieces. But it is the first time we've ever put out two albums of new material in less than twelve months from one another, so and it keeps the fans engaged and it gives us new music to play. This year we were featuring in the show, we were featuring songs from Volley one, and then now that Volume two has just come out, then that's set the stuff for the tour for next year. And I also believe that, like you know, each one of these albums is eight songs long. And I started doing some research, and you know, some of the most iconic albums ever recorded have eight songs on them, because it goes back to the days when vinyl albums, like that's the main way that people consume music. And if you don't know, like you can only put so much music on each side of a vinyl record. If you put too much on there, it starts degrading the quality of audio. So it generally works out to be about four songs per side. And so that's why so many albums back in the day were eight songs. So and then in today's world, where there's so many things that are competing for our attention and so many extractions phones, social media, television, commercials, jobs, everything, it's like so many things are coming at us. It's it's almost unrealistic, like to expect people to be a to sit down and listen to an album that has ten or twelve or fourteen or sixteen songs in one city. And my goal as an artist is I still like to make records, not just songs, because I want to take people on a journey and I want them to have an experience. So an eight song record, if you live in a major city, you could actually get in the car, put the record on on your way to work and probably get through the whole thing by the time you can get through all the traffic and make it to your job. Or if you're going on a road trip, you can put the record on and hear it from start to finish before you have to pull on over for a bathroom. So it's kind of like trying to hedge my bets of you know, a quality product. There's no filler, there's no songs on there just to fill spaces. Every song that's on there has a legitimate purpose, but it also hadge my bets on the best possible way to get somebody to be able to hear the entire experience for start to finish.

Not much. I mean we record a lot of this stuff. It was written and recorded right around the same time. So what happened was is like I had all these songs that we started recording them, and you know what, Generally, for me and I don't go in with a lot of preconceived ideas, and my demos are always very basic. It's like CUSI guitar and a vocal and that's it, because I can kind of hear in my head what I think the song needs to sound like. And I'm a real fan of the old school way of making records, where I believe like going into the studios where the magic is supposed to happen. So I leave a lot of I don't go in with a bunch of tracks that I put together at my house and then telling everybody what exactly what to play. It's like we we create the songs in the studio. But anyways, as you're doing that, then you you start to listen back to what you've done, and I go, oh, how this song's really speaking to me, and that song's really speaking to me. And after you get about three songs you feel very sure about, then you see the album start to take a direction. And then you look at the rest of the material that you have. You wish other songs kind of complete that musical statement. And so I did that and then I said okay, and then I looked at everything else and I was like, well, we have two albums worth the material here, and then it just became how, you know, a question of how do I want to release this stuff? And again I'm always looking for, you know, new ways or different ways of doing things. So we decided I thought it would be a compelling idea to do it, kind of like a double out, but instead of releasing together at the same time, Stagger the releases make them companion pieces. But it is the first time we've ever put out two albums of new material in less than twelve months from one another, so and it keeps the fans engaged and it gives us new music to play. This year we were featuring in the show, we were featuring songs from Volley one, and then now that Volume two has just come out, then that's set the stuff for the tour for next year. And I also believe that, like you know, each one of these albums is eight songs long. And I started doing some research, and you know, some of the most iconic albums ever recorded have eight songs on them, because it goes back to the days when vinyl albums, like that's the main way that people consume music. And if you don't know, like you can only put so much music on each side of a vinyl record. If you put too much on there, it starts degrading the quality of audio. So it generally works out to be about four songs per side. And so that's why so many albums back in the day were eight songs. So and then in today's world, where there's so many things that are competing for our attention and so many extractions phones, social media, television, commercials, jobs, everything, it's like so many things are coming at us. It's it's almost unrealistic, like to expect people to be a to sit down and listen to an album that has ten or twelve or fourteen or sixteen songs in one city. And my goal as an artist is I still like to make records, not just songs, because I want to take people on a journey and I want them to have an experience. So an eight song record, if you live in a major city, you could actually get in the car, put the record on on your way to work and probably get through the whole thing by the time you can get through all the traffic and make it to your job. Or if you're going on a road trip, you can put the record on and hear it from start to finish before you have to pull on over for a bathroom. So it's kind of like trying to hedge my bets of you know, a quality product. There's no filler, there's no songs on there just to fill spaces. Every song that's on there has a legitimate purpose, but it also hadge my bets on the best possible way to get somebody to be able to hear the entire experience for start to finish.

Can you talk about your process of the way you order an album and put you know, put it together, you know in terms of track by track, how much contemplation goes into that And you're thinking, there.

