Shepherd rocks fest's last night

BY V. PAUL VIRTUCIO

NEWS TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

Amanda Odeski/News Tribune

Kenny Wayne Shepherd closes out the Bayfront Blues Festival on Sunday night at Bayfront Festival Park. Known for his rocking style, Shepherd also treated the crowd to some Delta blues numbers.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd proved Sunday why he has been able to build a loyal following in the Northland.

As he closed the Bayfront Blues Festival -- his third visit to Duluth in seven years -- Shepherd displayed his awe-inspiring guitar technique to thousands who braved the wet weather and waited an extra 40 minutes to see him perform.

Although his 90-minute show featured his current more-rock-than-blues sound, Shepherd dipped into a couple of surprising Delta blues numbers that showed off a deeper, more emotional side to his guitar playing.

Those subdued interludes were a gift for blues purists and others grateful for a brief respite from Shepherd's screaming six-string. He's touring, in part, to launch his newest CD, "10 Days On the Road," featuring Delta blues musicians.

"Gotta keep the blues alive," the 29-year-old Louisianian said from the stage in Bayfront Festival Park.

Shepherd and his band performed 11 tunes and three encore songs. Dressed down in a T-shirt, jeans and sneakers, Shepherd let his guitar do most of the talking; he has admitted that singing is not his strongest talent.

Noah Hunt, a nine-year veteran of the band, handled all the lead vocals except for the song, "Place Your In," which is from the same-titled CD that features Shepherd on vocals.

The band opened with three tunes from Shepherd's chart-topping debut, "Ledbetter Heights." On "Born with a Broken Heart" and "I'm Leaving You," Shepherd's guitar screamed like a banshee. On "Shame, Shame, Shame," Shepherd's licks carried a more classic, lowdown sound. That song also featured one of the evening's highlights -- Riley Osbourn's brooding solo on a Hammond organ.

Shepherd brought out his hit, "Blue On Black," for a crowd singalong and showed off his amazing technique with "True Lies" and "Long Gone," two originals that kept people dancing. While his solos were roller-coaster fast, the emotional depth was as flat as a merry-go-round.

When Shepherd started into a traditional Delta blues tune called "Mississippi," his guitar ministrations all of a sudden sounded fuller, like he was allowing each note to sound before he moved on to the next one without giving up any of his trademark energy. The tune also featured a wonderful back-and-forth duet between Hunt's roguish voice and Shepherd's guitar.

Another highlight was Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing," Shepherd's choice of a closer and the only mellow, pensive, all-instrumental tune of the evening.

Shepherd owned the crowd Sunday because he bridges the rock generation to the blues generation with superhuman feats on the guitar. But blues is more than technique, it tells the stories and emotions of being human.