This third release by Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch and Fats Kaplin is yet another musically deep production from three seasoned performers.  Featuring new songs from Kane and Welch along with empathic support from multi-instrumentalist Kaplin (electric sitar, accordian, fiddle, steel guitar, electric and acoustic guitar), this disc is filled with sweet melodies and thoughtful lyrics.  And Kane�s haunting banjo permeates the disc as well, lending another interesting voice, especially when paired with Kaplin�s steel guitar on �Red Light Blinking� and electric sitar on �Highland Mary.� This is between�the�cracks music; it isn�t just country or bluegrass or folk or blues, it�s all of the above and more.  The music, like the three musicians making the music, adds up to far more than the sum of its parts.  Kind of like the Elgin sausage sandwich with pickles in the buttered and toasted just-right bun I had at Hoover�s in Austin.  Both cd and sandwich are highly recommended.

Kevin Welch persuaded Fats Kaplin to move to Nashville to join his band, the Overtones, which also included Kane, Mike Henderson, Harry Stinson and Glenn Worf in 1992.  After arriving in Nashville, Kaplin became a sought after multi-instrumentalist playing on albums by Waylon Jennings, Kelly Willis, Pure Prairie League, Mark Knopfler and Buddy Miller, to name just a few.In 1995, Welch, along with Kieran Kane, Tammy Rogers and Harry Stinson, formed Dead Reckoning Records where the artists would record solo albums.  Kane, Welch and Kaplin released their first collaborative effort, You Can’t Save Everybody, in 2004. The second release from the troika is titled Lost John Dean.  “Lost John Dean” is a traditional that tells the story of an African-American worker in Western Kentucky who, after robbing a bank, eludes the posse on his trail.  Possibly the earliest recorded version of this is the 1928 Bascom Lamar Lunsford version to which this recent take doesn’t stray too far.  Bascom Lamar Lunsford was a folk musician who in 1928 organized the first folk music festival in Asheville, NC and was mainly known for recording songs for the Library of Congress in main part to preserve them for generations to come.Similarly we come to this release.  Although only two of the tracks of Lost John Dean are covers, (the title track and Willie Dixon’s “Mellow Down Easy”) the presentation is an updating of the same type of folk music that runs strong risk of extinction if not preserved in some fashion.  Along these lines albums such as this and Bruce Springsteen’s latest release act as hopefully more than just entertainment, but also as catalysts for a younger generation to dig deeper into the rich history of music that comes before them. “Monkey Jump” kicks it off showcasing the stripped down sound that characterizes the disc with Kieran on banjo and vocals, Kevin on guitar and Fats on fiddle and accordion.  The songs, even though most are of recent writing glisten with a spirit of the traditional songs that they fall in line with.“Satan’s Paradise” and “Heaven Now,” both co-written by Welch, speak of redemption and the longing for something more: “I know my days are Heaven sent/Lord knows I know not where they went/Shake my head and I wonder how/I’ll ever get to Heaven now” (from “Heaven Now”)“Postcard From Mexico” is my favorite on the record.  Over an entrancing guitar riff providing a foundational groove, Kieran and Kevin trade vocal lines over said guitar, tambourine, and lone drum.  The subject matter, (boy-meets-girl, they-rob-liquor-store, boy-takes-rap) might be a nearly overplayed story, but the arrangement gives it new life here.“To the Harvest Look Ahead” and I Can’t Wait” return again to the theme of trying to see more than just what little piece of earth lays ahead of us.  It’s easy for us to forget in the day to day the hope we all once carried, but, as stated in “To the Harvest Look Ahead:”So much rain must fallFor our daily breadThrough it allTo the harvest look aheadThese recurring themes of redemption, hope and longing run circularly through the album and the sparse instrumentation help to push the lyrical message forward.  The songs speak to the spirit of those that have laid a path for the mountain-folk style these three work to preserve.

Kevin Welch occupies a spot near the top of my favorites. Any young and aspiring artist that hasn't heard his stuff has missed an integral part of his education. Here's Kevin's bio  from his web site. As you'll see, he writes well enough on his own: 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. When I listen to Kevin's songs, I hear the voice of a poet, a philosopher, and a concerned citizen of the world. I also hear roots music, unadulterated by computer enhancement. Not a lot of electricity, nor overpowering high-energy sound. Real, thoughtful, quality, thought provoking works. His voice is strong, his message clear. You'll find few throwaway songs on his cds. Kevin and a few of his buddies produce their own music under the title of Dead Reckoning Records. The time, work, and professionalism spent crafting them is evident in their products. I was late in the game learning about Kevin, so I only have three of his cds, but they are all very good. Millionaire  is a good place to start. Beneath My Wheels  is also good, and finally, You Can't Save Everybody , a joint collaboration he made with Kieran Kane and Fats Kaplan. Jersey Devil is so good, it's worth the cost of the entire cd. But all the rest are good as well. Kevin is one of the nicer guys you'll the chance to meet in this world. He's easily approachable. His website is extensive and easy to navigate. Check it out and then do yourself a favor and buy one of his cds or watch a show. You'll be glad you did. -------------------- About the Author - Don Henry Ford, Jr. When Don's not writing books he lends out his talent to Americana Roots to put together great articles like this. You can pick up Don's latest book Contrabando: Confessions of a Drug Smuggling Cowby at your local bookstore or online at Cinco Puntos Press.