Can you talk about your process of the way you order an album and put you know, put it together, you know in terms of track by track, how much contemplation goes into that And you're thinking, there.

Yeah, a lot of it. I mean there's a lot. That's another thing. That's why we want people to actually listen to the records, because we put a lot of effort in the order that the songs are in, and you consider, like, first of all, like the first thing you need to do is figure out what's your first song, what's your opening state, and then you can go from there. And then you consider you know, the mood of the songs, and you know the emotional journey you want people to take. And then you also have to consider the keys that the songs are in and the tempos. You know, and so you don't want to put a bunch of slow to our mid tembo songs all back back. You want to break them up with the more up tempo songs, and and otherwise, you know, it's all about like what's the experience of the listener and all so what keeps it interesting and doesn't become waring. And then the keys have to work. One song has to flow into the next song, and so there's a number of things that are considered before we sign off on final tracks.

Yeah, a lot of it. I mean there's a lot. That's another thing. That's why we want people to actually listen to the records, because we put a lot of effort in the order that the songs are in, and you consider, like, first of all, like the first thing you need to do is figure out what's your first song, what's your opening state, and then you can go from there. And then you consider you know, the mood of the songs, and you know the emotional journey you want people to take. And then you also have to consider the keys that the songs are in and the tempos. You know, and so you don't want to put a bunch of slow to our mid tembo songs all back back. You want to break them up with the more up tempo songs, and and otherwise, you know, it's all about like what's the experience of the listener and all so what keeps it interesting and doesn't become waring. And then the keys have to work. One song has to flow into the next song, and so there's a number of things that are considered before we sign off on final tracks.

All right, so close your eyes for a second. You're driving down the road. You're in your let's say the nineteen seventy Plymouth Duster, and you've got a long drive ahead and you need some good driving songs. What would be coming on the radio is you're driving that bad boy down the road.

All right, so close your eyes for a second. You're driving down the road. You're in your let's say the nineteen seventy Plymouth Duster, and you've got a long drive ahead and you need some good driving songs. What would be coming on the radio is you're driving that bad boy down the road.

Well, for I have to be, if I'm being completely honest, for a lot of the trip, I would just be listening to the sound of that V eight engine that's under the hood, because that's music to my ears. But eventually, yeah, put some music on. I gotta tell you, like one of my go to albums that always puts me in a good mood is this is easy top album called Standango, which is like a half studio half live album, and just some incredible performances on that record, especially the live music, and so like I just know, like, if I'm kind of at a loss of what can I listen to you right now? That's going to be perfect. It's you know, that's an easy one to pull out, and that just kind of gets the ball rolling.

Well, for I have to be, if I'm being completely honest, for a lot of the trip, I would just be listening to the sound of that V eight engine that's under the hood, because that's music to my ears. But eventually, yeah, put some music on. I gotta tell you, like one of my go to albums that always puts me in a good mood is this is easy top album called Standango, which is like a half studio half live album, and just some incredible performances on that record, especially the live music, and so like I just know, like, if I'm kind of at a loss of what can I listen to you right now? That's going to be perfect. It's you know, that's an easy one to pull out, and that just kind of gets the ball rolling.

But I love how the sound of the car is such a driving force too. That's beautiful.

But I love how the sound of the car is such a driving force too. That's beautiful.

Yeah, absolutely so.

Yeah, absolutely so.

I love your covers of Dylan A Ballad of a Thin Man certainly and Everything is Broken just really wonderful. Can you tell me about your time on the road with Bob and what you learn from being on the road with Bob Dylan.

I love your covers of Dylan A Ballad of a Thin Man certainly and Everything is Broken just really wonderful. Can you tell me about your time on the road with Bob and what you learn from being on the road with Bob Dylan.

Well, yeah, so I did two different tours with Helen. My first album came out, I did it entire tour opening up for him, and then when the second album came out, another tour opening up for him. And besides like watching him, because you know, he's.

Well, yeah, so I did two different tours with Helen. My first album came out, I did it entire tour opening up for him, and then when the second album came out, another tour opening up for him. And besides like watching him, because you know, he's.

That iconic.

That iconic.

