Bill Kirchen
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| Bill Kirchen | |
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 Kirchen in Shirlington, Virginia with his original telecaster in 2003 |
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| Background information | |
| Born | June 29, 1948 Bridgeport, Connecticut[1] |
| Origin | Bridgeport, CT U.S. |
| Genres | Rockabilly, Country Music, Blues, Rock and Roll, Jazz, Bakersfield Sound, |
| Years active | 1967–present |
| Labels | Hightone Records |
Bill Kirchen (born June 29, 1948)[2] is an American rockabilly guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was the guitarist with the original Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen from 1967 to the mid 1970s, although, in reality, his time with the Commander accounts for only a portion of his career. Known as "The Titan of The Telecaster" for his big, twangy licks and diverse musical styles, he played the unmistakable lead on the 1972 Commander Cody hit "Hot Rod Lincoln." In the years since, his body of work has been rich and varied, recording albums and making dozens of appearances on recordings by other artists.[3] Kirchen grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he attended Ann Arbor High School with Iggy Pop and Bob Seger. In recent years, Kirchen has toured or recorded with Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Doug Sahm, Emmylou Harris, Austin de Lone and others.
Kirchen's signature sound has been dubbed "Dieselbilly" as it incorporates elements of Country music, Blues, Rockabilly, Western Swing and Boogie-Woogie, laced with themes of American truck driving music that were explored years earlier by Red Sovine, Dave Dudley, Del Reeves, Red Simpson and others. These styles were later fully developed during his stint with Commander Cody and his writing collaborations with Kevin "Blackie" Farrell.
He plays a Fender Telecaster almost exclusively, and his main unit through the years has been a 1959 model with a Maple fretboard and Sunburst finish - practically all of which has been worn off by years of playing. Interestingly, this Telecaster came to him in 1967 by way of an even trade with a complete stranger he met on a bus, with Kirchen handing over his own Gibson SG in exchange.
For the better part of 20 years he lived in the Washington, D.C. area, where he formed the band Bill Kirchen and Too Much Fun, featuring Dave Elliot on drums and John Previti on bass, later replaced by Jeff Sarli. However, the best-known and most prolific lineup of Too Much Fun featured the rhythm section of Johnny Castle (bass,vocals) and Jack O'Dell (drums,vocals). The band produced a string of albums: Have Love, Will Travel, Hot Rod Lincoln - Live, Raise a Ruckus, Tied to the Wheel, and Dieselbilly Road Trip.
Kirchen is a contemporary, and associate, of many D.C. guitarists such as the late Danny Gatton and Roy Buchanan, Link Wray, Tom Principato, Evan Johns, Billy Hancock, Linwood Taylor, Dave Chappell, the Nighthawks and others who, during this time, forged an elite fraternity of Washington D.C.-area roots rock performers.
In 2005 he moved to the West Coast to take care of family, then to Manchaca, Texas. In early 2007 he returned to the D.C. area and currently resides in southern Maryland. His live show includes an ever-changing, extended version of "Hot Rod Lincoln," in which he solos in the styles of many famous rock, blues, power pop, punk, and country guitarists, including Johnny Cash, Duane Eddy, Roy Orbison, Johnny Rivers, Marty Robbins, Buck Owens, Merle Travis, Merle Haggard, Bob Wills, Bo Diddley, Elmore James, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Link Wray, Vince Gill, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, The Ventures, Jerry Reed, Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Monkees, Cream, Deep Purple, The Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and even, as he says, "The Kings" -- Elvis, B.B. King, Albert King, Claude King, Billie Jean King (a tongue in cheek Pong style imitation of tennis), King Kong (a comical visual), Don King (another visual), and others.
Kirchen released his first album in a number of years on January 30, 2007, the critically acclaimed Hammer of the Honky Tonk Gods, on Proper American Records. The disc is a mix of Kirchen's musical styles. Nick Lowe appears prominently on the album, along with other guests, such as Chris Gaffney and Dave Gonzalez.
Besides being a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Kirchen is also known for his whistling skills and trombone playing.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- ^ New Haven Register, New Haven, CT
- ^ Yahoo.com mini biography
- ^ Pendragon, Jana. "Bill Kirchen - Biography". All Music Guide. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p35892. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bill Kirchen |
- Proper Records review
- Bill Kirchen Official Website
- Allmusic[dead link]
- Bill Kirchen feature and CD reviews at Country Standard Time
- Johnny Castle's Official Website
- The Thrillbillys Official Website
- Bill Kirchen is a 'Titan of the Telecaster' by Thorne Dreyer, The Rag Blog, Feb. 23, 2012. Includes podcast of Feb. 17, 2012, Rag Radio interview with Bill Kirchen (55:35)
