Kelly Joe Phelps

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Kelly Joe Phelps (born 5 October 1959, Sumner, Washington, D.C.) is an American musician and songwriter.

Career

Phelps carved out a growing niche for his music throughout the 1990s. His music has been characterized as a mixture of delta blues and jazz.

Phelps learned country and folk songs, as well as drums and piano, from his father. At first, he concentrated on free jazz and took his cues from musicians like Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane. He soon found his true calling as a blues musician, when he began listening to acoustic blues masters like Fred McDowell and Robert Pete Williams.

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.

His fourth record, Sky Like a Broken Clock, appeared in 2001. This time he was joined by a bassist and a drummer - its companion piece, "Beggar's Oil" EP, was a critic's favourite in 2002.

His sound was further added to on his fifth album in late 2002. In order to achieve a richer, orchestrated sound, he collected guitarist Bill Frisell and bassists Keith Lowe, Steve Dawson, Jesse Zubot, and Andrew Downing for the recording of Slingshot Professionals (2003).

In 2005, Phelps released a live album, Tap the Red Cane Whirlwind, which was followed a year later by the studio album Tunesmith Retrofit.

Discography

Lead Me On, 1994 (Burnside Records)
Roll Away the Stone, 1997 (Rykodisc Records)
Shine Eyed Mister Zen, 1999 (Rykodisc Records)
Sky Like a Broken Clock, 2001 (Rykodisc Records)
Beggar's Oil (EP), 2002 (Rykodisc Records)
Slingshot Professionals, 2003 (Rykodisc Records)
Tap the Red Cane Whirlwind, 2005 (Rykodisc / True North Records)
Tunesmith Retrofit, August 1 2006 (Rounder)

With other artists

Paul Curreri: Songs for Devon Sproule (City Salvage Records) – producer, slide guitar on "Crozet Trestle Bridge"
Zubot and Dawson: Chicken Scratch (True North Records) – vocals, acoustic guitar on "Hellhound on My Trail" and "May You Never"
Jay Farrar: Sebastopol (Artemis Records) – slide guitar on "Outside The Door"
Rory Block: I'm Every Woman (Rounder Records) – slide guitar and lead vocals on "Pretty Polly"
Linda Tillery and The Cultural Heritage Choir: Say Yo' Business (a live recording) (Earthbeat Records R2 76762) – slide guitar on "Spirituals Medley" and slide guitar, lead vocals on "Ain't No Mo' Cane On Dis Brazos"
Tim O'Brien: The Crossing (Alula Records ALU-1014) – lap slide guitar on "John Riley"
Greg Brown: Slant 6 Mind (Red House Records RHR CD 98) – lap steel guitar on "Speaking in Tongues", lap slide on "Vivid"
Greg Brown: Further In (Red House Records RHR CD 88) – lap slide guitar on "Small Dark Movie", "Think About You", "China" and "Someday When We're Both Alone"
Tony Furtado: Roll My Blues Away (Rounder Records CD 0343) – lead vocals and lap slide guitar on "Willow Tree" and "Boat's up the River", lap slide guitar on "The Stark Raven" and "Bolinas"
Tony Furtado Band (Cojema Music CM-CD2001) – vocals to "False Hearted Lover", "Raleigh and Spencer" and "Mollie and Tenbrooks"
Martin Simpson: Cool & Unusual (Red House Records RHR CD110)
Louise Taylor: Ride (Signature Sounds SIG 1241) – lap slide guitar on "Roll Away Car" and "Islamorada"
Bo Ramsey: In the Weeds (Trailer Records trailer 10) – lap steel guitar on "Precious" and "King of Clubs"
Townes Van Zandt: The Highway Kind (Normal Records (France) 201 CD) – dobro on "Banks of the Ohio" and "Ira Hayes"

References

External links

Official website
Phelps biography at the All Music Guide website