#124 - A great bluesman, a great musician - Kelly Joe Phelps - Gone too soon

Hidden behind the fabric of the music industry, are the little known legends...  Dave Smith (founder of Sequential Circuits, early developer of MIDI and inventor of the Prophet 5) passed away just before NAMM at the young age of 72.  He had just revitalized Sequential and recently brought back an incredible updated version of the Prophet 5.  He seemed rejuvenated in his youtube videos and I was looking forward to chatting with him.

Then, another great loss came - a name of someone you may not have heard of, but someone who touched thousands of lives with his musicianship like Jason Isbell and Tony Furtado to name a few.  When I got the message from Tony, it stunned me.  

Kelly Joe Phelps passed away in his sleep at his home in Iowa at the very young age of 62.  To see him perform was hypnotic.  He cast you into a spell and journey into yourself.  Kelly sang the blues like I had never heard anyone do. Kelly was like the pied piper or a river guide taking listeners and musicians on river raft down of music through the twists and turns of improvisation. 

I was transfixed the first time I heard him in a cafe, at midnight, in Portland.  I was producing Tony Furtado for Rounder at the time and asked if he wanted to sing on the recording.  The introduction to Tony led to a long time partnership of touring of the two of them.  It also led to some incredible songs for a few of Tony's albums... most memorable was Boat's Up the River, a 7 minute improvisation with Tony, Todd Phillips (bass) and Aaron Johnston (drums).  They had never played together before...  I hit record on the tape machine without their knowing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjXpV7rCtyM

Tony gives a great memory of Kelly and that day in the studio.

Today I heard the sad news that my old friend Kelly Joe Phelps passed away. To me he was a friend, an inspiration, an enigma. I always looked forward to running into him on or off the road, he was so full of questions and suggestions and dammit, he was always learning some new instrument, technique, or just pushing himself in a new direction to keep himself and his fans on their toes! His ability to bring a crowd to tears in a mere couple measures of improvised crooning and noodling was unmatched!



Way back in the mid 90s when we first met I asked him to be part of an album I was putting together (Roll my Blues Away). It was a new direction for me. I had recently dove in headfirst to the world of slide guitar but still wasn't singing. He was easily one of my favorite slide players and his voice just slayed me (and everyone I knew). So I asked him to play slide and sing on a few tracks. We both agreed we should borrow a couple songs from an old Morgan Sexton album we both loved that had recently been re-released on Smithsonian Folkways. Cookie Marenco was producing this project for me and was delighted to help make this happen at her OTR Studios. We gathered a couple other players, Todd Phillips on bass and Aaron Johnston on drums. The track I have linked here for you all to check out is called Boats up the River. Its without a doubt the MOST MAGICAL experience I've ever had recording a song. Kelly was just starting to warmup on the song while Cookie got sounds on the instruments...then we all gradually came in and played a little follow the leader. Each guy taking the part of leader at different times. This whole track is an improvisation! Nothing was discussed prior - no arrangement decisions - just that Kelly knew the lyrics, and the key and away we went following our fearless leader. Something about him and his way with songs just made it alright to approach this old folk song like a jazz standard and use our ears rather than charts. We had no idea if Cookie was even recording and when we all finally landed the plane, struck the final notes...I said "Cookie, were you recording that?" Cookies response.. "You're DAMN right I was".



I say this to highlight the brilliance of a musical genius who touched SO many people...so many people who are now crushed to learn they will never get to hear or play with Kelly Joe Phelps again. Many of us were holding some hopes that he would resurface from his hiatus.



RIP Kelly Joe Phelps

You were a brother to so many, and an inspiration to all!



Tony Furtado

But there is one other story I want to share.... it became a turning point in my work as a producer.  A day in the studio when Kelly had never sung without his guitar, was locked in an isobooth with headphones and band performing at the same time.  After what seemed like 5 hours on one song, with Nashville's best session musicians, I couldn't figure out what was going wrong.  Then Kelly announced to the band, they were "going to have to listen" to him.  He might sing a phrase longer, come in at measure 5 instead of measure 4... he expected these fine musicians to LISTEN to the music as it was being made. 

He was right and it changed me forever.  I promptly removed the written page of musical notes from the music stands and we had the take on the next run through.

Listening to what each other plays while creating...  it's the backbone of Blue Coast Records.

Kelly, you might be gone in the physical plane but you'll never be forgotten.  You've touched too many lives, changed too many lives and we're all the better for it.

Sending love and peace to all,

Cookie Marenco
Founder and Producer
Blue Coast Records and Music