Kenny Wayne Shepherd Trouble Is... CD

Live Recording

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band: Kenny Wayne Shepherd (vocals, guitar); Noah Hunt (vocals); Joe Nadeau (guitar); Jimmy Wallace (keyboards); Robby Emerson (bass); Sam Bryant (drums).
Additional personnel: James Cotton (harmonica); Reese Wynans (keyboards); Tommy Shannon (bass); Chris Layton (drums); Stephanie Spruitt, Patricia Hodges (background vocals).
Recorded at The Plant Recording Studio and Studio D, Sausalito, California; Dogma Studio, New York, New York.
All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology.
"Trouble Is..." was nominated for the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
Personnel: Kenny Wayne Shepherd (vocals, guitar); Noah Hunt (vocals); James Cotton (harmonica); Jay Blakesberg (piano); Jimmy Wallace, Reese Wynans (keyboards); Sam Bryant (drums, cymbals); Chris Layton (drums); Stephanie Spruitt, Patricia Hodges (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Joe Chiccarelli; Tom Lord-Alge.
Recording information: Dogma Studio, NY, NY; Plant Recording Studio, Sausalito, CA.
Photographer: Mark Seliger.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Jimmy Wallace; Joe Nadeau; Sam Bryant; Noah Hunt; Robby Emerson; Kenny Wayne Shepherd.
Arrangers: Jerry Harrison; Kenny Wayne Shepherd; Bill Pfordresher.
Instead of breaking from his high-energy, high-voltage blues-rock, Kenny Wayne Shepherd offers more of the same on his second album, Trouble Is... While the record lacks the surprise and impact of Ledbetter Heights, it's clear that Shepherd is growing as a guitarist, developing a cleaner, more nuanced technique. He still suffers from the lack of an original voice, plus a lack of strong material, but his growth as a guitarist compensates for what's missing. ~ Thom Owens
After releasing a debut that drew raves from people such as James Brown and B.B. King, Kenny Wayne Shepherd followed it up with an album that demonstrates how much musical growth this childhood prodigy has experienced in two years. On TROUBLE IS..., Shepherd's playing still reflects the huge influence of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan (particularly on the instrumental title track that finds him joined by Double Trouble and Reese Winans), but new singer Noah Hurt also colors everything with a growl reminiscent of Paul Rodgers.
Moving slightly away from the country-blues of LEDBETTER HEIGHTS, Shepherd's strong rhythmic touch shines on everything from juke-joint exercises ("[Long] Gone" with James Cotton) to the transformation of Dylan's "Everything's Broken" into a roadhouse rave-up. Although this Shreveport native's guitar lends itself to more up-tempo material (check out "Chase The Rainbow"), slower songs are where the 20-year old digs deep into the heart of the blues. The pure emotion found in "Blue On Black" and "I Found Love (When I Found You)" shows that Shepherd can carry on the legacy of the blues for many years to come.