Musician and performer and songwriter. What I really learned about him and this is just my experience, but like he was like one of the first lessons that I learned about not taking on other people's opinions of someone, because just because someone had a certain experience with an individual, it doesn't mean that that's going to be my experience. And so and a lot of times people want to tell you, I'm speaking more like a negativity, right, Like you know, people are like, oh, you know, Bob, he doesn't want people looking at him. You know, he doesn't you can't talk to him, you can't look his way if he's walking in the room, or you know, all these stories that you would hear people say, and I'm like, and so what I've been he was the exact opposite. Like he was so nice to me. He was so outgoing, Like every single day I did a sound check, he came out and watched my sound check, and then he came up on the stage after I was done, and he walked right up to me. He shook my head, and he would stand there and talk to me every day, and then at one point he told me, he said, hey, man, He's like, I don't care if you have a new record coming out or if you're just working up some new material. You can come out on the road with me anytime. And it was just like, not any of the things that people had said about him, and a lot of time of stories taken on a life of their own. But yeah, I was like, wow, you know, you can't listen to all that stuff, like you really have to treat every individual encounter as a unique situation that's between you and that person. Because just because someone else might have had an experience and maybe you don't even know what they're telling you is entirely accurate, but that doesn't mean that's what my experience is going to be. And that was a big lesson And I've learned that lesson many many times over in the years that I've been doing what I do, and you hear all these outlandish stories about people and that I meet them, and I'm like, this is not the same guy that they're trying to make him out to be.

Musician and performer and songwriter. What I really learned about him and this is just my experience, but like he was like one of the first lessons that I learned about not taking on other people's opinions of someone, because just because someone had a certain experience with an individual, it doesn't mean that that's going to be my experience. And so and a lot of times people want to tell you, I'm speaking more like a negativity, right, Like you know, people are like, oh, you know, Bob, he doesn't want people looking at him. You know, he doesn't you can't talk to him, you can't look his way if he's walking in the room, or you know, all these stories that you would hear people say, and I'm like, and so what I've been he was the exact opposite. Like he was so nice to me. He was so outgoing, Like every single day I did a sound check, he came out and watched my sound check, and then he came up on the stage after I was done, and he walked right up to me. He shook my head, and he would stand there and talk to me every day, and then at one point he told me, he said, hey, man, He's like, I don't care if you have a new record coming out or if you're just working up some new material. You can come out on the road with me anytime. And it was just like, not any of the things that people had said about him, and a lot of time of stories taken on a life of their own. But yeah, I was like, wow, you know, you can't listen to all that stuff, like you really have to treat every individual encounter as a unique situation that's between you and that person. Because just because someone else might have had an experience and maybe you don't even know what they're telling you is entirely accurate, but that doesn't mean that's what my experience is going to be. And that was a big lesson And I've learned that lesson many many times over in the years that I've been doing what I do, and you hear all these outlandish stories about people and that I meet them, and I'm like, this is not the same guy that they're trying to make him out to be.

You know.

You know.

I love that.

I love that.

We'll be right back with more of the Taking a Walk Podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast.

We'll be right back with more of the Taking a Walk Podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast.

Tell me about playing with bb King. Did you find it particularly interesting that he never played chords?

Tell me about playing with bb King. Did you find it particularly interesting that he never played chords?

Oh, he would play chords. He would play a phrase and then ended with a chord, you know. But what I guess the thing is is that Babe never really played rhythm guitar like. He always weaved his guitar playing in and out in between him singing. But he always had such a big band backing him up that could fill and you know the musical gads so well that you know it didn't beat it any had a rhyalim guitar player as well. So but that was his style. That's what really worked for him. And sometimes that's great. I wish that I could do that because it frees you up to focus more on your singing when you have to sing. But a lot of times I struggle with like other guitar players and the way they play certain parts, and like, if I fail the guitar tracks on the record, so then when i'm performing, I want all those parts to sound exactly like I played them. That sometimes it's just not possible, so like it becomes a distraction to my ears sometimes if I hand over guitar parts somebody else, and so as a result, there's just certain songs that I can't necessarily sing and play at the same time. So maybe those songs if I'm the one doing the lead vocals, don't make it into the live show.

Oh, he would play chords. He would play a phrase and then ended with a chord, you know. But what I guess the thing is is that Babe never really played rhythm guitar like. He always weaved his guitar playing in and out in between him singing. But he always had such a big band backing him up that could fill and you know the musical gads so well that you know it didn't beat it any had a rhyalim guitar player as well. So but that was his style. That's what really worked for him. And sometimes that's great. I wish that I could do that because it frees you up to focus more on your singing when you have to sing. But a lot of times I struggle with like other guitar players and the way they play certain parts, and like, if I fail the guitar tracks on the record, so then when i'm performing, I want all those parts to sound exactly like I played them. That sometimes it's just not possible, so like it becomes a distraction to my ears sometimes if I hand over guitar parts somebody else, and so as a result, there's just certain songs that I can't necessarily sing and play at the same time. So maybe those songs if I'm the one doing the lead vocals, don't make it into the live show.

