You can hear 10 of those tunes, including 6-string bonfires like “Slow Train To Hell,” on his new album Devil May Care-the 20th in his catalog. But even the pandemic couldn't slow his songwriting, and he penned more than 200 new titles while in lockdown. King but laden with his own emotionalism and rock 'n' roll energy.Įllis has been a seemingly tireless road warrior-at least until Covid. Over the years he's earned a reputation for full-throttle live shows and well-crafted albums that hinge on his powerful singing and on his playing, which is based in tradition but packed with signature moves like deft finger slides, the use of open, ringing strings in single-note solos, and bends borrowed from B.B. By late in the decade, when the Atlanta-based guitarist and singer began releasing albums under his own name, he also became a fixture in the genre’s international club and festival circuit. Tinsley Ellis broke onto the national blues scene with his early ’80s band, the Heartfixers.
#Bk butler tube driver blackface fender plus
The board is powered by Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus and his new board uses a Voodoo Lab Ground Control System. His new board adds an additional MXR CAE Wah circuit mounted in the board and a BK Butler Tube Driver. His main tone comes from the combination of the King of Tone and Tube Screamer. The signal chain was a Dunlop Uni-Vibe, Electro-Harmonix POG 2, MXR CAE wah, Chicago Iron Tycobrahe Octavia (modern), Analog Man King of Tone (newest version), Ibanez Hand-Wired TS808 Tube Screamer, Analog Man Bi-Chorus, JAM Pedals Delay Llama, and Boss TU-3. He runs all three amps and brings the Deluxe into the mix as "icing on the cake."Įffects Shepherd was using an in-between pedalboard while a custom board was being built when we caught up with him.
That night, he was using a 1964 Fender Blackface Vibroverb Reissue, a new Fender Super-Sonic Twin set on the Bassman setting, and a Fender Deluxe Reissue that's been rebuilt by Alexander Dumble called the Tweedledee Deluxe. When we caught up with Shepherd, he was experimenting with different amp setups and trying to use lower wattage amps to lower the stage volume. Left to Right: Martin Kenny Wayne Shepherd Signature Acoustic prototype, Fender Stevie Ray Vaughan Signature Strat with GraphTech saddles and a custom neck (used heavily on his first album), National Resophonic Dobro Electric (used for "Aberdeen"), Guy Guitars Strat-style with lipstick pickups, built-in Roger Mayer overdrive boost, and Drop D lever. Left to Right: stock Fender Kenny Wayne Shepherd Signature Strat, Fender Kenny Wayne Shepherd Signature Strat prototype, Fender Kenny Wayne Shepherd Signature Strat with GraphTech Ghost pickup system (used for the "Blue on Black"), Fender Jimi Hendrix Monterrey Pop Limited Edition. 12s, depending upon how much he's been playing. Shepherd uses Ernie Ball strings and varies between. He relies heavily on his Fender signature models, but employs different variations on the Strat for different songs. Shepherd is known for using Strats, and brings a number of them on the road. Watch our extensive video interview, including demos of all of his effects:
We caught up with blues rocker Kenny Wayne Shepherd to check out his rig in Des Moines, Iowa.