Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Louisiana Blues In The Bush!

         On Sunday 23rd April 2023 Kenny Wayne Shepherd brought the Blues to the Bush at the Shepherds Bush Empire!

It’s been 32 years since Kenny Wayne Shepherd first began his meteoric rise from a 13 year old guitar prodigy to Blues royalty. From his humble roots in Louisiana in the Deep South to 5 times Grammy award nominee, Shepherd has always been one of those performers who audiences adore and other Blues musicians aspire to be like. And tonight, as he took to stage at The Shepherds Bush Empire to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of his platinum-selling album, ‘Trouble Is…’ he demonstrated just why it is that he is one of the most revered and respected guitar heroes of our time. The stage in this famous venue is understated, as tonight is all about the Blues!

Shepherd kicked off the show with a blistering rendition of his instrumental track ‘Trouble Is…’ from the album of the same name, with Shepherds signature slide guitar, from the very first note he had the audience spellbound. Sharing the stage with Shepherd is vocalist, fellow guitarist and collaborator of 25 years Noah Hunt, Drummer Chris Layton, Bassist Kevin McCormick and keyboardist Joe Krown.

Next up is ‘Somehow, Somewhere, Someway’, a Blues shuffle with Hunt’s powerful vocal and Shepherds masterful swaggering Blues guitar, the audience are captivated. The sound of Known’s organ giving this track an added depth. This is a band who work together seamlessly, Blues doesn’t get any tighter than this!

This is followed by a catchy rendition of the Bob Dylan cover, ‘Everything Is Broken’, a beautiful up-tempo song about healing a broken world. Shepherd then transitions gloriously into ‘Chase The Rainbow’ and once again Shepherds guitar sings like a heartbroken angel!

One of the most wonderful things about Shepherd is the way that he connects to his audience and this was particularly evident when he talked about his song, ‘I Found Love (When I Found You)’. Co-written with Danny Tate. Shepherd cheekily suggested to the audience that if they were looking for a wedding song, then this was the one to choose, which was met by rapturous applause and laughter from the packed auditorium! With Hunts effortless vocals, smooth like a Tennessee Bourbon, this beautiful ballad left the audience captivated.

As our musical journey continues through Shepherds illustrious musical career with an eclectic 17 song set, the Blues just keeps coming as we are treated to Blues and Rock masterpieces ‘Nothing To Do With Love’, ‘King’s Highway’ and of course the catchy ‘True Lies’. A song about deception and heartbreak. Full of emotion and littered with searing guitar solos from the man himself, the crowd erupted in rapturous applause as Shepherd’s every note was executed with seamless precision that rivals the likes of Blues and Rock legends Gary Moore and Jimi Hendrix. With smooth effortless licks, hooks and slides, this is a show that the audience will never forget!

‘(Long) Gone’ with its killer Blues riffs and punchy organ solo leaves the crowd breathless and shouting for more as Shepherd slides up and down the fretboard like it’s on fire! Then it’s onto the classic Hendrix cover, ‘I Don’t Live Today’ before the crowd pleaser ‘Blue On Black’, Shepherds biggest success to date, where he talked with great pride about how this track was covered by American Heavy Metal rockers, Five Finger Death Punch with Brian May and Shepherd on guitar! He shares how, that after its original release, that the track returned to No 1 for the most consecutive weeks of any single in the US Billboard Charts! Shepherd talked with great humility to the packed auditorium about what a privilege it is for him to know that his music speaks to his fans and has helped them through painful times in their lives. His compassion and empathy really shine through. This is a man full of warmth who really feels a connection to his fans, a true Blues hero. He urges the audience to sing along and they oblige of course! Then it’s on to ‘Slow Ride’ before Shepherd and his band leave the stage only to return moments later to excited applause for a five-song encore commencing with the blistering masterpiece, ‘Woman Like You’, this ballsy song is full of attitude, a rocking, pounding track full of high-octane Bluesy energy. Next up is ‘I Want You’ and ‘Diamonds And Gold’ with Shepherd and Hunt sharing the vocals. This song oozes that sexy southern vibe with an undercurrent of funk and scorching guitar solos. Shepherd plays all shades of the Blues! Then it’s onto ‘Heat Of The Sun’ with its deep soulful sound before the final song of the night, the BB King cover, ‘You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now’ with its bleeding guitar and melancholy organ sound, as Krown’s fingers dance across the keys and it’s a wrap! So, after 2 hours of Blue’s magic, Shepherd (a true Blues legend) and his band leave the stage to a standing ovation!! Blues don’t get better than this!!

Words and photos by Louise Phillips