Sometimes you played a lot of small venues obviously when you were starting out, and you're not playing many small venues, do you miss those places? No?

Sometimes you played a lot of small venues obviously when you were starting out, and you're not playing many small venues, do you miss those places? No?

I mean, you can go back to any of those places anytime. I mean, I'll go sit in with friends that are doing gigs and bars and stuff like that whenever I have, you know, time to do that. I mean, and I don't know. I feel like I've played everything from you know, a little hole in the wall gigs to you know, opening up for the Eagles and the Rolling Stones in frontay eighty thousand people, So every experience is pretty cool and it's all right. I mean a lot of people like the small places because it feels more intimate, But I think the theaters is kind of where it's at I think my fan base likes to have reserved seating. I don't think they want to be on their feet all night. You know, there's not a lot of times bar environments can be unpredictable. You throw a lot of alcohol in the equation, and you know the fireworks can go off. So you know, the theaters and amphitheaters is kind of where for sure, I think, you know, it's the nice middle ground between small places and the super big places.

I mean, you can go back to any of those places anytime. I mean, I'll go sit in with friends that are doing gigs and bars and stuff like that whenever I have, you know, time to do that. I mean, and I don't know. I feel like I've played everything from you know, a little hole in the wall gigs to you know, opening up for the Eagles and the Rolling Stones in frontay eighty thousand people, So every experience is pretty cool and it's all right. I mean a lot of people like the small places because it feels more intimate, But I think the theaters is kind of where it's at I think my fan base likes to have reserved seating. I don't think they want to be on their feet all night. You know, there's not a lot of times bar environments can be unpredictable. You throw a lot of alcohol in the equation, and you know the fireworks can go off. So you know, the theaters and amphitheaters is kind of where for sure, I think, you know, it's the nice middle ground between small places and the super big places.

Tell me about your evolution ultimately, I think it was maybe twenty nineteen of them, not mistaken where horns became more part of your presentation. Can you talk about that?

Tell me about your evolution ultimately, I think it was maybe twenty nineteen of them, not mistaken where horns became more part of your presentation. Can you talk about that?

Yeah, I do use soarings on a few songs here and there on different albums over the years, not really a lot, but I always liked the idea of horns. But I was doing the Traveler record, and a lot of that record is pretty rockin right, Like we did a Buffalo Springfield song Mister Soul. We did a Joe Walsh cover. The opening track Woman Like You is pretty rocking, and so there's there's several songs on that record the rock pretty hard. And so I heard there was a song called I Want you, which is a pretty if you asked me, like, what's my finishing, what's the Kenny Wayne Shephard definition In one song with contemporary blues, I would play you that song because like, it has all the elements. It was like, I think actual blieves, not blues rock, but like modern US music. So I heard horns on that song, so I was like, well, let's bring these guys in and have to play horns on that song. And I was like, well, while we're here, let's see what it sounds like gone this song or that song. And the next thing, you know, I was like, wow, man, let's see what it sounds like. Put them on almost every song and it was really interesting, especially with the Mister Soul because that thing is really really rocking, and you know, you wouldn't think about putting a horn section a song at wrongs like that, but it was actually a really cool experiment, sounded great, and so because I had used them on so much of the record, then I decided I need to bring horns out of the road, and so then we took them out and we had a horn section out of the road, and that was cool for us and for the fans too, because there's a lot of fans that have seen us many times over the decades, and it gives them a new experience in the live setting, and us as well musically. So we've kind of continued that. There's horns all over the new record Dirt on My Diamonds, both of them Volume one and Volume two, and you know, it's cool. Like I said, it brings a different vibe to the band, and it musically, every time you add or subtract an instrument to the band, then it affects every all the other players and so then you have to adjust accordingly. So it keeps everybody on their toes music as well.

