Kenny Neal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kenny Neal (born October 14, 1957, New Orleans, Louisiana[1]), son of Raful Neal, is a blues and swamp blues guitar player, singer and band member. Neal comes from a musical family and has often performed with his brothers in his band.
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[edit] Career
Neal preserves the swamp blues sound of his native south Louisiana, as befits someone who learned from Slim Harpo, Buddy Guy and his father, the harmonica player, Raful Neal.[2]
In 1987, Neal cut his debut album for the Florida record producer, Bob Greenlee — an updated swamp feast initially marketed on King Snake Records as Bio on the Bayou. Alligator Records picked it up the following year, retitled it Big News from Baton Rouge!![3]
In 1991 he also proved to be a talented actor in the Broadway production of the folk musical Mule Bone (by Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston), singing numbers written by Taj Mahal.[2]
Neal has played with blues stars including Lucky Peterson and Lazy Lester, and was at one time a member of The Downchild Blues Band, during a period of relocation to Toronto.[4]
In September 2006 Neal announced he was taking a year's break from recording and performing, due to an undisclosed illness.[5] He returned to the public eye at the Monterey Blues Festival in June, 2007. His illness was also disclosed as Hepatitis C.[6]
[edit] Awards
Blues Music Award (formerly W.C. Handy Award)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Allmusic biography data
- ^ a b Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. p. 150. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ^ Allmusic biography data
- ^ Craig Harris, Biography of The Downchild Blues Band; www.allmusic.com.
- ^ Living Blues website
- ^ Monterey County Weekly - accessed January 2008
