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In a historical sense, if any artist can be said to rule Billboard's Top
Blues Albums chart, it is L.A.-bred singer/songwriter Keb' Mo' –
black English for Kevin Moore. In fact, Keb' Mo' has never been absent
from the chart during the course of its existence. His denominative 1994 debut peaked on
Top Blues Albums the week it was initiated in September 1995; it enjoyed a 72-week stay,
topping off at No. 4. For 28 weeks, both his debut album and his album "Just
Like You" were on the chart simultaneously.
  Keb' Mo' has won his share of critical accolades.
"Just Like You" won a 1997 Grammy Award as best contemporary
blues album, and the musician was named acoustic blues artist of the year at the 1997 W.C.
Handy Awards. Those who have been intimately involved with the development of the
bluesman's career ascribe his success to the pop-conscious way in which he presents his
music.
Keb' came to the genre late. His early professional resume included work
in rock/R&B fiddler Papa John Creach's band, a 1980 R&B-inflected solo album for
Casablanca, and a stint with the vocal group The Rose Brothers. However, his work as a
guitarist in Monk Higgins' group and his later interest in the music of blues legend
Robert Johnson (to whom he bears an uncanny physical resemblance) led Moore to fuse his
pop and blues sensibilities as Keb' Mo'.
Kevin'll
be the first to tell you he's not a bluesman...What he's done is, he's spanned the gap,
like Bonnie Raitt, like Robert Cray
– artists who are probably most comfortable and at home with the blues
but are taking it a step further. I'm not quite sure that it's actually
calculated that way, as much as it is simply an extension of their
expression.
Keb' Mo' says of one of his recent records, "I
don't even know what it is. There's a lot of blues on it, but there's a lot of stuff
that's not blues...I just go right from the hip, I go from the moment, and I know what the
record is when I'm done with it. I'll probably catch a little heat. You gotta catch a
little heat. If you don't catch a little heat, you didn't really try to do
nothin'."
Keb's fans have packed his live performances all over North America
and Europe including major US tours with Celine Dion (Spring '97) and
Bonnie Raitt (Spring '98), and countless headlining gigs.
Keb' Mo' has torn the house down with his sets at the New
Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the Chicago Blues Festival, the
Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, and Holland's North Sea Jazz
Festival. His television performances include "The Late Show With
David Letterman," "The
Rosie O'Donnell Show,"
"Sessions At West 54th," "Conan O'Brien" and
"Touched By An Angel." Keb' also hosted the special "Best
of the Blues" anniversary edition of "Austin City
Limits."
Notable songs include -- .
- That's Not Love
- Tell Everybody I Know
- Love Blues
- Am I Wrong
- Stand Up (And Be Strong)
- I'm on Your Side
- Muddy Water
- Just Like You
- Door
- Kindhearted Woman Blues
Keb' Mo' may be available for your next special event!
For booking information, click
HERE!
Genre: ..Blues
Styles:
..Contemporary Blues
..Country Blues
..Modern Acoustic Blues
Years active:
..90s, ..00s
Born: ..in California
..in Los Angeles
Oct 3, 1951
Based: ..in California
..in Los Angeles
Showcase video available. |