Yeah, I do use soarings on a few songs here and there on different albums over the years, not really a lot, but I always liked the idea of horns. But I was doing the Traveler record, and a lot of that record is pretty rockin right, Like we did a Buffalo Springfield song Mister Soul. We did a Joe Walsh cover. The opening track Woman Like You is pretty rocking, and so there's there's several songs on that record the rock pretty hard. And so I heard there was a song called I Want you, which is a pretty if you asked me, like, what's my finishing, what's the Kenny Wayne Shephard definition In one song with contemporary blues, I would play you that song because like, it has all the elements. It was like, I think actual blieves, not blues rock, but like modern US music. So I heard horns on that song, so I was like, well, let's bring these guys in and have to play horns on that song. And I was like, well, while we're here, let's see what it sounds like gone this song or that song. And the next thing, you know, I was like, wow, man, let's see what it sounds like. Put them on almost every song and it was really interesting, especially with the Mister Soul because that thing is really really rocking, and you know, you wouldn't think about putting a horn section a song at wrongs like that, but it was actually a really cool experiment, sounded great, and so because I had used them on so much of the record, then I decided I need to bring horns out of the road, and so then we took them out and we had a horn section out of the road, and that was cool for us and for the fans too, because there's a lot of fans that have seen us many times over the decades, and it gives them a new experience in the live setting, and us as well musically. So we've kind of continued that. There's horns all over the new record Dirt on My Diamonds, both of them Volume one and Volume two, and you know, it's cool. Like I said, it brings a different vibe to the band, and it musically, every time you add or subtract an instrument to the band, then it affects every all the other players and so then you have to adjust accordingly. So it keeps everybody on their toes music as well.

Do you think sometimes there's too much perfection in the way things are produced these days in general?

Do you think sometimes there's too much perfection in the way things are produced these days in general?

No? No, because no, because there's not. I mean, it depends on what you're talking about. But like pop music, like the really popular stuff nowadays, they're not striving for perfection. Those people are like a lot of it. I'm not saying anybody in particular, but you know when you hear these songs and pop music becomes so saturated that like you could hear like you could listen to the radio and you can hear like five different songs and they all sound like they can be the same artists, yep, but different artists. That's the lowest common denominator. That's not striving for perfection. That's trying to cash in on what's trending. You know, it's not striving to be the best you can eat. It's so no. I mean, you know, I do think that there are some artists certainly that are striving for perfection, and we kind of walk the line between you know, being the We strive to be the best that we can be on any given day, right, But I also know, like the whole that you can dig yourself if you start overanalyzing things and going down the rabbit hole. It's like, you know, trying to make things perfect if you because if you try and make things perfect, then it also it can possibly lose the realness in the music, you know, because because it's too perfect. So I embrace some of the flaws. And my goal actually from my band, I feel the best representation of what we do is to capture the essence of the lot performance in studio. So that means that like sometimes you know, there may be a missed lick here and there, or something is not perfect but we got the vibe and the energy is there and that's what's most important, and so that's the track that we're going to use.

No? No, because no, because there's not. I mean, it depends on what you're talking about. But like pop music, like the really popular stuff nowadays, they're not striving for perfection. Those people are like a lot of it. I'm not saying anybody in particular, but you know when you hear these songs and pop music becomes so saturated that like you could hear like you could listen to the radio and you can hear like five different songs and they all sound like they can be the same artists, yep, but different artists. That's the lowest common denominator. That's not striving for perfection. That's trying to cash in on what's trending. You know, it's not striving to be the best you can eat. It's so no. I mean, you know, I do think that there are some artists certainly that are striving for perfection, and we kind of walk the line between you know, being the We strive to be the best that we can be on any given day, right, But I also know, like the whole that you can dig yourself if you start overanalyzing things and going down the rabbit hole. It's like, you know, trying to make things perfect if you because if you try and make things perfect, then it also it can possibly lose the realness in the music, you know, because because it's too perfect. So I embrace some of the flaws. And my goal actually from my band, I feel the best representation of what we do is to capture the essence of the lot performance in studio. So that means that like sometimes you know, there may be a missed lick here and there, or something is not perfect but we got the vibe and the energy is there and that's what's most important, and so that's the track that we're going to use.

I love how you have the respect for, you know, so many of the greats you know before you, and how you've never been bashful at shining a light on you know. I'll just think of you know, Pinetop Perkins as an example, and I think that's so sweet on how you've always approached the past and the history. But I think as just going back to what we talked about earlier, your you know, open mindedness to other things that are part of the present as well that you really embrace. Is there anybody in the present that you embrace that you want to tell us about and shine.

I love how you have the respect for, you know, so many of the greats you know before you, and how you've never been bashful at shining a light on you know. I'll just think of you know, Pinetop Perkins as an example, and I think that's so sweet on how you've always approached the past and the history. But I think as just going back to what we talked about earlier, your you know, open mindedness to other things that are part of the present as well that you really embrace. Is there anybody in the present that you embrace that you want to tell us about and shine.

A light on.

