Kelly Joe Phelps
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Biography
Kelly Joe Phelps grew up in Sumner, Washington, a blue-collar and farming town. He learned country and folk songs, as well as drums and piano, from his father. He began playing guitar at 12.
Phelps concentrated on free jazz and took his cues from musicians like Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane. He spent 10 years playing jazz, mostly as a bass player. He refers to his “conversion” to a blues musician when he began listening to acoustic blues masters like Fred McDowell and Robert Pete Williams.
Initally gaining notice for his solo lapstyle slide guitar playing, which he played by laying the instrument flat and fretting it with a heavy steel bar, he has incorporated more ensemble work in his later albums. Inspired by the birth of his daughter Rachel in 1990, Phelps began writing songs. He began singing and released his critically praised debut, Lead Me On, in 1995. This album showcased Phelps’ craft, and as well as his own songs, he tackled traditional numbers such as “Motherless Children” and “Fare Thee Well.”
He released his second album, Roll Away the Stone (1997) and followed it up with 1999’s, Shine Eyed Mister Zen.
Top Tracks
Top Albums
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Lead Me On (15 Year Anniversary Edition)
2,257 listeners15 tracks
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Tunesmith Retrofit
16,747 listeners12 tracks
Released:
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Shine Eyed Mister Zen
3,241 listeners11 tracks
Released:
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Brother Sinner and the Whale
633 listeners12 tracks
Released:
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d1lll1nger
BRILLIANT!
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cominguproses22
I just discovered this guy, and I'm at a loss for words. Incredible doesn't quite cut it.
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Laurita71
Listen to French-Italian Folk/World singer songwriter Laure Péré ! http://www.lastfm.fr/music/Laure+P%C3%A9r%C3%A9/L%27altr%27alba
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Apituluaheb
Man ... i love you, thank you so much...
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davecarrmusic
Iv'e bought almost all of his albums now, his brilliant! Undiscovered by the masses for some reason I do not know.
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TanteSally
Oh jeah, this music is like holiday!
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phunkatog
I can't think of a single person who would dislike this man's music.
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PapaZig
Great Artist
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HowardPlace
must check out more of this guy's stuff. i'm listening to "tommy" it is heartbreakingly beautiful
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EvaIsWoah
he sounded really nice live.
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FilmoreHolmes
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jazzerbobby
Don Diego, that's right, songs with names in their titles, that's because most of Kelly Joe's songs are a story about something, the characters involved often taking an important role. His lyrics are a little hard to understand at first, but take an evening to sit down, listen to an album with the CD sleeve, read the words, listen & let your mind wander into the situations he paints...
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mart-the-mod
Taylor john is lush, simply lush
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Gradouble
very nice guitarist.
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theo2009
U can hear this amazing artist onlne at: kser.org :O) TED
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basketbob
This guy is Blues at it's best. Understated, but extremely competent guitar style, and an excellent voice to match. I can't think how I've missed him up to now.
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wCao
he's...amazing
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the_white_hat
There is not a single musician who has more greatly affected my own music.
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johnnypharaoh
saw him a few times, hes so changed every time
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alecruben
Where's his latest album: Tunesmith Retrofit? I like the style of that record, the combination between banjo and quiet acoustic guitar riffs.
All 22 shouts
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