By Chyrisse Tabone, Rock At Night Tampa
Live Review: Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band w/Samantha Fish – Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL – February 10, 2023
In February 2022, Kenny Wayne Shepherd embarked on his “Trouble Is…25th Anniversary Tour” from his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana. His groundbreaking album of the same name was penned in his teen years, stayed 20 weeks on Billboard’s blues charts, and was certified platinum in 1999. The album had four top 10 hits, and the song “Blue on Black” won Billboard’s “Rock Track of the Year” in 1998. On December 12, 2022, he released a reinterpreted version of the album “Trouble is…25.”
Kenny Wayne Shepherd is continuing his celebratory tour throughout 2023—and Rock At Night was lucky to catch him during his appearance at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, Florida. The sold-out show was packed from the floor to the top of the venue, showing the loyal following he has garnered through the years.
The evening began with Rock At Night favorite Samantha Fish, who came out of the gate like gangbusters, playing slide on cigar box guitar and belting out the lyrics to “Bulletproof.” Rows of men at the rear of the venue stood roaring with approval. She continued playing in her swampy blues style and switched to an electric guitar for songs like “Twisted Ambition.” The multi-talented guitarist and singer slowed the pace by performing a gospel-tinged version of R&B ballad “If I Were Your Woman.” Without banter between songs, Fish provided a solid fast-paced set of blues rock.
Shepherd came on stage with longtime vocalist Noah Hunt to perform “Trouble Is” as the audience sat transfixed. No cell phones were raised as eyes gazed at the spellbinding guitar work and everyone admired Hunt’s powerful, baritone voice.
After “Chase the Rainbow,” Shepherd chatted with the audience, saying the band would perform the entire album before “we walk off the stage and pretend we aren’t coming back.” He added that the encore consists of a few more recent songs, insinuating the crowd would be treated to more.
He recalled being 18 when he wrote Trouble Is…, and one song in particular, “I Found Love (When I Found You),” has been sentimentally embraced by fans. Hunt’s voice was particularly emotional as he sang the acoustic guitar-driven ballad. Many have told Shepherd that the song was played at their weddings, and one fan even proposed to his fiancé in the middle of a song performance.
The remaining portion of the set was solid rock music at its best. The media and music charts categorize the band’s music as blues, which is probably a misnomer. Songs like “Nothing to Do With Love” had wah-wah pedal embellishments, and the guitar solo in “True Lies” had the audience standing for an ovation. A few people (including me) were dancing to the Jimi Hendrix tune, “I Don’t Live Today,” in which Shepherd squatted on the floor, wearing his silver-glitter trainers, and performed a Hendrix-style solo. At the song’s end, he handed his guitar pick to a smiling child in the front row.
After “Blue on Black,” the audience lavished Shepherd and his cohorts with several more standing ovations. (The heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch recorded a recent version of the song with Shepherd and Brian May, who contributed guitar solos. Shepherd explained that the song proceeds are donated to the Gary Sinise Foundation, which assists wounded veterans and first responders.) Adding visual atmosphere to the evening’s performance, Shepherd played a heavy-bodied, blue acoustic guitar, later switching to a black and blue Stratocaster.
Overall, it was an evening of solid, classic rock—and some blues—much to our delight.
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I grew up in a household full of rock music, studied journalism in college, and then became a scientist.Although my science career has served me well, music has always played a major role in my life. I grew up reading "Creem" magazine; I play several musical instruments as a "hobby";and it seems a camera has always been in my hand. Now, I am combining what I love the most--music and photography--serving as editor of Rock At Night. I travel between the US and UK seeking my dream! My motto: life is short...no regrets. Chyrisse
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