A light on.

Well, I think there's a lot of there's a lot of good young talent out there, and I don't I'm aware of just about all of them because I like watching you know, who's coming up next. And it's also interesting to be on this side of the equation now because at one point I was like, you know, part of the generation that we were the new blood. We were the young guns, the up and comers, and now I'm transitioning into Like you know, I'm kind of becoming part of the older generation. I'm watching the new young generation come up. So and it's nice to watch that because it brings back a lot of that ps and it also helps me to to feel, you know, reassured. I think, like a lot of my heroes did that. The is going to continue because there's new life being brought into it. But so there's a long list, I mean, just off the top line head some of the people out here on this Hendrix tour that I'm doing. Christine kingfish Ingram, I mean, he's already made an incredible name for himself, a great player, great singer. It's already I think he's already won like two Grammys. I mean, you know, the guy's he's an incredible musician. And there's some ladies out there that doing a killer job. I mean, Shamika Coupla, she's part of my job, but like I think she's incredible and uh, and then you have Samantha Fish and she's just blazing hot at Ali Benables is blazon intrail for herself. And you know, there's the list goes on and on. There's a lot of but those are just a jew off the top of my head.

Well, I think there's a lot of there's a lot of good young talent out there, and I don't I'm aware of just about all of them because I like watching you know, who's coming up next. And it's also interesting to be on this side of the equation now because at one point I was like, you know, part of the generation that we were the new blood. We were the young guns, the up and comers, and now I'm transitioning into Like you know, I'm kind of becoming part of the older generation. I'm watching the new young generation come up. So and it's nice to watch that because it brings back a lot of that ps and it also helps me to to feel, you know, reassured. I think, like a lot of my heroes did that. The is going to continue because there's new life being brought into it. But so there's a long list, I mean, just off the top line head some of the people out here on this Hendrix tour that I'm doing. Christine kingfish Ingram, I mean, he's already made an incredible name for himself, a great player, great singer. It's already I think he's already won like two Grammys. I mean, you know, the guy's he's an incredible musician. And there's some ladies out there that doing a killer job. I mean, Shamika Coupla, she's part of my job, but like I think she's incredible and uh, and then you have Samantha Fish and she's just blazing hot at Ali Benables is blazon intrail for herself. And you know, there's the list goes on and on. There's a lot of but those are just a jew off the top of my head.

You had some great history with Van Halen, including you know, touring obviously with them on the last tour. Can you talk about the experience of working with Van Halen.

You had some great history with Van Halen, including you know, touring obviously with them on the last tour. Can you talk about the experience of working with Van Halen.

Yeah, well, so, I mean, we we have a lot of history. It's really interesting how far back our history goes. But I toured with Van Halen in the nineties when they were Van Halen three and they had Gary Sharon. It's elite here. So that was my first tour with Halen, did that whole tour with them, and that's when Ed and I became friends and maintained a friendship all the way up until when he passed away. And so we did the nineties tour with them, and then we were asked to come back in twenty fifteen and we did what was to be the last Van Halen tour ever, which nobody knew at the time. Obviously, spent a lot of time with him, especially in twenty fifteen on that tour. Every day another like Bob Dylan, like every day Ed came and found me wherever I was at and we sat and talked, and you know, he always went out of his way to spend time with me and to make me feel important and that was really special. And so he's another one of those guys where you can hear it just depends on who you're talking to, you know, it's like and which side of the story that person was on. But like, he had never he could not have been nicer to me, and he never presented himself as anything other than a very very kind person and really outgoing, like in regards to sharing his time and his friendship with me. But backing all the way up, like our families are kind of linked in an interesting way because my dad is the guy that actually brought Valerie Bertelli and her brothers to their first Van Halen concert back in like the nineteen eighties when I was a kid, which is where and he brought he got them backstage to meet van Halen and that's the night that Valerie met Eddie van Halen and they start and they that was the beginning of their relationship. And so you know, we actually our paths are linked all the way back to when I was hid because of that, and it's kind of fascinating if you look at that, you go, wow, there's that moment and then you know, in the nineteen nineties, I'm out on the road with those guys opening up for them, and then again in twenty fifteen, and you know, got this friendship going with it. It's pretty interesting, you know, how intertwined to a certain degree, our families are. Where have you.

