Kevin Welch is centered, relaxed, and simply a master songwriter.  The evening was full of great fun, fine guitar work, and some of the clearest narrative images you’re likely to hear.  Enjoy these photos by Rodney Bursiel and Nathan Brown.  Leave comments at the bottom of this page, as well.  For nice review of the evening, please see Vicki Phillips’ blog at: http://www.coolhousesaustin.com.  Thanks to Kevin, friends, and the amazing Blue Rock staff and volunteers for making this a great evening.  See you in September!

Kevin Welch was born in California in 1955 his family settled in Oklahoma when he was seven.  After high school and a taste of music school, Kevin joined a bluegrass band and hit the road. 

Honkytonk gigs with his band New Rodeo and then Blue Rose Cafe occupied the next five years of his life, until mentor and fellow songwriter John Hadley convinced him to move to Nashville and write professionally for Tree International in 1978.  Kevin enjoyed 10 successful years of songwriting for Tree International, which led to a record deal in 1990 with Warner Bros.  Two critically acclaimed albums (the self titled debut Kevin Welch in 1990, and then Western Beat in 1992) came from his partnership with Warner Bros.  Kevin ventured out in 1995 to start his own label, Dead Reckoning Records, with friends and colleagues such as Kieran Kane, Harry Stinson, Mike Henderson, and Tammy Rogers.

Kevin Welch tours throughout Europe and the States.  His latest release Kane Welch Kaplin (a collaborative release with Kieran Kane and Fats Kaplin), held the #1 slot on the Americana charts for several weeks.

For more information on this artist, visit http://www.kevinwelch.com

Sally Purnell-Smith says:

6-22-08

Dear Blue Rock,

Just a note to remind you how fortunate we feel, having found you all in the maze of busy flight, this world descending so it seems, becomes a stream of light and hope, when we in sweet anticipation are heading toward Wimberley and Blue Rock, the second Thursday of the month. Such community, Dodee’s sweets, Billy’s sweet smile, old friends and new; harvest music, well sustained through these humble stewards.

We must have done something right to have been called, for the love of music holds a precious grace, lost and found again in God’s full heart, some of us are wayward hippies, brought (our labors never done) to sound the call to universal language, for peace and healing, the only way we know. Bless the music and the music makers, bless the listeners, and finally, God bless the Stewards.

Yours, anxiously awaiting the September 11 show, made even more sweet in the delay,

  Sally Purnell-Smith and Ladd Smith

R. Chaney says:

Thank God for the Sally’s of this world to put such powerful words out to those fortunate to read. If inspiration comes from others’ words, then surely these are some of the most inspiring.
Peace to all