Local blues rock favs The Kelly Richey Band will be kicking off the latest season of WNKU’s live radio show, Studio 89, tonight!
Hardcore fans of the blues will know the gruff voiced, guitar playing virtuoso as a veteran of Cincinnati’s music scene. For those who aren’t familiar, Richey has been described as “Stevie Ray Vaughan trapped in a woman's body with Janis Joplin screaming to get out.” Her self-confessed influences include the likes of the Jimi Hendrix, Roy Buchanan and the aforementioned Stevie Ray Vaughan. When you see her live it’s easy to imagine her going down to the crossroads and selling her soul in exchange for world class chops. She plays the guitar like a woman possessed!
During her 30+ years as a professional musician, Richey has had the pleasure of jamming with numerous players. This time out she’s teaming with another local legend, funk bassist Chris Sherman aka Freekbass, and veteran drummer Jyn Yates. The three came together to tour in support of, Richey’s latest studio project, Sweet Spirit. The album was recorded at Shangri-La Studios in Lexington, KY with Freekbass on bass guitar, Robby Cosenza on drums, and Bernie Worrell, a founding member of Parliament Funkadelic, on keyboards.
“Sweet Spirit” rocks and rolls across blues, funk, hip hop and straight up in-your-face rock and roll. Dishing up epic grooves and dirty crunchy guitar riffs, the ten-track album is rolled into a concise set of all-original songs that deftly mix brutish blues guitar and gritty swagger for foot-stomping rockers that shake and shimmy along within a stripped down but massive wall of sound.
The combination of hard driving blues, rock and funk make for an irresistibly potent mix of musical merriment. Ask any blues aficionado and they will tell you that seeing Kelly Richey live is a “bucket list” experience. Even casual fans of the blues will find plenty to love. If you’re not already a fan, you will be after you experience the latest incarnation of The Kelly Richey Band.
Admission to Studio 89 is free, but there will be a suggested donation of $5.00 per person. Seating is limited and reservations will be accepted online the Tuesday before each show. Cut off will be the following Thursday at noon. Active WNKU Members receive first priority in the order received. If, by Thursday at noon seats are not filled by members, non-members will be taken in the order received. Listeners can become members by making a financial contribution to WNKU online at www.wnku.org or by calling 859-572-6500.