Yeah, well, so, I mean, we we have a lot of history. It's really interesting how far back our history goes. But I toured with Van Halen in the nineties when they were Van Halen three and they had Gary Sharon. It's elite here. So that was my first tour with Halen, did that whole tour with them, and that's when Ed and I became friends and maintained a friendship all the way up until when he passed away. And so we did the nineties tour with them, and then we were asked to come back in twenty fifteen and we did what was to be the last Van Halen tour ever, which nobody knew at the time. Obviously, spent a lot of time with him, especially in twenty fifteen on that tour. Every day another like Bob Dylan, like every day Ed came and found me wherever I was at and we sat and talked, and you know, he always went out of his way to spend time with me and to make me feel important and that was really special. And so he's another one of those guys where you can hear it just depends on who you're talking to, you know, it's like and which side of the story that person was on. But like, he had never he could not have been nicer to me, and he never presented himself as anything other than a very very kind person and really outgoing, like in regards to sharing his time and his friendship with me. But backing all the way up, like our families are kind of linked in an interesting way because my dad is the guy that actually brought Valerie Bertelli and her brothers to their first Van Halen concert back in like the nineteen eighties when I was a kid, which is where and he brought he got them backstage to meet van Halen and that's the night that Valerie met Eddie van Halen and they start and they that was the beginning of their relationship. And so you know, we actually our paths are linked all the way back to when I was hid because of that, and it's kind of fascinating if you look at that, you go, wow, there's that moment and then you know, in the nineteen nineties, I'm out on the road with those guys opening up for them, and then again in twenty fifteen, and you know, got this friendship going with it. It's pretty interesting, you know, how intertwined to a certain degree, our families are. Where have you.

Got these amazing guitars that you have as part of your collection? The sixty one strat and I think it's a Monterey strat. Where did you pick these up? All different places?

Got these amazing guitars that you have as part of your collection? The sixty one strat and I think it's a Monterey strat. Where did you pick these up? All different places?

Yeah, it just depends on the guitar. But the sixty one I got at the Guitar Center in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard podcast. I was probably eighteen years old when I was finally able to buy that guitar. And then the Monterey strap. My dad gave that to me as a birthday present. I want to say when I wasneen, maybe twenty, but I think nineteen. And I mean every guitar had is kind of a different story behind it, you know. I got a fifty was a fifty eight Strat. I was on the road with Van Halen in the nineties and I did an in store autograph signing and a guitar center in Houston, Texas before the show that night, and once I finished signing all the autographs, I looked up on the wall and there was just mint condition fifty eight strat hanging on the wall. So I left Guitar Center with that guitar that night and proceeded to play it on the tour for the rest of the tour and for many years after that. Still have that guitar. So everyone kind of has some little special story. And you know, I've never sold any of my gear, so I kind of get I don't know, I've become sentimentally attached to my instruments and stuff because they all I kind of have a certain experience attached.

Yeah, it just depends on the guitar. But the sixty one I got at the Guitar Center in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard podcast. I was probably eighteen years old when I was finally able to buy that guitar. And then the Monterey strap. My dad gave that to me as a birthday present. I want to say when I wasneen, maybe twenty, but I think nineteen. And I mean every guitar had is kind of a different story behind it, you know. I got a fifty was a fifty eight Strat. I was on the road with Van Halen in the nineties and I did an in store autograph signing and a guitar center in Houston, Texas before the show that night, and once I finished signing all the autographs, I looked up on the wall and there was just mint condition fifty eight strat hanging on the wall. So I left Guitar Center with that guitar that night and proceeded to play it on the tour for the rest of the tour and for many years after that. Still have that guitar. So everyone kind of has some little special story. And you know, I've never sold any of my gear, so I kind of get I don't know, I've become sentimentally attached to my instruments and stuff because they all I kind of have a certain experience attached.

I think they're attached to you as well.

I think they're attached to you as well.

Yeah, maybe, so, you know.

Yeah, maybe, so, you know.

I think so. In closing, if there was a sixteen year old up and coming musician who was just starting out maybe who just got signed, what advice from your time would you give that individual on how they could kind of make it in this awesome business but this difficult business.

I think so. In closing, if there was a sixteen year old up and coming musician who was just starting out maybe who just got signed, what advice from your time would you give that individual on how they could kind of make it in this awesome business but this difficult business.

