ALSO CHECK OUT myspace.com/kanewelchandkaplin
Currently touring behind the new release "Kane Welch Kaplin" with partners Kieran Kane and Fats Kaplin, and Lucas Kane on percussion. Please check the website kevinwelch.com or deadreckoningrecords.com for up to date schedule, merchandise, chat board etc.
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Born in Long Beach, California, August 17th, 1955.
Traveled his little ass off till he was 7, family settled in Oklahoma.
Made it through high school, Midwest City High, and one semester of music school at Central State, Edmond, Oklahoma, joined a bluegrass band, dropped out of school, hit the road.
Met John Hadley, real songwriter for Tree International, who also taught art at the University of Oklahoma (OU) in Norman. Hadley was immediately critical of his guitar playing, which made him try harder just to get even.
Traveled a honkytonk circuit for 5 years in a van and a truck named Phyllis in a band called New Rodeo and then a band called Blue Rose Cafe. Started thinking there might be another way to live.
Met Jennifer Patten, got married, moved to Nashville like Hadley said they should, started writing for Tree International. This is 1978.
Wrote for 10 years, got some cuts, started earning a living. Had 3 kids, Dustin, Savannah, and Ada. Jennifer and Kevin split up but still stayed good friends. The 3 kids got to 'still have a Mom-and-a-Dad'.
Steve Earle made Guitar Town, and then Steve, Don Schlitz, Mark Germino and some other madmen suggested Kevin get a record deal. Paul Worley went over to Warner Bros. and got Kevin signed. Made 2 records, 'Kevin Welch' in 1990 and 'Western Beat' in 1992. Warner let Kevin do whatever he wanted. Then they let him out of the deal to be nice, and because they had already spent a fortune on him they were never ever ever gonna earn back.
Kieran Kane, Harry Stinson, Mike Henderson, Tammy Rogers, and Kevin drank so much vodka one night that they started their own label, Dead Reckoning Records. This was around 1994 or 95. They released 21 records over the next 7 years, toured individually and also together as a collective called A Night Of Reckoning (with Fats Kaplin and Allison Prestwood) through the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Europe, and Canada. They were really really good together, but then they all got tired and went home.
Except for Kevin. One evening while shaving in a broken mirror over the dishwasher's sink in the freezing kitchen of a pub somewhere very far from home, he suddenly realized he was humming the tune to "There's No Business Like Show Business."
He still didn't stop.
2000, Kevin and Kieran started traveling together with a 2-man show - 2 guitars, 2 voices, and a bottle of Bushmills, or sometimes Jameson. They made a live record in Melbourne, Australia, called '11/12/13' and kept on with it because it was so much fun and actually pretty good, too. They went all over the place.
In the years 2000 and 2001 Kevin completed a record with his friends from Denmark, who everybody just calls The Danes. Kevin thinks it's real damn good.
2004, Kevin, Kieran and Fats made a three-man record with no bass or drums, along with a companion record with their friend David Francey, the Scottish/Canadian ass-kicking poet and singer. Toured all over the place some more. By this stage the poor sonofabitch is closing in on 50.
At the time of this writing, Kevin resides in a chair in his office at home with a stiff neck, a warm Powerbook and a cold cup of coffee. He lives with his beautiful and talented girlfriend Claudia Scott and they don't have one single pet.
Hey Kevin, Hope you can spare a moment to come by my page and vote G7th for top capo in the Acoustic Guitar mag's "Players' Choice" awards! Every vote counts and helps!.. and there's prizes! Cheers
What a loss to the music world, with the passing of Bob Childers. Loved talking to him, a truly great man. Last time I saw him was March 17, 2006, the Red Dirt Rangers played Ace's High, our local bar. I bought the tribute triple cd set, "Restless Spirit~A Tribute to the Songs of Bob Childers". This is a must have in anyone that loves red dirt music's library!! They introduced him as their "spiritual guru", got him on stage to sing "Dance With the Gypsies". I kept yelling "Woka Hey", cos I love that song so much. He looked at me and said, "Do you know how long it's been sing I have sang that tune?", then proudly broke out in song. I loved every minute of it. The "Restless Spirit" is soaring with the angels now. God bless ya. Cheryl
Thanks for the add! Looks like I need to catch up on your new music! I have not been to the Kerrville FolK Festival in several years. You are sounding great as usual,makes me miss sittin' around a campfire in the meadow! Hugs and Angels all around you! PJ :)
Hey Kevin, thanks for the add. Glad to find you on here. My band has been covering "Something About You" for several years now. One of our most requested tunes!! Peace!
Hey Kevin, when ya comin' back to Oklahoma to the Blue Door??? Hope it's not while I'm on vacation this summer from June 24 to July 14...lol.....Hope ya having a fantastic week.
Hey Kevin, I like what you're doing. You have a great sound. Thanks for adding me. Please give my music a listen any time. I would value your comments. Much respect, Bill
just dropping by to say how much i value your friendship! hope that everything is going well for you. may your week be blessed with every beautiful blessing! love & respect, jack
