SHREVEPORT, LA (Wayne Shepherd Official Website) - On June 9, 2004, renowned rock/blues guitarist
Kenny Wayne Shepherd will launch an historic collaboration with more than a dozen legendary blues players to raise funds for the
Music Maker Relief Foundation (MMRF). The Foundation offers assistance to the pioneers of the Southern music tradition, ranging from recording and distributing their music to food, shelter and medical care.
The lineup of musicians for this special effort includes some of the world's most talented and best-known blues artists, including B.B. King, Gatemouth Brown and Honeyboy Edwards and will reunite members of Muddy Waters' band and Howlin' Wolf's band. It also will bring some of the genre's lesser-known but rare and towering talents to the attention of music fans that love the blues.
During a ten-day period, Kenny will travel to New Orleans and Shreveport (LA), Indianola (MS), Gadsden (AL), Hillsborough (NC), St. Louis (MO), and Salina (KS) to produce a documentary film and accompanying record (Audio/DVD), of which a substantial portion of the proceeds will benefit MMRF.
"I really feel it is as much a tribute to the masters of the blues as a way to raise money for a foundation, which supports working musicians who deserve more recognition. There are so many great artists working with us on this project, we hope we can bring a new awareness of the blues to music fans all over the country," said Kenny.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd has been playing the blues since he was eight years old and is, himself, a legend in the making. Kenny, along with friends Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon (of Double Trouble) and Noah Hunt will be visiting artists in their hometowns to hear their stories and play some of their music with them. "I'll be playing with some of my music idols and capturing their stories in their hometowns. It is a dream come true for me," he said.
On June 18th he'll arrive in Salina, Kansas to record a live show with several members of both Muddy Waters' and Howlin' Wolf's bands. Film director Noble Jones will capture each stage of this trip on film and Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads) will produce the audio recording. This historic piece will be released as an Audio/DVD a few months after Kenny's fourth studio album, due out this September on Reprise Records.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd has sold millions of albums worldwide with three straight No. 1 blues albums, a string of No. 1 mainstream rock singles, two 1998 Billboard Music Awards for Rock Track of the Year ("Blue on Black") and Blues Album of the Year ("Trouble IS..."), two Grammy nominations, one in 1998 for "Trouble IS..." and the other in 2000 for "Electric Lullaby." Kenny also was awarded the 1998 and 2001 Orville H. Gibson Awards for Best Blues Guitarist.
Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting musicians rooted in southern musical traditions with instrument acquisition, tour support, life maintenance, medical, and emergency relief.