Well, the thing is is there's so many things are so different today than they were when I was sixteen and signed my record. When I was yelling, there was no such thing as the internet, so the only way you could really get exposure was by getting out and putting a band together and playing you know, at least dive bars and just trying to build a name for yourself and a small fan base and some kind of momentum, you know. And so nowadays you have like social media, and you know, every and you can record stuff on your cell phone. Every computer comes with some kind of recording program in it. People are making records in their bedrooms, and so there's so many opportunities that are available to young artists today that didn't exist when I was a kid. But you know, the one thing that the one thing that I think is really most important is I never got into playing music. I wasn't seeing dollar signs and music awards, you know. I was looking at people that were heroes to me, that inspired me and motivated me to try and make my instrument sound something like them. And I just got personal satisfaction out of that, Like it genuinely made me happy, you know, putting in the work and then seeing it payoff. Where like I was trying so hard to play this slick, finally I figured out how to do it, you know, and that accomplishment and then the next accomplishment just learning how to play and so that evolved into a career for me, and you know, I've been able to do it now. I've gone on three decades and I got a loyal fan base, and I'm grateful for all of that. I'm able to support my family doing what I love to do. But at the end of the day, it's like, especially with the social media, and you start looking at the numbers and you start going how many people are following me? And I posted up a clip of some music and how many people liked it, And it's like they're good tools, but it's also a lot of ambunition to beat yourself up, you know, and for a lot of disappointment. And so at the end of the day, you know, I don't know what life would be like if it took a different path for me, because this is the path that I'm on. But I know that I just wasn't in the beginning. I wasn't concerned about it. I wasn't even I was just thrilled to have an opportunity to play my instrument. And so if you just play music for the love of playing music, and that's your reason for doing it, then there won't be all this disappointment attached to it, you know, because you can still appreciate playing your instrument because of the personal satisfaction, and then if all that other stuff comes along with it, then that's just icing on the cake. And then you've got to figure out how to navigate that when it comes. But I just feel like it. There's so many people that are like, this is the age of instant gratification, and you have to be patient and you have to just accept whatever is going to happen is what's going to happen, and you just you know, if you're going to pursue it, put your best into it, and if it works out, then that's fantastic. You have to give it one hundred percent minimum. But if it doesn't work out, that's okay too, Like that's all right, don't let it take away your joy of playing music.

Well, the thing is is there's so many things are so different today than they were when I was sixteen and signed my record. When I was yelling, there was no such thing as the internet, so the only way you could really get exposure was by getting out and putting a band together and playing you know, at least dive bars and just trying to build a name for yourself and a small fan base and some kind of momentum, you know. And so nowadays you have like social media, and you know, every and you can record stuff on your cell phone. Every computer comes with some kind of recording program in it. People are making records in their bedrooms, and so there's so many opportunities that are available to young artists today that didn't exist when I was a kid. But you know, the one thing that the one thing that I think is really most important is I never got into playing music. I wasn't seeing dollar signs and music awards, you know. I was looking at people that were heroes to me, that inspired me and motivated me to try and make my instrument sound something like them. And I just got personal satisfaction out of that, Like it genuinely made me happy, you know, putting in the work and then seeing it payoff. Where like I was trying so hard to play this slick, finally I figured out how to do it, you know, and that accomplishment and then the next accomplishment just learning how to play and so that evolved into a career for me, and you know, I've been able to do it now. I've gone on three decades and I got a loyal fan base, and I'm grateful for all of that. I'm able to support my family doing what I love to do. But at the end of the day, it's like, especially with the social media, and you start looking at the numbers and you start going how many people are following me? And I posted up a clip of some music and how many people liked it, And it's like they're good tools, but it's also a lot of ambunition to beat yourself up, you know, and for a lot of disappointment. And so at the end of the day, you know, I don't know what life would be like if it took a different path for me, because this is the path that I'm on. But I know that I just wasn't in the beginning. I wasn't concerned about it. I wasn't even I was just thrilled to have an opportunity to play my instrument. And so if you just play music for the love of playing music, and that's your reason for doing it, then there won't be all this disappointment attached to it, you know, because you can still appreciate playing your instrument because of the personal satisfaction, and then if all that other stuff comes along with it, then that's just icing on the cake. And then you've got to figure out how to navigate that when it comes. But I just feel like it. There's so many people that are like, this is the age of instant gratification, and you have to be patient and you have to just accept whatever is going to happen is what's going to happen, and you just you know, if you're going to pursue it, put your best into it, and if it works out, then that's fantastic. You have to give it one hundred percent minimum. But if it doesn't work out, that's okay too, Like that's all right, don't let it take away your joy of playing music.

Keep slinging Virtual high five, Kenny, Wayne Shephard, thanks for being on Take It Man. I really appreciate it.

Keep slinging Virtual high five, Kenny, Wayne Shephard, thanks for being on Take It Man. I really appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a Walk Podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a Walk Podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts