Guitar legend
Kenny Wayne Shepherd, is gearing up for a performance at
The Ford on
Friday, September 5th alongside
Bobby Rush. The show is part of their national co-headlining tour in support of their new collaborative album
Young Fashioned Ways– a cross-generational blues record that’s been
earning rave reviews. What do you think about setting up an interview with Kenny ahead of the show?
Young Fashioned Ways brings together
two Louisiana bluesmen—born
44 years apart—for an unforgettable set of
updated classics and
soulful originals. The album pairs Bobby Rush’s
rich storytelling and signature harmonica with Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s
fiery guitar work, blending newly
co-written tracks with
reimagined Rush staples. Recorded live at Memphis’ legendary
Royal Studios with a powerhouse band, the record has drawn high praise—
Blues Rock Review called it “about as close to perfect as a blues record can get,” while
Flight Risk, the new Mark Wahlberg film, features their electrified lead single, “
Who Was That.” As Kenny puts it, “We spoke the same language with the blues—spiritually, musically, and geographically.”
Signed to a major-label record deal at just 13, Kenny Wayne Shepherd quickly cemented his place as one of the most influential blues-rock guitarists of his generation. His explosive debut album, Ledbetter Heights, not only topped the blues charts but achieved platinum status, catapulting him into the spotlight in the mid-‘90s. Since then, Shepherd’s signature style—a powerful fusion of aggressive, clean, and meaty country-blues riffs—has consistently delivered chart-topping albums and multiple Top 10 singles. Through his electrifying live performances and critically acclaimed discography, Shepherd has become a modern torchbearer for blues rock, inspiring a new wave of guitarists and injecting fresh energy into the genre.
Raised on a diet of classic blues and rock ’n’ roll, Grammy-nominated, multiplatinum bandleader Kenny Wayne Shepherd has collaborated with everyone from B.B. King to Pinetop Perkins. Of his 2024 album Dirt on My Diamonds Vol. 2, written at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Blues Rock Review raved, “Great hooks, great songs, great musicianship, the total package.” Most recently Shepherd teamed up with Blues Hall of Famer Bobby Rush on this year’s Young Fashioned Ways. Inspired by their shared love of Muddy Waters—the album takes its name from Waters’ 1955 song—the two Louisiana natives born 44 years apart unite for an unforgettable evening of updated classics and soulful originals.
https://www.theford.com/events/performances/4080/2025-09-05/kenny-wayne-shepherd-band-with-special-guest-bobby-rush#
